Tooth Extraction

The main reasons a tooth has to come out are:

• Decay or a fracture too large to repair.
• Advanced gum disease (periodontitis). When the bone and tissues that hold the tooth are lost, the tooth becomes loose.
• Infection. The inner tissue of a tooth can become infected. According to the NHS, if root canal treatment is not done, the infection may spread and the tooth may need to be taken out³.
• Crowding or injury. A tooth may need to come out to make room during orthodontic treatment, or after it has been damaged in an accident.
• A wisdom tooth causing problems. Wisdom teeth are a separate topic and are not covered on this page.

In a review of the reasons adults have teeth taken out, the most common reasons were decay and gum disease⁴. The review left out wisdom teeth and children. It rests on only three studies. They were carried out in Greece and Croatia between 1995 and 2010. So its findings should not be read as a picture of today or of any one country.

When extraction is usually considered

• The tooth is too broken down to repair, or the root is fractured in a way that does not allow the tooth to be kept.
• Gum disease has destroyed much of the tissue holding the tooth and the tooth cannot be kept.
• An infection in the tooth cannot be cleared with root canal treatment, or root canal treatment is not suitable.

When keeping the tooth is considered first

• The decay or fracture can be repaired. According to the NHS, a cavity left by decay can be filled, and a broken or decayed tooth can be repaired with a crown³.
• The nerve of the tooth is inflamed. Root canal treatment can often keep the tooth without taking it out. See our page on root canal treatment for details.
• There is gum disease. A review of 33 studies looked at patients after gum treatment. For at least 5 years they kept up regular maintenance care with their dentist (supportive periodontal therapy). These patients lost on average 0.1 teeth per patient per year⁵. Most of them lost no teeth at all. This result is not a guarantee for any one patient. See our page on gum disease treatment for details.

Whether a tooth can be kept is decided after an examination and X-rays. The medical history and imaging that come first are described under "How a tooth is taken out" below.

• Doing nothing. For a tooth that is not painful and shows no sign of infection, waiting is sometimes a choice; the tooth is watched at check-ups. For an infected tooth, however, waiting is not safe: a dental abscess will not go away on its own⁶ and needs urgent treatment.
• Keeping the tooth. Decay can be repaired with a filling, a badly broken-down tooth with a crown, and a tooth with an inflamed nerve with root canal treatment. Root-filled teeth and single crowns on implants have been found to have similar long-term rates of staying in the mouth⁷. Very few studies compare the two treatments directly, so neither has been shown to be better in general. The choice depends on the state of the tooth, the risks of each treatment and your own preference.
• Taking the tooth out and leaving the gap. For some gaps at the back of the mouth this is a reasonable choice; see “Replacing a missing tooth” below.
• Taking the tooth out and replacing it. The gap can be filled with an implant, a bridge or a removable denture.

Taking out a tooth that could be kept is a trade-off. You accept the effects of the extraction and the gap instead of the risks of keeping the tooth. The decision is made together with your dentist, after an examination and X-rays.

Medical history and imaging

Before an extraction, your dentist asks about your health and your medicines. Tell your dentist if:

• You take a blood thinner or an antiplatelet medicine such as aspirin.
• You take, or have taken, a medicine for bone thinning (osteoporosis) or for cancer.
• You have had radiotherapy to the head or neck.
• You have a heart condition, or your heart doctor has told you that you may need antibiotics before dental procedures.
• You are pregnant. Pregnancy does not rule out an extraction. ACOG, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, is a US body. It says that treatments that should not be postponed, such as an extraction, can be done at any stage of pregnancy⁸. According to UK guidance, dental X-rays, including panoramic and three-dimensional X-rays, do not need to wait until after the birth⁹. You may also choose to postpone an X-ray that is not urgent.
• You take other medicines regularly, or have a condition that weakens your immune system.

How these medicines affect an extraction is explained in the next section. According to UK guidance, X-rays are chosen for you after your history has been taken and you have been examined⁹.

