Risks of Procedures and Treatments
View the Risks for all our Procedures and Treatments
All dental and cosmetic procedures, whether minor or complex, carry some degree of risk. While our team works to achieve the best clinical outcomes, it is important that you fully understand the potential risks and recovery process before making a well-considered decision about your care.
Select or scroll to a service to make sure you are informed about all the risks with the procedure or treatment you (or your child) requires.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us at anytime.
Crowns & Veneers: Treatment Risks & Recovery
All dental and cosmetic procedures, whether minor or complex, carry some degree of risk. While our team works to achieve the best clinical outcomes, it is important that you fully understand the potential risks and recovery process before making a well-considered decision about your care.
Potential Risks & Complications
When considering porcelain or composite veneers, crowns, or inlays/onlays, please be aware of the following potential risks:
- Irreversible Tooth Preparation: Preparing a tooth for a crown or porcelain veneer requires the permanent removal of some natural tooth enamel.
- Sensitivity and Nerve Damage: You may experience temporary or prolonged tooth sensitivity following the procedure. In some cases, the preparation process can cause trauma to the underlying nerve, which may eventually require root canal treatment.
- Damage and Fractures: While durable, crowns and veneers are not indestructible and can chip, crack, fracture, or detach if exposed to excessive force (such as teeth grinding, chewing ice, or biting hard foods).
- Gum Recession: Over time, factors like over-brushing, active gum disease, or poor oral hygiene can cause gum recession. This may expose the natural tooth root and create a visible gap where the restoration meets the gum line.
- Replacement Needs: Crowns and veneers are not permanent solutions and will eventually require replacement due to normal wear and tear, discolouration (particularly with composite materials), or damage.
What to Expect During Recovery
- Immediately following your treatment, it is normal to require a short period of time to adjust to your new bite, tooth shape, and tongue position.
- Some temporary sensitivity to hot and cold is normal; however, if severe sensitivity or discomfort persists, please contact our clinic immediately.
Your Consultation
Every patient's oral health is unique. Before proceeding with any cosmetic treatment, a comprehensive consultation with our dental practitioners is required to evaluate your suitability, discuss your goals, and ensure you have no untreated decay or active gum disease.
Teeth Whitening: Treatment Risks & Recovery
All dental and cosmetic procedures, including professional teeth whitening, carry some degree of risk. Before proceeding with treatment, it is important to understand the potential complications and recovery process.
Potential Risks & Complications
- Tooth Sensitivity: The most common side effect is temporary tooth sensitivity. Because peroxide-based whitening agents penetrate the tooth enamel to oxidise stains, they can irritate the nerves inside the tooth. This can cause mild to sharp discomfort, particularly when consuming hot or cold foods and drinks.
- Gum (Gingival) Irritation: If the bleaching gel comes into contact with your gums or the soft tissues of your mouth, it can cause chemical irritation, localised soreness, or temporary white blistering (chemical burns).
- Enamel Demineralisation: Whitening agents temporarily dehydrate the teeth and increase enamel micro-porosity. Overuse or frequent application of whitening treatments can lead to enamel thinning and surface roughening.
- Uneven Results on Dental Work: Whitening agents only alter the colour of natural tooth enamel. Existing dental restorations, such as composite fillings, porcelain crowns, or veneers, will not whiten. This may result in a mismatched smile, requiring you to replace your existing restorations at an additional cost to achieve an even colour.
What to Expect During Recovery
- Sensitivity and gum irritation usually begin during or immediately after the procedure and can last for several days. We may recommend a desensitising toothpaste to help manage discomfort.
- If you experience severe, persistent pain or prolonged gum bleeding, please contact our clinic immediately for assessment.
- To maximize results and allow your enamel to safely remineralise, you will be required to strictly avoid highly pigmented and acidic foods (the "white diet") for 48 hours following your treatment.
Your Consultation
Teeth whitening is not suitable for everyone (including pregnant women or patients with active decay). A comprehensive dental examination by our registered practitioners is required to determine if you are a clinically appropriate candidate and to ensure you have realistic expectations for the final shade of your teeth.
Microscope Dentistry: Treatment Risks & Recovery
While dental microscopes enhance visibility and clinical precision, all dental procedures performed using this technology still carry inherent clinical risks.
Potential Risks & Complications
- Procedure-Specific Risks: The specific risks depend entirely on the treatment being performed (e.g., root canal therapy, fillings, or restorative work). Our dentists will explain the specific risks of your required procedure during your consultation.
- Prolonged Appointment Times: Because microscope dentistry is highly detailed, appointments may take longer, which can lead to temporary jaw fatigue or stiffness.
What to Expect During Recovery
- Recovery times are dictated by the underlying procedure performed, not the microscope itself. You will be provided with specific post-operative care instructions tailored to your treatment.
Your Consultation
Every patient's treatment needs are unique. Before proceeding with any advanced restorative or endodontic procedure, a comprehensive consultation is required to evaluate your oral health, discuss your clinical goals, and determine if the use of microscopic technology is indicated for your specific treatment plan.
Dental Implant Surgery: Surgical Risks & Recovery
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
Potential Risks & Complications
- Surgical Complications: Risks include localised infection, excessive bleeding, and delayed tissue healing.
- Nerve Damage: There is a risk of trauma to underlying nerves, which can cause temporary or, in rare cases, permanent numbness or tingling in the lower lip, chin, or tongue.
