Single-Tooth Implant

Where a single implant may be suitable

• Adults with one missing tooth, or one tooth that cannot be saved, whose general health allows surgery and healing
• The teeth either side of the gap are healthy, so a conventional bridge would mean grinding down sound teeth
• There is enough room between the neighbouring roots, and up to the opposing teeth, for an implant and a crown
• There is enough bone height and width to hold the implant, or bone can be added (see "Assessment" below)
• The gums are healthy, or gum treatment has been completed
• The jaw has stopped growing

When another option may make more sense

• The tooth can be saved. If root canal treatment, gum treatment or a crown could keep it, that is assessed first. A review of 143 studies found long-term survival of root-canal-treated teeth and single implant crowns similar¹. It also found that direct comparisons were extremely rare, so this does not say which is better for you.
• The neighbouring teeth already need crowns. If the teeth either side have large fillings or need crowns anyway, a bridge may be worth discussing. Those teeth would be restored in any case.
• Untreated gum disease, active infection or an uncontrolled medical condition. These are dealt with first.
• A jaw that is still growing. A teenager who has lost a front tooth, or was born without one, usually waits until growth is complete. Until then a removable tooth or a bonded bridge can fill the gap. If you are asking for someone under 18, ask us first whether and when we would treat them.

What is associated with higher risk

The figures below are pooled results of published observational studies, not our own records. They show association, not proven causation.

• Smoking. People who smoked more than 20 cigarettes a day had about 2.5 times the risk of implant loss per implant² compared with non-smokers. In that review the risk rose with the number of cigarettes, and no level of smoking was shown to be free of extra risk.
• A history of periodontitis (gum disease that has damaged the bone around the teeth). Across 14 prospective studies, implants were lost at about 1.75 times the rate³ seen in people without that history. This is a hazard ratio, which compares rates over time; it is not an absolute risk. These were treated patients; implants are not placed while the disease is active.
• Clenching or grinding. Across 27 studies, people judged likely to clench or grind had about 2.2 times the odds of implant loss⁴ (an odds ratio). These studies did not test whether a night guard prevents that.
• Diabetes, bone-strengthening medicines and radiotherapy to the head and neck. Each needs a careful look at your medical history, and sometimes planning with your own doctors. With bone-strengthening medicines the main concern is medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw: an area of jawbone that dies and may not heal. In people on high-dose bone-strengthening treatment for cancer, elective implant surgery is usually avoided. Doses used for osteoporosis are assessed separately. In bone that has had radiotherapy, implants are lost more often. There is also a risk of wounds that do not heal and of bone death (osteoradionecrosis). The evidence for each is set out on the dental implants overview. Do not stop any medicine without asking the doctor who prescribed it.

Suitability is decided by an examination, a 3D scan and your medical history. A plan based on photographs or a panoramic X-ray is not final; it is a preliminary assessment.

Before an implant is planned, the dentist examines the gap, the neighbouring teeth, your gums and your bite, and takes your medical history. X-rays and a 3D scan (cone beam CT) show the height and width of the bone and the room between the neighbouring roots. They also show where the nerve canal and the sinus lie. Recommendations on 3D scans in implant dentistry say a scan could be justified for diagnosis and planning before surgery⁵. A 3D scan gives a higher radiation dose than a panoramic X-ray. The recommendations ask for the dose to be kept as low as is diagnostically acceptable⁵. The same recommendations say that ordinary dental X-rays remain the main tool for checking an implant afterwards. So a dentist in the UK can follow your implant with standard X-rays.

Bone

Bone shrinks after a tooth is taken out. A review of 28 studies looked at sockets left to heal on their own. For teeth other than molars, the ridge lost on average about 2.7 millimetres in width⁶. On the cheek or lip side it also lost about 1.7 millimetres in height⁶. The studies measured at different times, so these figures have no single time frame. Some of this loss is expected whichever option you choose. We have found no good research showing that a single implant prevents it.

