The Dental Implant Trip Abroad, Step by Step

Dental implants abroad usually take two trips, three to six months apart: the first to place the implants, the second to fit the permanent teeth. NHS implant teams say an implant usually needs at least 3 months before it can support replacement teeth, and a bone graft can add 4 to 6 months to treatment (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, reviewed December 2024).

The healing gap is spent at home, with temporary teeth, a long way from the clinic. That is where most of the questions are. This guide goes through the whole trip, step by step, and ends with what happens if an implant fails once you are home.

1. Before you book: quote, deposit, your own dentist, insurance

A quote is only as good as what it lists. Ask for the implant brand and model, the number of implants, what the temporary and final teeth are made of, and a price for each extra that could be added: scans, extractions, bone grafts, sinus lifts. Our July 2026 price research found single implants quoted as the post only, with the abutment and crown priced separately, so check which kind of price you have.

The General Dental Council suggests speaking to your own dentist before going abroad, and asking the clinic what aftercare it provides and who you can contact after treatment (GDC). NHS guidance says most travel insurance won't cover planned treatment abroad, so you may need specialist cover (NHS, checked 6 October 2026). Before paying a deposit, ask whether it is refundable and whether it commits you to the whole plan.

2. Trip one: scan, extractions and implants

The first trip usually starts with a 3D scan and a final plan, then any extractions and the implant surgery. You go home with temporary teeth. Ask in advance how many days the first trip needs, and why, so you can book flights and a hotel that fit. Before you leave, ask for copies of your scan, the plan and a record of the implants placed.

3. The healing gap at home

For three to six months the implants bond with the bone while you wear temporary teeth. Ask the clinic what to eat, what is normal while it heals, and who to contact if something worries you, both at the clinic and in the UK. Keep your UK dentist informed: they are the person you can see in a day if something goes wrong.

4. Trip two: the permanent teeth

On the second trip the clinic fits the permanent crowns or bridge and adjusts the bite. Before you fly home, ask for an implant passport or record with the brand, model and size of every implant. A UK dentist will need it to maintain or repair the work. Ask for copies of your records and X-rays too.

5. Back home: maintenance and check-ups

Implants need cleaning and check-ups like natural teeth. Ask the clinic what check-ups it expects and where; most people have them with a UK dentist, usually privately. The NHS is not liable for treatment done abroad (NHS, checked 6 October 2026).

6. If an implant fails at home

Write to the clinic with photos, X-rays and dates, and ask what they will do and who pays for any flights back. This is where the written terms you agreed before the deposit matter. See a UK dentist for an assessment in writing. Repairs at home are usually private: in a British Dental Association survey published on 14 July 2022, 65% of dentists said repairing problems after treatment abroad cost patients at least £500, and 51% said more than £1,000. The same survey found implants were the second most likely treatment to need follow-up work (85% of dentists), after crowns.

The UK's General Dental Council cannot act on dentists abroad. Its guidance for patients points you to the regulator in the country where you were treated, which you can find through healthregulation.org.

Country guides: Turkey, Hungary, Poland, Spain. Prices: dental implants abroad, prices by country.

This guide is general information, not medical advice.

Clinics UK patients look at

The four with the most Google reviews among the dental clinics we hold. Each has a free page with its records.

Dentakay Dental ClinicIstanbul, TurkeyAttelia Oral and Dental Health CenterAntalya (Kızıltoprak, Muratpaşa), TurkeyDentSpaIstanbul, TurkeyEsnan Dental Clinics Topkapı (Istanbul)Istanbul (Topkapı, Zeytinburnu), Turkey

Written by Saher Shodhan

Saher Shodhan is the founder of Thera Travel, which publishes what the official records show about clinics abroad, each fact with the date it was checked, and answers patients' enquiries, free. More about Thera → How we write and check our guides →