Simple and surgical extraction

In a simple extraction the area is numbed with a local anaesthetic. According to MedlinePlus, the tooth is loosened with an instrument called an elevator and removed with forceps¹⁰.

A surgical extraction is more complex. An impacted tooth is one that is blocked from coming through fully. For such a tooth, a small cut in the gum, removing some bone or cutting the tooth into pieces may be needed¹⁰. Sedation may be used for this kind of extraction. One or more stitches may be needed afterwards. Your dentist will tell you which approach is needed after the examination and X-rays.

Anaesthesia and consent

According to a Cochrane review comparing the numbing injections used in dental treatment, the differences between the drugs for teeth being taken out are uncertain¹¹. In the trials of surgical procedures, neither of the two drugs compared (prilocaine and lidocaine) numbed every patient completely. So tell your dentist if you feel pain during the procedure. If you feel anxious, see our page on sedation.

Before the tooth comes out, your dentist explains why extraction is recommended and whether the tooth could be kept. You also hear the risks for you and what could replace it. The extraction goes ahead only once you have agreed to it. Ask your questions at this stage. In Turkish dental facilities, a consent form is required for every intervention¹². The UK General Dental Council's standards ask UK dentists to give patients a written treatment plan before treatment starts¹³. If the plan changes, patients should get an updated one in writing. Those standards bind dentists on the UK register, not a clinic in Turkey. We give you your plan, and any change to it, in writing. How the appointments fit a trip is covered in "Should you travel for an extraction?".

Procedure outline

Your dentist will tell you after the examination how many appointments are needed and how long the procedure will take. The usual steps are:

Blood thinners

Blood-thinning medicines are not stopped for most dental extractions. Guidance from the Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP) covers people taking warfarin. The INR is a blood test that shows how quickly the blood clots. If it is below 4, the medicine should not be interrupted¹⁴. Ideally the INR is measured no more than 24 hours before the procedure. People taking one or two antiplatelet medicines (for example aspirin) do not interrupt them either.

Some people take apixaban, dabigatran, rivaroxaban or edoxaban. For simple extractions of 1 to 3 teeth that leave a small wound, their medicine is not interrupted¹⁴. More extensive extractions include surgical extraction, more than 3 teeth, or neighbouring teeth that leave a large wound. For these, your dentist may ask you to miss or delay only the morning dose on the day. If so, ask for written instructions on which dose to change and when to take the next one. These recommendations rest on very low certainty evidence. Some people have a mechanical heart valve or a coronary stent. Others have had a blood clot in a lung or a deep vein in the last three months. For them, a blood thinner or an antiplatelet medicine is not interrupted¹⁴, even for a more extensive extraction.

The guidance looked at people who kept taking an anticoagulant by mouth during dental treatment. It estimates that about 4 in every 100 needed an extra procedure to stop the bleeding¹⁴. Fewer than 1 in 1,000 need hospital treatment. For these patients the guidance recommends booking treatment early in the day and letting the patient leave only once the bleeding has stopped.

Do not stop or change your medicine¹ unless your dentist or doctor tells you to. Your care after the extraction is also slightly different; it is explained below.

Osteoporosis and cancer medicines

Some medicines slow bone breakdown, such as bisphosphonates and denosumab; some cancer medicines block the growth of blood vessels. A rare side effect of these medicines is medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw¹⁵. In this condition, jaw bone is exposed in the mouth, or it can be felt with a probe through a small draining channel (fistula). For the diagnosis, this has to last longer than eight weeks. If you notice a symptom, do not wait eight weeks; tell your dentist. An extraction can trigger this condition. A 2015 analysis pooled studies of this condition after an extraction. It developed in about 3 in every 100 people treated for cancer with a medicine that slows bone breakdown¹⁶. In people taking such a medicine by mouth for osteoporosis, it developed in about 15 in every 10,000¹⁶.