If the tooth still has to come out, the socket can be filled with graft material at the same time. This is called ridge preservation, and it aims to limit the shrinkage. A Cochrane review of 16 randomised trials found that this may reduce the shrinkage measured about six months later, but the evidence is very uncertain⁷. It could not show whether it changes the need for a later graft or the risk of losing the implant. Where there is too little bone, bone grafting or a sinus lift may be considered; both lengthen treatment and carry their own risks.

Gums

The gums need to be healthy before surgery, so gum disease is treated first. Some people are offered a gum graft to add a band of firm gum around the implant. The 2017 consensus report found the evidence on this firm gum equivocal for long-term health around implants⁸. It may make the area more comfortable and easier to clean. If a gum graft is proposed, ask why it is needed in your case.

Space and bite

The gap has to be wide enough, and deep enough to the opposing tooth, for an implant and a crown. If the neighbouring teeth have tilted into the gap, or the opposing tooth has moved towards it, this is planned for before the implant.

At the front of the mouth an implant has to look right as well as work. Some of what decides that can be planned; some cannot be fully controlled.

• The gum line. The gum around the crown should sit at the same level as on the neighbouring teeth. The gum can recede over time, and the metal edge of the implant can then show.
• The gum between the teeth. If the small triangle of gum between two teeth (the papilla) is lost, a dark gap can show. Ways to rebuild it exist, but the evidence is thin. A 2024 review of 45 studies, most of them case series and case reports, looked at rebuilding this gum between natural teeth. Several methods seemed to help for at least three months, but the review found insufficient evidence to make recommendations⁹. It left out studies focused on implants, so it tells us even less about the gum beside an implant crown.
• The bone at the front. After a front tooth is taken out, bone is lost on the lip side too (see "Assessment" above). Where too little is left to support the gum, a graft may be needed before or with the implant.
• Your smile line. If your upper lip shows the gum when you smile, small differences in the gum are easier to see.
• The colour and shape of your own teeth. One crown has to match the teeth beside it. Shade and shape are checked against them, and a try-in may be needed.

In a review of 46 studies of single implant crowns, aesthetic complications were reported at 7.1 per cent over five years¹⁰. The figure is for single implant crowns in general, not for front teeth only.

Placing the implant on the day of the extraction

At a front tooth, you may ask for, or be offered, an implant on the day the tooth comes out. A review pooling studies with different follow-up and patient selection found survival of 95.2 per cent¹¹ for implants placed straight into the extraction socket. For implants placed in healed bone it was 98.4 per cent¹¹ (per implant). This is a group average, not a personal probability for you, and the review's authors ask for the method to be used with caution. Whether it is possible depends on infection at the site, the state of the bone wall and what you expect from the appearance.

Before treatment, ask how the result is likely to look in your mouth. Ask too what could make it look less natural, and what would be done if it did. Your expectations are discussed before any surgery.

There is more than one way to deal with one missing tooth, or one that cannot be saved. The list starts with the option that removes the least tissue. All of these options are also available from dentists in the UK, and a UK dentist can give you an independent opinion before you decide.

• Leaving the gap. For a missing back tooth this is a reasonable choice for some people. A review of 83 articles found that about 20 teeth, front teeth included, were associated with adequate chewing¹² for most people. Those teeth formed about 9 to 10 pairs of upper and lower teeth meeting when biting¹². In that review, losing front teeth markedly affected appearance and satisfaction, while molars added little to satisfaction; people varied a great deal. The trade-off is that the teeth beside and opposite the gap can move. One small study followed 68 back teeth that had lost their opposing tooth, in people with gum disease. Over about nine months, these teeth moved further into the gap (over-erupted) by less than half a millimetre on average¹³. Two upper molars moved more than 2 millimetres¹³. The bone in the gap also shrinks after the extraction (see "Assessment" above).
• Saving the tooth. If the tooth is still there, ask first whether root canal treatment, gum treatment, a repair or a crown could keep it.
• A removable partial denture. A small plate carrying one tooth. It needs no surgery and little or no grinding. You take it out to clean it, and getting used to it takes time. As the gums and jawbone shrink or change over time, it may become loose¹⁴ and need adjusting. Studies of partial dentures did not consistently report better quality of life or satisfaction¹⁵ afterwards.
• A resin-bonded (adhesive) bridge. A false tooth with a wing bonded to the back of a neighbouring tooth. It needs very little or no grinding, and no surgery. It does not suit every gap or every bite; it can come loose and may need re-bonding.
• A conventional bridge. The teeth either side of the gap are reduced, and a bridge is fixed over them. If those teeth are healthy, the tissue removed does not grow back. On the other hand, no surgery is needed and the treatment is short. The dental bridges page explains the designs.
• An implant crown. The neighbouring teeth are not ground down to support it. It needs surgery, a healing period and usually at least two visits to Antalya.

