Having listened to, examined, tested, diagnosed and recommended a course of action to the patient, treatment will usually follow at the same or subsequent visits. In the vast majority of cases, the foregoing will have proceeded without a hitch, and the treatment completed to the satisfaction of both the practitioner and the patient. Years of study, and the acquisition of knowledge, skills and expertise, will have been condensed into a short amount of clinical time. Unfortunately, this highly desirable state of affairs cannot apply every time; problems can arise anywhere along the pathway leading to the successful completion of treatment. Some patients will present difficulties in diagnosis and treatment planning, whereas others will have problems either during the execution of treatment or post-operatively. Whenever a difficulty arises, it is essential to identify the problem, reappraise the situation and decide upon an appropriate course of action; flexibility is the key to success! In this article, three difficult areas are looked at: the fractured root, the use of antibiotics and the swollen face.