The Scottish guidance names two low-risk groups among people not taking systemic corticosteroids (tablets or injections). These are people treated for osteoporosis or another bone disease that is not cancer. They have taken a bisphosphonate for less than 5 years, or they take denosumab. Other groups are at higher risk¹⁵. They are people who have taken a bisphosphonate for more than 5 years, or take these medicines with systemic corticosteroids. They also include people taking them for cancer, and people who have had this condition before. People who took a bisphosphonate in the past, or had denosumab in the last nine months, are assessed as if still taking it.

The guidance recommends carrying out simple extractions in the usual way for low-risk patients. For high-risk patients, less invasive options¹⁵ are considered first; for example, if there is no infection, the root may be left in place. The guidance does not recommend giving antibiotics or antiseptics after an extraction to reduce this risk.

Do not stop your medicine on your own. According to the guidance, there is no evidence that interrupting a bisphosphonate before dental treatment reduces the risk¹⁵. That decision is made by the doctor who prescribes the medicine. Some people have a denosumab injection every six months. For them, one option is to plan an extraction that is not urgent for the month before the next dose. That dose is then delayed until the socket has healed. You can discuss this option with your doctors¹⁵. Any change to the timing of the medicine is decided by the doctor who prescribes it. If you are going to start one of these medicines, it is recommended¹⁵ that your teeth and gums are made as healthy as possible first. If that cannot be done, it is done as soon as possible after starting. For people starting them for cancer, a dental examination and any treatment needed are preferably done first.

Heart conditions and antibiotics

In England, NICE does not recommend routine antibiotics¹⁷ before dental procedures to prevent infection of the inner lining of the heart (infective endocarditis). Current Scottish advice recommends offering antibiotics¹⁸ before a dental extraction to patients at high risk of this infection. This decision is made together, taking into account the patient's preferences and the advice of their heart team. If you have a heart condition, tell your dentist before the extraction.

Risks

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

• An extraction cannot be undone. An extracted permanent tooth does not grow back. Over time the jaw bone where the tooth was becomes thinner; this is explained below.
• Numbness and pain. According to MedlinePlus, the lip and cheek may stay numb for a few hours¹⁰; pain may start as the numbness wears off. After wisdom tooth removal the NHS says there may be some pain and swelling for up to 2 weeks¹⁹. These are expected to start improving after 1 or 2 days. Our sources give no separate time for the removal of other teeth.
• Bleeding. Some oozing for a while after the extraction is normal. For people taking blood thinners, the Scottish guidance counts simple extractions of 1 to 3 teeth that leave a small wound as low bleeding risk¹⁴. Surgical extractions, extractions of neighbouring teeth that leave a large wound, and taking out more than 3 teeth at one visit count as higher risk.
• Dry socket. A painful condition that develops when the protective blood clot in the socket is lost. A Cochrane review gives its frequency: after 1 to 5 in every 100 routine extractions, and after 30 or more in every 100 surgically removed wisdom teeth²⁰. This is a general range given by the review, not a pooled estimate. According to the Scottish guidance it is most common after molar extractions²¹. In a review that pooled observational studies, dry socket occurred in about 13 in every 100 smokers and about 4 in every 100 non-smokers²². Those studies included both simple and surgical extractions.
• Infection. Whether antibiotics are needed after an extraction is decided patient by patient²³. Most of the trials on this question were done in healthy people having wisdom teeth removed. Because of side effects and antibiotic resistance, antibiotics are not given to everyone. For a dry socket itself, the Scottish guidance does not recommend antibiotics²¹ in most cases. The exceptions are an infection that is spreading or affects the whole body, and a weakened immune system.
• Other, less common risks. MedlinePlus lists nerve damage, damage to neighbouring teeth or fillings, bruising, incomplete numbing, reactions to medicines and slow healing among the less common risks¹⁰. The source does not say how often these occur. We did not find a reliable rate for extractions other than wisdom teeth. For wisdom tooth removal, according to the NHS, nerve damage usually gets better but can take a few weeks or months¹⁹.
• Osteonecrosis of the jaw. A rare risk in people taking certain medicines for osteoporosis or cancer; explained above.