How do they compare over time?

There are almost no head-to-head trials. The figures below come from separate groups of studies, mostly published before 2007, and are not our own results.

• One review pooled studies with a mean follow-up of at least five years. In it, about 89 in 100 conventional bridges and about 89 in 100 implant crowns¹⁶ were still in place after ten years. Bridges on natural teeth held from one side only (cantilever bridges) did less well, at about 80 in 100¹⁶. The review gave no figures for resin-bonded bridges. We could not check whether the bridge figures were counted per bridge or per patient.
• The problems differ. With bridges they were mainly decay and loss of vitality in the supporting teeth; implant reconstructions had significantly more technical complications¹⁶.
• Being in place is not the same as being trouble-free. In a review of conventional bridges, about 71 in 100 had no complication after ten years¹⁷, a figure pooled from four studies. Implant crowns also have frequent complications (see "Risks and benefits" below).
• Another review found no study that compared the two directly¹⁸, as of 2007. Its implant figures looked better than those for bridges of all designs, but the difference disappeared against conventional bridges.
• The review of 143 studies found survival of implant crowns and root-canal-treated teeth higher than for bridges¹.

So the reviews do not agree on whether a bridge or an implant lasts longer. Which option suits you depends on where the gap is, the neighbouring teeth, the bone and your bite. Your habits and what you want matter too. If you have been offered only one option, ask why the others were ruled out.

A single implant has two main stages, the surgery and the crown, with healing in between. The number of visits and the length of each depend on you and your plan; both are written in the plan. How the stages fit into visits to Antalya is explained under "Visits to Antalya, and the time between them" below. If you would like sedation, the details are on the sedation and anaesthesia page. When the crown is complete, probing measurements around the implant and an X-ray are taken as a baseline record⁸, as the consensus report recommends.

For one missing tooth, one of these is chosen for the healing period:

• The gap is left empty. Some people choose this for a back tooth that does not show.
• A removable temporary tooth. A small plate carrying one tooth. You take it out to clean it, and it is adjusted so that it does not press on the healing area.
• A bonded temporary bridge. Where suitable, a thin temporary tooth attached to the neighbouring teeth.
• A temporary crown on the implant. This is done only in selected patients, if the implant holds firmly enough in the bone at placement (primary stability). You are told what you can and cannot bite with it.

The last option is not for everyone; its risks, and whether it is in your plan, should be discussed separately. A Cochrane review of 26 randomised trials found no convincing difference¹⁹ within one year between loading an implant immediately and waiting. Most of its trials were at high or unclear risk of bias. Another review of 39 randomised trials reported slightly lower implant survival²⁰ with immediate loading. The decision depends on how firmly the implant holds during surgery, and on you.

For a front tooth, ask what you will wear and how it looks. This is what you will live with at home in the UK between visits, so have it written in your treatment plan before you book.

The crown is joined to the implant by a connecting part, the abutment. Implant systems differ in surface, screw design and parts, and the 2017 consensus report noted that there is no generic implant⁸. A review of 40 studies, most of them laboratory studies, compared abutments made by the implant's own manufacturer with non-original ones. Original abutments generally fitted better, though some non-original ones were comparable, and the authors recommend using original abutments²¹.

Screwed or cemented?

A screw-retained crown is held by a small screw through the crown, and the access hole is then sealed. It can be taken off for a repair. A cemented crown is cemented onto the abutment. An international consensus says neither failure nor complication can be avoided²² by choosing one method. It adds that cement retention may be recommended to improve appearance in two cases. One is when the screw hole would come through the biting surface; the other is when the implant is not ideally positioned. Cement left under the gum is a possible risk indicator²³ for inflammation around the implant. Ask which your crown will be, and why.

