What Are The Risks Of Having Dental Implants Placed Abroad?

Cheaper dental implants are sometimes offered in other countries, but is it really worth the gamble?

For some people, one of the barriers to having dental implants placed is the cost. They are one of the more expensive missing teeth replacement options available and with good reason, including the cost of materials and the additional training required to place them safely. As they can last for twenty years or more with good care, the cost should be looked at from a longer term perspective when evaluating their true value. To help spread the cost, we also offer a range of payment plans for patients here at our Bedford dentists.

All that said, we are all currently going through a period of financial uncertainty, and most people will probably be looking at ways of cutting their costs. This may lead to temptation to take up one of the offers to have implants placed abroad in countries such as Turkey, Hungary and other locations where the cost of living is lower. While these countries will have some very good dentists, there are a number of issues which patients of The Dental Centre Bedford should be aware of if they are tempted to go abroad for implant treatment.

Language barriers

The placing of a dental implant is a lengthier procedure than most and may require communication between dentist and patient during it. Where there are difficulties with language, this may prove to be more difficult. In addition to this, anxiety about a treatment such as this is far from unusual and we know the value of good and calm communication with our patients to help relax them. This is something you may find more challenging in another country, depending on their competence in the English language. Aftercare advice may also be more difficult to understand and this is an extremely important part of the treatment, as poor aftercare may cause the implants to fail.

Aftercare

Even if you are given the best aftercare advice, there are still problems that might occur in that area. When we place a dental implant, we will invite you back to our practice to monitor the progress to make sure that everything is going well, and to take appropriate action if there are any concerns.  Unless you are happy to fly thousands of miles for each follow up appointment, this is going to be problematic. While some dentists abroad do have agreements with UK dentists for follow up appointments, many do not and you may find that you struggle to have the health of your recently placed implant monitored.

Quality of materials

In addition to the cheaper cost of living in some of the countries that offer dental implants, it is likely that other corners may be cut to keep down the cost, especially as some of these offers entice people abroad with the offer of free or cheap holiday accommodation. As the materials used in high quality implants are expensive, it is quite possible that this might be an area where they look to cut costs. Implants made from an inferior material may well not bond with the bone as successfully as high quality ones. This is a critical aspect of this procedure as a successful  ‘osseointegration’ process is essential to ensure a strong and secure replacement tooth.

Skill levels

As we have previously said, most countries will have excellent dentists, some of whom may have also trained in the UK. The problem is that this may be difficult to determine and there is a real risk that your implant might be placed by a dentist who has limited experience in placing them. This can be especially problematic if issues arise during the procedure that they don’t have the skills to manage.

Legal recourse

Occasionally, things do go wrong in medical and dental procedures. If this happens abroad, you may find that you have no legal recourse to any compensation. Not only might this mean that you have a failed implant, but that you have paid for the treatment, air fares and hotel accommodation for nothing.

In our view, patients should understand that placing a tooth implant is a complex procedure that should not be taken lightly. In the UK, dentists have to undergo additional training if they wish to place implants in their practice. This is something that can’t always be guaranteed abroad.

Although we acknowledge that costs can be a little higher in the UK than some of those offered abroad, it is worth remembering that with this comes experienced dentists, high quality materials, monitored aftercare and a very high level of skills.

If you have been considering having dental implants placed to replace a missing tooth or teeth, and have been tempted by these offers, we recommend that you see one of our experienced Bedford implant dentists before you make a final decision. We feel that it really isn’t worth risking your oral health by attempting to do this on the cheap.

To arrange an initial dental implant consultation with us you can contact us via the form on our website or by calling The Dental Centre Bedford on 01234 819868. We are happy to help!