Benefits

• Removing an infected tooth, or one that cannot be saved, removes the source of the pain and infection coming from that tooth.
• It can make room for the teeth to line up during orthodontic treatment.

In the first days after an extraction:

• Bleeding. If the socket keeps bleeding, the Scottish guidance recommends biting firmly on a damp gauze pad for 20 minutes²⁴. If you do not take a blood thinner and the bleeding has not stopped, press once more. If it still does not stop, get urgent care.
• If you take a blood thinner. The Scottish leaflet for people taking these medicines recommends pressing on the bleeding area for 30 minutes²⁵. If the bleeding does not stop, or starts again later, contact your dentist straight away or get urgent care²⁴.
• Do not rinse your mouth on the first day. Guidance advises not rinsing on the day of the extraction²¹, and on the following days rinsing gently¹⁹ with warm salt water or mouthwash.
• The first 24 hours. Once the bleeding has stopped, avoid alcohol, smoking and exercise for 24 hours²⁴. If you can, keep your head raised and do not disturb the clot.
• Smoking. The studies in a review of smoking and dry socket did not test²² when it is safe to start smoking again. This may be a good time to stop.
• Pain relief. The usual over-the-counter options are paracetamol or ibuprofen. A Cochrane overview, based mostly on trials after wisdom tooth removal, found taking the two together²⁶ among the options that worked well. Follow the instructions on the pack. For people taking blood thinners, the Scottish leaflet recommends avoiding medicines such as ibuprofen and using paracetamol²⁵. If you are pregnant, the NHS says to avoid ibuprofen²⁷ unless a doctor or pharmacist recommends it. It adds that paracetamol is usually the best painkiller to take in pregnancy.
• Cold packs. After wisdom tooth surgery, applying cold to the cheek may slightly reduce pain on day 3²⁸. No effect on swelling has been shown, and the certainty of the evidence is low. Wrap the cold pack in a cloth.
• Food. Do not eat until the numbness has worn off. The NHS recommends soft or liquid food¹⁹; avoid hard and crunchy food, nuts and seeds, and very hot drinks.
• Dairy. Two randomised trials in Germany did not find that dairy products harmed healing. One was done in healthy young people having wisdom teeth removed²⁹, the other in a broader group having oral surgery³⁰. This does not prove that dairy is harmless for everyone.
• After sedation. The NHS advises not driving for 24 hours¹⁹ after a sedative injection. If sedation is planned, our page on sedation explains the escort rules and how sedation affects when you can fly.

When does the socket heal?

According to MedlinePlus, everyone heals at a different rate. The socket takes 1 to 2 weeks to heal¹⁰; the bone and other tissues may take longer. In a study of 27 samples taken from human extraction sockets, when new bone formed varied greatly from person to person³¹. So no single time for bone healing can be given for everyone.

Daily care

Keep brushing your other teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. For the first few days, keep the toothbrush away from the socket.

After a tooth is taken out, the bone that held it becomes thinner and lower in that area. According to reviews, most of this change happens in the first months of healing³² and its amount varies with the type of tooth³³. This change matters if an implant is planned later; an implant needs enough bone around it.

The options are:

• Dental implant. A new tooth is made on top of a part placed in the jaw bone; the neighbouring teeth are not touched. If there is not enough bone, a bone graft may be needed. Whether the implant is placed on the day of the extraction or after healing is decided after an examination.
• Bridge. A fixed restoration supported by the neighbouring teeth. In a conventional bridge the supporting teeth are reduced. In a resin-bonded bridge the false tooth is held by a thin wing bonded to the inner surface of the neighbouring tooth. A bridge can also be built on implants; see the dental implants page.
• Removable denture. A denture you put in and take out.
• Leaving the gap. Not every gap needs filling. When the front teeth and premolars are in place and only the back molars are missing, this is called a shortened dental arch. A review looked at trials in adults with a shortened arch, comparing a denture for the missing teeth with no replacement. It found leaving the gap promising for chewing and satisfaction³⁴. In a study of gaps at the back of the mouth, movement of the neighbouring teeth was mostly slow and small³⁵. This does not apply to everyone; have the gap watched at your check-ups.