When you receive a quote, ask for these in writing:

• Which implant system is planned, and in which diameter and length?
• Is the abutment from the same system?
• Will the crown be screwed or cemented?
• Will a dentist in the UK be able to obtain these parts years from now?
• Will I be given an implant card or a similar record, showing the batch (lot) number?

A brand name alone does not decide the result. We give you the system planned for you, in writing, in your treatment plan.

Risks

The figures below come from published studies, not from our own records.

• Implant loss. A review of 46 studies looked at implants carrying a single crown. Of every 100, about 97 were still in the mouth after five years and about 95 after ten¹⁰. The rest were lost. It is not always possible to place a new implant where one was lost; further surgery or a different restoration may be needed.
• Inflammation around the implant. Peri-implant mucositis is inflammation of the soft tissue around an implant. Peri-implantitis is that inflammation together with loss of the supporting bone. Its treatment may need surgery, and if it is not controlled, further bone loss can lead to losing the implant. A 57-study review reported peri-implantitis in about 20 in 100 patients and about 12 in 100 implants²⁴. An older 11-study review found mucositis in about 43 in 100 patients²⁵. The rates vary widely with the definition used.
• Technical and biological problems. The 46-study review reported these cumulative five-year rates: screw loosening 8.8 per cent, soft-tissue problems 7.1 per cent and aesthetic complications 7.1 per cent¹⁰. Bone loss of more than 2 millimetres was 5.2 per cent and the crown coming loose 4.1 per cent¹⁰. Chipped porcelain was 3.5 per cent¹⁰. A loose screw can be tightened and a damaged crown repaired or replaced; soft-tissue problems need assessment and treatment. Regular reviews are needed to find them.
• Surgical risks. Bleeding, swelling, bruising and infection can occur. In the lower jaw, nerves run close to where implants are placed, so the lip, chin or tongue can go numb. It is usually temporary; rarely, it does not go away. In a single gap, the roots of the neighbouring teeth are close, and one can be damaged while the implant site is prepared. In the back of the upper jaw the sinus is close. The sinus membrane can tear, sinusitis can develop, or an opening can form between the mouth and the sinus. A 3D scan and careful planning reduce these risks; they do not remove them.
• Limits of appearance. At a front tooth the gum, the bone and your smile line decide the result (see "A front tooth: what is different" above).

Benefits

• The neighbouring teeth are not ground down; no healthy tooth is reduced to hold a bridge.
• It is fixed: you do not take it out, and there are no clasps. A screw can still loosen or the crown come loose, as the figures above show. It does not feel or work exactly like a natural tooth.
• It is not joined to the teeth beside it, so you can clean between them with floss or interdental brushes.

The first days

• Swelling and bruising usually increase over the first 48 to 72 hours, then settle. Use cold packs and the medicines prescribed.
• Choose soft, lukewarm food for the first days, and do not chew on the surgical site.
• Do not stop cleaning your mouth. Clean the surgical area the way your dentist shows you, and the rest as usual.
• If you had sedation, do not drive or operate machinery for as long as the sedation team tells you. Whether you need an escort depends on the method. For adults, every form of sedation other than inhalation sedation requires a responsible adult as an escort²⁶. Without an escort, treatment under sedation is not given. If you are travelling alone, ask before you book how this works for you. Before you leave the clinic after surgery, you and your escort should have written aftercare instructions. You should also know how to reach the clinic, including out of hours.
• Smoking is linked with poorer healing. At the very least, do not smoke during the healing period.

Daily care

• Brush twice a day with a soft brush and fluoride toothpaste. Pay particular attention to the line where the implant crown meets the gum.
• Clean between the teeth every day with interdental brushes, floss or a water flosser. Your dentist shows you which works in your mouth.
• If you clench, a night guard may be advised to protect the crown. It has not been shown to prevent implant loss, and we hold no study showing how well it protects the crown.
• Reviews. Follow-up for an implant is different from a general dental check-up. The consensus report recommends that an X-ray and probing measurements be taken as a baseline⁸ when the restoration is complete. The European Federation of Periodontology guideline calls for a structured supportive care programme²⁷ once implants are in use. The NICE guideline on dental recall recommends that the interval between reviews be set for each patient²⁸. It is based on a risk assessment and discussed with the patient. So there is no ready-made 'once a year' interval that suits everyone; yours may be shorter or different, depending on your risk. If your reviews will be with a dentist in the UK, give them your baseline record.

