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- Dental Implants
- December 29, 2019
- by lotus
Dental implant treatment is a lengthy process that requires you to work closely with your dental practitioner in order to achieve your desired results. Having overseas dental implants is part of a growing trend, colloquially referred to as dental tourism, but while its apparent initial outlay may seem affordable, the potential complications pose a very serious risk. At Lotus Smiles Dental we are committed to providing families in Sunbury with high quality and affordable tooth replacement with dental implants.
Why Do Patients Get Overseas Dental Implants?
Many patients will entertain the idea of an overseas dental implant in order to save money. Others may also find the idea of coupling the treatment with an exotic destination like Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia even more appealing. For some patients who work full-time, combining the two experiences may feel appropriate because u may only have a certain amount of time off every year.
Our dentists however, advise patients against doing this, because dental implant treatment isn’t a commodity that you can just do a price comparison with and expect to get the same level of treatment and quality.
Things are differentIt’s highly likely that a dentist in a foreign country is not going to use the same dental implant as a dentist in Australia. He or she may not have the same pre-treatment screening process or the same opinions on important matters like bone grafts.
What about the language barrier?Unless you happen to speak the local language of the destination you plan to have your dental implant done in, communicating with dental and medical staff can be a challenge.
Also remember that your dental implant procedure could take as long as 12 to 18 months to complete.
You will need to travel home before the end of it and you will either need to stay in contact with your overseas dentist or find a local dentist who is prepared to help you with post-surgical care.
Either way, communicating across the miles is going to be a challenge.
Infection control is always a concern
Different countries have their own standards and rules for matters like infection control. Australia’s standards are quite high and patients can enjoy a high level of protection against the threat of infection thanks to the efforts of bodies like the Australian Dental Association.
When you leave Australia, you are subject to the laws and regulations of the country you are visiting. If something does happen to go wrong while you are there, you need to have a contingency plan in place to manage it yourself.
The Cost Of A Dental Implant Overseas
Dental implants are not cheap. They are crafted from high quality metal that has to be surgically embedded into your jaw, and become part of your body. The cheap price of dental implants is reflected in their quality and durability, so they can present with problems later on.
The procedure by which they are embedded is drawn out and time-consuming. It is not the kind of procedure that patients want to repeat unnecessarily, so it is worth getting it done right the first time. Your dental implant might cost less today, but once you have had to pay for the complications and side effects, the procedure ends up costing a whole lot more than you budgeted for.
It also helps to be able to return to the same dental practitioner, so that he or she can take care of all your dental hygiene needs. It’s really comforting to be able to pick up the phone and communicate clearly with a professional, to get any assistance you might require.
But My Friend Got A Dental Implant Overseas – And It’s Fine!
Your friend might be perfectly happy with his or her dental implant today, relative to what was paid in Thailand or Bali. But ask that same friend in five or ten years’ time, how that implant is performing.
Friends and acquaintances who are not dental practitioners also really don’t always understand what’s going on in their mouths beyond what they see with the naked eye. What’s happening beneath the surface can only be revealed with x-rays and digital photographs and even then, a patient wouldn’t necessarily know what to look for.
Having your implant done locally instead of choosing an overseas dental implant gives you a chance to collaborate with someone geographically close, who can provide a high level of post-operative care.
Lotus Smiles Dental is proud to partner with our patients to help them take care of their dental hygiene. To find out more about dental implants overseas and why you shouldn’t take the risk, please contact us: (03) 8737 9359.