Should the socket be filled?

Sometimes, to prepare for an implant, the socket is filled with a bone substitute material (socket preservation). A Cochrane review looked at sockets filled with a graft of bovine (cattle) origin. At 6 months, the jaw ridge showed about 1.2 mm less loss in width and about 1.4 mm less loss in height³⁶. The certainty of the evidence is very low. No difference could be shown in the need for later bone augmentation or in implant failure. The review also reports complications such as delayed healing, exposure of the membrane and partial loss of the graft³⁶. So whether socket preservation is needed is judged person by person; if you are considering an implant, talk to your dentist before the extraction. How the gap will be filled, and where, is part of planning a trip; see "Should you travel for an extraction?".

Before an extraction, do not wait if you have pain or swelling around a tooth or in your face, with or without a high temperature. A dental abscess will not go away on its own⁶ and needs urgent treatment.

After an extraction, contact your dentist without delay if you have any of these. If you are in the UK and cannot reach a dentist, see "Once you are back in the UK" below.

• Bleeding that does not stop despite pressure
• Bleeding that starts again days later; the Scottish guidance treats late bleeding within a week as a possible sign of infection²⁴
• Severe or increasing pain and swelling that painkillers do not relieve
• Pain with a bad taste, a high temperature or feeling unwell. The NHS lists these among the signs that need urgent help¹⁹ after wisdom tooth removal
• Pain that starts 24 to 48 hours after the extraction, a socket that looks empty, and a bad taste or smell. These can be signs of dry socket; the Scottish guidance recommends getting urgent dental care²¹
• Numbness in the lip or chin that continues after the anaesthetic has worn off
• If you take a medicine for osteoporosis or cancer: unexpected pain, tingling, numbness or swelling at the extraction site. The guidance asks for these to be reported to your dentist¹⁵

Emergencies. In the UK, call 999 or go to A&E⁶ if you have any of the signs below. In Turkey, call 112. Do not wait for a dental appointment or for our reply.

• 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 swollen³⁷

Before you fly home

Make sure the bleeding has stopped and the dentist has checked the socket. Know whether your stitches dissolve on their own or need to be removed, and who will remove them. Have written aftercare instructions, a record of the treatment and of any medicines you were given, and a way to reach us. If any of the signs above starts while you are still in Turkey, tell us before you travel.

Once you are back in the UK

If bleeding, the signs of dry socket or the signs of infection start after you are home, see a dentist near you. Do not wait for a trip back. Do the same if numbness of the lip or chin has not worn off. For urgent dental care, the NHS website for England says: call your dentist; if they are closed, their answerphone may tell you what to do⁶. In England, if you have no dentist or cannot get an emergency appointment, it says to call 111 or get help from 111 online⁶. They can tell you where to get help, and you may have to pay for the appointment. Elsewhere in the UK, check the local arrangements. If you take a medicine for osteoporosis or cancer, tell your dentist in the UK about the extraction. For a problem that is not urgent, you can also write to us and send photographs. In the emergencies above, do not wait for our reply.

Whether a tooth should come out depends on the tooth, not on the trip. Having a tooth out that could be kept, to avoid treatment later, is still an extraction that cannot be undone. If you have pain or swelling around a tooth now, with or without a high temperature, get care in the UK. Do not save it for a trip. A dental abscess will not go away on its own⁶.

Is it worth the trip?

If only one tooth needs to come out and nothing else is planned, consider having it done by a dentist near home. Bleeding and the signs of dry socket tend to appear in the first days of healing. Any problem is easier to deal with close to home. You would also not need to time a flight around a healing socket. An extraction in Antalya makes more sense as part of a larger plan you have already chosen to have there. Examples are an implant to replace the tooth, or other treatment in the same trip. Either way, ask for the reasons for the extraction before you book.