The rates below are not promises, and they come from published studies, not from our own records. They are pooled estimates, calculated with statistical models from studies with different lengths of follow-up. What happens in your case depends on your bone, your gum health, your habits and your care.

• The implant itself. In the 46-study review, of every 100 implants, about 97 were still in the mouth after five years and about 95 after ten¹⁰ (per implant).
• The crown on top. In the same review, of every 100 crowns, about 96 were in use after five years and about 89 after ten¹⁰ (per crown). The rate for the implant is not the same as the rate for the crown on top of it.
• No one can promise a lifetime result. The ten-year values are estimates from a statistical model, based on studies with a mean follow-up of at least five years. None of the reviews we use promises a lifetime result.
• Being in place is not the same as being trouble-free. A loose screw or chipped porcelain needs a repair. In these studies, a crown that had to be replaced counted as a lost crown. Ask beforehand whether these are included in your plan, and who will do them once you are back in the UK.

We have found no good research comparing implant treatment squeezed into a few days with treatment spread over months; we say so plainly. The nearest evidence, the Cochrane review of loading times¹⁹, followed patients for a year at most, so it cannot settle the question. The timing first has to meet clinical requirements: how firmly the implant holds and how you heal. Beyond that, judge it on practical grounds. How is healing checked? Who do you contact if something goes wrong? What aftercare does the plan include?

First visit: examination and surgery

On the first visit you have the examination and 3D scan, and usually the implant surgery, with the extraction if one is needed. Some people need an extraction, gum treatment or a graft first, and must heal before the implant goes in; that can mean an extra visit. How many days each visit needs depends on your plan, and is stated in writing before you book travel. A 2023 narrative review suggests waiting at least 72 hours²⁹ after implant placement before flying. After a sinus lift it suggests at least two, and ideally six, weeks. These intervals assume no pain, swelling or bleeding at the treated site²⁹. The authors say the research is limited and comes mostly from military aviation. Treat these intervals as a starting point for a conversation with the dentist who treated you, not as clearance.

You can say no, or ask to stop, at any stage, including after the examination. Ask before you travel what you would pay if the examination shows that an implant does not suit you.

At home: healing before the crown

The implant needs time to fuse with the bone before the final crown is made. How long depends on the bone, the implant's position, any graft and how you heal; you are told your own period after the examination. For orientation, the Cochrane review calls a crown fitted more than two months after placement¹⁹ conventional loading. Do not shorten the healing period to fit travel plans. Ask how healing will be checked before you book the second visit, and what happens if it is not complete.

The NHS website for England advises you to discuss your plans with a GP³⁰ before making any final decisions about travel or medical arrangements. The GDC says it is always a good idea to speak to your own dentist³¹ before treatment abroad. They may be able to advise you from your dental history. Ask them now whether they will see you between the visits and afterwards. If you do not have a regular dentist, find one in the UK, NHS or private, before you travel. A check with a dentist in the UK between the visits can be written into your plan. If so, ask for the records of the first visit before you fly home, so that dentist can see what was done.

Second visit: the crown

Once healing is confirmed, an impression or digital scan is taken and the crown is made and fitted. The bite is adjusted, and you are shown how to clean around the implant. Some plans need a further visit, for example when a try-in of a front tooth shows that the shade or shape needs changing. You leave with your records and a written review interval.

Once you are back in the UK, the first person to see a problem may be a dentist near you rather than us. Plan for that before you travel. The British Dental Association advises patients to get advice on what to do if problems occur after they return³².