- Sinus Issues: For implants placed in the upper jaw, the implant may protrude into the sinus cavity, potentially causing sinus inflammation or infection.
- Implant Failure: The implant may fail to integrate with the jawbone (osseointegration failure) due to factors like smoking, poor bone density, or poor oral hygiene, requiring surgical removal.
What to Expect During Recovery
- It is normal to experience localised swelling, bruising, and discomfort for several days following the surgery.
- You will need to adhere to a strict soft-food diet and modified oral hygiene routine while the surgical site heals. Full bone integration typically takes 3 to 6 months before the final crown can be attached.
Your Consultation
Every patient's oral health and jaw structure is unique. Before proceeding with implant surgery, a comprehensive consultation and 3D imaging with our dental practitioners is required to evaluate your bone density, discuss your restorative goals, and ensure you have no active gum disease that could compromise the implant's success.
Pain Management: Anaesthesia Risks & Recovery
All forms of dental pain management, including local anaesthesia and conscious sedation, carry potential clinical risks.
Potential Risks & Complications
- Local Anaesthesia: Risks include temporary bruising at the injection site, elevated heart rate, and, in rare cases, prolonged numbness or minor nerve trauma.
- Soft Tissue Trauma: While numb, patients are at a higher risk of accidentally biting and injuring their lips, cheeks, or tongue.
- Sedation Risks: If sedation is used, risks include nausea, dizziness, adverse drug interactions, or allergic reactions.
What to Expect During Recovery
- Local anaesthesia typically wears off within 2 to 4 hours. You must avoid chewing solid or hot foods until full sensation returns to prevent accidental injury.
- If you undergo sedation, you will require a responsible adult to drive you home and must avoid operating machinery or making significant decisions for at least 24 hours.
Your Consultation
Every patient's medical background and anxiety level is unique. Before utilizing specific pain management or sedation techniques, a comprehensive consultation is required to review your complete medical history, discuss your past dental experiences, and determine the safest and most effective anaesthetic approach for your needs.
Root Canals: Treatment Risks & Recovery
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
Potential Risks & Complications
- Recurrent Infection: The complex anatomy of tooth roots means bacteria may remain in microscopic canals, potentially causing a recurrent infection that requires retreatment or extraction.
- Tooth Fracture: Teeth requiring root canals are often structurally compromised and brittle. There is a risk of the tooth fracturing during or after the procedure.
- Instrument Separation: In rare cases, the fine files used to clean the canals may separate (break) and remain lodged inside the root.
- Discolouration: The treated tooth may darken or discolour over time.
What to Expect During Recovery
- It is normal to experience localised tenderness and mild swelling when chewing for several days following the procedure.
- A root canal-treated tooth remains vulnerable to fracture until it is permanently restored, typically with a dental crown. You must avoid chewing hard foods on the treated side until the final restoration is placed.
Your Consultation
Every patient's clinical presentation is unique. Before proceeding with endodontic treatment, a comprehensive consultation with our dental practitioners is required to evaluate the extent of the infection, assess the structural viability of the tooth, and discuss all available options, including retention versus extraction.
Childrens Dentistry: Paediatric Treatment Risks & Recovery
Dental procedures for children carry standard clinical risks, compounded by the unique challenges of paediatric care.
Potential Risks & Complications
- Soft Tissue Injury: Children are particularly susceptible to accidentally biting, chewing, or scratching their numb lips and cheeks following local anaesthesia, which can cause severe swelling and ulceration.
- Behavioural Unpredictability: Sudden movements during treatment can increase the risk of accidental injury from dental instruments.
- Standard Treatment Risks: Fillings and extractions carry standard risks, including post-operative sensitivity, infection, or bleeding.
What to Expect During Recovery
- Parents must strictly monitor their child after treatment involving local anaesthetic until the numbness fully dissipates (usually 2 to 4 hours).
- Only offer soft, cool foods (like yoghurt or smoothies) while the child remains numb to prevent chewing injuries.
Your Child's Consultation
Every child's dental development and behavioural needs are unique. Before proceeding with any restorative treatment, a comprehensive consultation is required to evaluate your child's oral health, assess their cooperation capacity, and discuss the most gentle and appropriate clinical approach with you as the parent.
Emergency Dental: Treatment Risks & Recovery
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
Potential Risks & Complications
- Emergency dentistry often involves acute infections, trauma, or urgent extractions. Risks depend on the required intervention.
- Extraction Risks: Include delayed healing, "dry socket" (a painful condition where the blood clot dislodges), damage to adjacent teeth, and temporary nerve numbness.
- Infection Management: Urgent treatment of abscesses carries risks of the infection spreading or requiring ongoing antibiotic therapy and secondary procedures.
What to Expect During Recovery
- Recovery is highly variable depending on the severity of the dental emergency.
- Following surgical interventions or extractions, you will experience bleeding, swelling, and discomfort. You will receive strict, immediate post-operative instructions on how to manage bleeding, control pain, and maintain oral hygiene to prevent secondary infections.
Your Consultation
Every dental emergency is unique. Before performing any invasive treatment, a targeted clinical and radiographic examination by our practitioners is required to diagnose the source of your acute pain, discuss immediate pain relief options, and outline the necessary steps to resolve the underlying infection or trauma.
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