Your appointments in Antalya

The number of appointments, and of days in Antalya, depends on how many teeth are taken out and whether the extraction is simple or surgical. It also depends on whether sedation is used and whether other treatment is planned in the same trip. The examination and X-rays come first, and whether a tooth should come out at all is decided only after them. Plan the trip so that you are still near the clinic for the first days after the extraction. The signs of dry socket usually start 24 to 48 hours after the extraction²¹. If stitches are placed, ask whether they dissolve or will be removed before you fly home.

Before you book, you receive a written preliminary plan with the appointments and how many days they need. It is based on your description, photographs and any X-rays you send. The examination confirms or changes it, and with it the days and the cost. If it changes, you receive the revised plan in writing before treatment starts. Whether an extraction will be simple or surgical is sometimes clear only after the examination and X-rays. So ask the plan to say what would change for your trip if it is surgical.

Your medicines

Bring a list of every medicine you take, with the doses. If you take warfarin, the INR is ideally measured no more than 24 hours before the procedure¹⁴. Ask us before you book how this will be arranged. Do you take a medicine for osteoporosis or cancer? Has your heart team advised antibiotics before dental procedures? If so, tell us when you first write. Bring your own doctors' advice in writing. The denosumab timing option described above involves the doctor who prescribes it, so discuss it before you book. Do not stop or change a medicine because of the trip unless the doctor who prescribes it tells you to.

Flying home

A 2023 review of flying after dental treatment suggests waiting 24 to 48 hours after a simple extraction and 72 hours after a surgical extraction³⁸. These times apply only if there is no pain, swelling or bleeding at the extraction site. The authors note that the research is limited and comes mainly from military aviation. Treat it as a starting point for your dentist's advice, not as a rule. Ask the dentist who treated you before you book your flight home.

Replacing the tooth

Decide before the extraction how the gap will be filled, and where. An implant is a surgical procedure with a wait while the bone heals. So an extraction followed by an implant usually needs more than one trip. If the tooth will be replaced in the UK, tell your dentist there before you go.

Your dentist in the UK

Tell your own dentist about the plan before you go; they need to know it in case problems come up later. The NHS website for England advises you to discuss your plans with a GP³⁹ before making any final decisions about travel or medical arrangements. This matters most if you take a blood thinner or a medicine for osteoporosis or cancer. If you do not have a regular dentist, find one, NHS or private, before you travel. Bring back the written record of the treatment and copies of your X-rays (see "What records will I take home?" below). The gap, or the tooth that replaces it, needs check-ups too. National guidance in England (NICE) says the interval between check-ups should be set for each person according to their risk⁴⁰ and discussed with them.

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 return⁴¹.

• Bleeding, dry socket or infection. These can start after you are home. The signs, and who to call, are under "Urgent warning signs" above. See a dentist near you first, then tell us.
• Stitches. If stitches need removing after you are home, agree before you travel who will take them out, and when.
• Numbness. If numbness of the lip or chin has not worn off, see a dentist near you and tell us.
• Who pays. Ask before you commit who pays if a complication needs further treatment or another trip (see "If there are complications, who pays?" below).

What the NHS does and does not do

The NHS Business Services Authority publishes guidance for dentists in England and Wales. It says a patient treated abroad is dealt with like any patient previously treated by another provider. If an NHS practice accepts you, it provides the clinically necessary treatment its NHS contract covers, with your consent. But some entitlements do not apply where another provider did the original work. These are further treatment within two months, and free repair or replacement⁴². The guidance covers England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own NHS rules, which this page does not cover; ask the practice you plan to use. The NHS website for England also states that the NHS is not liable for negligence or failure of treatment³⁹ you receive abroad.

Travel insurance

The NHS website for England warns that most travel insurance policies will not cover you for planned treatment abroad³⁹, so you may need specialist cover. Ask your insurer, in writing, before you book.