• A loose screw, a crown that comes loose or chipped porcelain. These are the usual technical problems (see "Risks and benefits" above). Contact us through the route in your plan, and see a dentist near you with your records. Whether the repair is done in the UK or on another visit to Antalya depends on the problem.
• Inflammation around the implant. Bleeding, swelling or pus around the implant needs assessment soon. See a dentist near you with your baseline record, and tell us.
• An implant that fails. It is not always possible to place a new implant in the same place. Further surgery, a bone graft, a bridge or a partial denture may be needed instead, and that may mean another visit to Antalya.
• Who pays. Our written remake terms state who pays for further treatment and travel (see "Is the work guaranteed?" below).
• Reviews. Reviews can be done in Antalya or, where your plan says so, with a dentist in the UK. Ask who will do yours and who pays for them.

What the NHS does and does not do

NHS guidance for dentists in England and Wales says a patient treated abroad is dealt with like any patient previously treated by another provider. If you are accepted for NHS care, treatment that is clinically necessary within NHS services is provided, with your consent. But where another provider did the original work, further treatment within two months and free repair or replacement do not apply³³. That guidance does not say an implant or its crown will be repaired or replaced on the NHS. It covers England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own NHS rules, and we hold no record for them. The NHS also states that it is not liable for negligence or failure of treatment³⁰ you receive abroad.

Insurance

The NHS warns that most travel insurance policies will not cover you for planned treatment abroad³⁰, so you may need specialist cover. Ask your insurer, in writing, before you book.

The UK General Dental Council lists thirteen questions³¹ to ask before dental treatment abroad, and the NHS has its own checklist. Below are the ones that matter most for a single implant, each with our answer. Where our answer is a commitment rather than something you can check today, it says so. Ask us the full list, and ask for the answers in writing.

Who will treat me, and how can I check their registration?

Before you commit, we name in writing the dentist who will place your implant. If someone else will fit the crown, we name them too. In Turkey a dentist in private practice must register with the local dental chamber³⁴ within a month of starting, and cannot practise privately without it. The Turkish Dental Association's website offers a search of registered dentists by name and province³⁵. Ask us for the treating dentist's registration details. Registration in Turkey is separate from the UK register: the GDC states that only people registered with it can legally practise dentistry in the UK³⁶.

How often do you do this, and what are your complication rates?

The GDC suggests asking how many times the procedure has been carried out, and the success, complication and infection rates³¹. The figures on this page come from published reviews, not from our own patient records. We publish no implant figures of our own yet, so ask us for them, how complications were defined and over what period.

Is the clinic licensed and regulated?

In Turkey a dental clinic cannot open without a licence or treat patients without an operating permit. It is inspected at least once a year³⁷. To treat international patients, a facility also needs an authorisation certificate from the Ministry of Health³⁸. The Ministry publishes a register of authorised facilities³⁹ that you can check yourself. We give you our authorisation details before you commit. A licence or authorisation is a legal minimum, not a statement about the result of your treatment. The GDC itself cannot guarantee that a regulator like it exists in another country³¹.

Will I get the plan in writing?

Yes. The GDC says you should be assessed by a qualified dentist before being given a treatment plan and cost estimate³¹. Your written plan states why an implant is proposed and which alternatives were considered. It names the implant system, the abutment, how the crown is fixed and the temporary tooth, and how many visits are needed. It also states what the plan covers and does not cover. A plan made from photographs or X-rays you send is preliminary. It is confirmed after the examination and 3D scan, and we tell you before anything in it changes. You can take the written plan to a dentist in the UK for an independent opinion before you commit.

Is the work guaranteed?

The GDC suggests asking whether the work is guaranteed and for how long³¹. It also suggests asking whether further treatment is included if there are complications, and who pays for extra flights, hotel and remedial work³¹. The GDC sets no minimum period itself. Before you commit, we give you our complication route and remake terms in writing. They state what is covered, for how long and what is excluded, for the implant and for the crown separately. They also state what you must do to keep the cover, such as attending reviews, and who pays for further treatment and travel. Read that document before you decide, rather than relying on the word "guarantee" on any web page.

Am I insured if something goes wrong?

The GDC lists insurance among its questions. In Turkey a facility treating international patients must take out complication insurance for surgical and interventional procedures carried out in an operating theatre³⁸. That does not by itself tell you whether your implant surgery is covered, so ask which procedures in your plan fall under it. Ask us in writing whether the clinic or the treating dentist holds insurance for complications or errors. Travel insurance is covered in the section on problems after you are home, above.