The UK General Dental Council lists thirteen questions⁴³ to ask before dental treatment abroad, and the NHS website for England has its own checklist. Below are the ones that matter most for an extraction, 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?

We name the dentist who will treat you, in writing, before you commit. In Turkey a dentist in private practice must register with the local dental chamber⁴⁴ 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 province⁴⁵. 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 UK⁴⁶.

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 rates⁴³. The figures on this page come from published studies and guidance, not from our own patient records. We do not publish our own figures yet. Ask us for our extraction figures, such as how often dry socket or infection occurred, 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 year¹². To treat international patients, a facility also needs an authorisation certificate from the Ministry of Health⁴⁷. The Ministry publishes a register of authorised facilities⁴⁸ 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 country⁴³.

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 estimate⁴³. Your written plan states which teeth are to come out and why. It says whether a surgical extraction may be needed and how the gap will be filled. It also states how many days in Antalya the appointments need, and 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 X-rays, and we tell you before anything in it changes.

What if the examination shows the tooth does not need to come out?

The examination in Antalya may show that the tooth can be kept, or that the plan made from your X-rays does not suit you. You can say no, or ask to stop, at any stage. Once a tooth has been taken out, that step cannot be undone. Ask before you travel what you would pay in that case.

If there are complications, who pays?

The GDC suggests asking whether further treatment is included if there are complications, and who pays for extra flights, hotel and remedial work⁴³. Before you commit, we give you our complication route in writing. It states what is covered, what is excluded, and who pays for further treatment and travel. For an extraction, ask in particular what happens if dry socket, an infection or bleeding starts after you are home. Read that document before you decide.

Is there insurance if something goes wrong?

The GDC list also asks about insurance⁴³. In Turkey a facility treating international patients must take out complication insurance for surgical and interventional procedures carried out in an operating theatre⁴⁷. That does not by itself tell you whether your extraction is covered, so ask which procedures in your plan, if any, fall under it. Ask us too, in writing, whether the clinic or the treating dentist holds insurance for complications or errors, and what it covers. Travel insurance is covered under "If problems start after you are back in the UK" above.

Who do I contact after treatment?

Your written plan names the contact route for questions and problems once you are home. For urgent symptoms, get care in the UK first (see "Urgent warning signs" above).

What records will I take home?

The NHS website for England lists exchanging medical records and arranging aftercare back home³⁹ 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 imaging⁴⁷. You may also examine your file and take a copy⁴⁹. Before you fly home, ask for a written record of the treatment for your dentist in the UK. It should show which teeth were taken out, whether the extraction was surgical, and any stitches or socket filling. It should also list any medicines you were given. Take copies of your X-rays too.

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 unit¹². If the clinic does not resolve it, you can apply in writing to the provincial health directorate's Patient Rights Board⁴⁹. The Board decides within thirty days, but it does not assess allegations of medical error. The dental chamber can also open disciplinary proceedings⁴⁴ against a dentist. Do not expect the UK regulator to settle it. The GDC states that it cannot resolve complaints or help with refunds⁴⁶; 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 provided⁴³. We confirm in writing, before you commit, who will explain the plan, the consent form and the aftercare instructions to you in English.

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 aftercare⁵⁰. Apply them to us too. If you feel pushed to decide quickly, wait.

This page carries no prices. A plan is prepared for you after an examination and X-rays. The main factors that shape it are:

• Whether the tooth is taken out simply or surgically
• How many teeth are taken out, and whether at the same visit
• The imaging needed
• Local anaesthetic or sedation
• Additional procedures such as socket preservation
• Check-up and stitch-removal appointments
• The number of trips the appointments need

Replacing the extracted tooth is planned separately. Ask for your plan in writing, including what it covers. Also ask who pays for further treatment and extra travel if there is a complication. Add your own travel, and any care you may need from a dentist in the UK afterwards, to see the whole cost.