Who do I contact after treatment?

Your written plan names the contact route for questions and problems once you are home, and your review interval. For urgent symptoms, get emergency care where you are first (see "When to contact a dentist" below).

What records will I take home?

The NHS lists exchanging medical records and arranging aftercare back home³⁰ among the things to consider. In Turkey you are entitled to an itemised bill, and on request to free copies of the records of materials, tests and imaging³⁸. You may also examine your file and take a copy⁴⁰. At the end of treatment we give you your records in a form a UK dentist can use. They include the plan, X-rays and scan, the implant system with its diameter and length, the abutment and crown, and the baseline measurements.

What if I am unhappy, and where can I complain?

We give you our written complaints procedure before treatment. A complaint goes to the clinic first; private dental polyclinics, centres and hospitals in Turkey must have a patient rights unit³⁷. If the clinic does not resolve it, you can apply in writing to the provincial health directorate's Patient Rights Board⁴⁰. The Board decides within thirty days, but it does not assess allegations of medical error. The dental chamber can also open disciplinary proceedings³⁴ against a dentist. Do not expect the UK regulator to settle it. The GDC states that it cannot resolve complaints or help with refunds³⁶; its investigations are about whether dental professionals are fit to practise.

Will the team speak English?

The GDC suggests asking whether the team speaks your language and, if not, whether a translator is provided³¹. We confirm in writing, before you commit, who will explain the plan, the consent form and the aftercare instructions to you in English.

Do you treat under-18s?

Implants usually wait until the jaw has stopped growing. This page does not yet set out whether, or from what age, we treat patients under 18. If you are asking for a teenager, ask us before you travel, and talk to their own dentist too.

Warning signs, including for us

The NHS checklist names five signs to think twice about before booking. They are a hard sell, a lack of information, pressure to make a quick decision, no discussion of possible complications, and no mention of aftercare⁴¹. Apply them to us too. If you feel pushed to decide quickly, wait.

After surgery, or at any time later, contact us and see a dentist near you in these cases.

• Pain or swelling increases after the third day, or bleeding does not stop
• A high temperature, or swelling of the face that keeps growing
• Numbness of the lip, tongue or chin lasts beyond the expected duration of the anaesthetic
• The implant or crown moves, a screw feels loose, or a piece cracks or breaks
• Bleeding, a bad smell, pus or receding gum around the implant
• Pain on biting, or the bite feels high
• Nasal discharge, a blocked nose or sinus pain on the side of an implant in the back of the upper jaw

Before you fly home. If any of these starts while you are still in Turkey, tell us before you travel.

Once you are home. Contact us through the route written in your plan. See a dentist near you as well if bleeding does not stop, numbness persists, pain or swelling keeps increasing, or the implant moves. Do not wait for our reply. In England, if you do not have a dentist or cannot get an emergency appointment, the NHS says to call 111 or use 111 online⁴². Elsewhere in the UK, check the local arrangements.

Emergencies. In the UK, call 999 or go to A&E⁴² if you have any of the signs below. Do not wait for our reply. In Turkey, call 112.

• It is hard to breathe, speak or swallow
• There is a lot of swelling in your mouth, or it is hard to open your mouth
• Your eye is swollen or painful, or your eyesight changes suddenly
• Your neck is swollen⁴³

This page carries no prices. The main things that shape a plan for one tooth are:

• Whether the tooth has to come out first, and whether the socket is grafted
• Whether bone grafting or a sinus lift is needed
• The implant system and the abutment
• The material of the crown, and whether it is screwed or cemented
• The temporary tooth used during healing
• Sedation; the number of visits and the review programme
• The remake terms if there is a complication

Ask for three things in writing. What does your plan include? Which items are left 'to be decided later'? Who pays for further treatment and extra travel if there is a complication? Add your own travel for every visit, and reviews with a dentist in the UK, to see the whole cost. If you are comparing with a UK quote for an implant or a bridge, compare what each one includes, item by item.