It’s no secret that Australians looking for cheap dental work such as dental implants, teeth whitening, etc. are heading abroad in their droves. When a dental implant in Thailand, for instance, can be less than half the price of an equivalent treatment back home, who can blame them.
Even when you throw in a return flight, prices for dental tourism can still work out to be very reasonable. Add in some sun, sea, and sightseeing and it couldn’t be better – Or so you’d think…
The problem is that as idyllic as it sounds, dental tourism is a risk. When you sign up for dental tourism to far-flung destinations like Malaysia, Bali, and Thailand, there are a number of gambles or pitfalls that you might not necessarily have considered – dangers that you wouldn’t need to worry about if you were to undergo similar dental implants treatment back home. Let’s explain…
Risk 1 – Complex dental surgery needs time
Let’s face it, people who are considering dental tourism do so because they need more than one dental implant. In Thailand, for example, many patients travel in from Australia because they need multiple treatments.
Understandably, the first thing people usually consider is the massive savings they are likely to make on their dental treatment. What they fail to consider, however, is the time needed in between treatments for recovery and healing.
As an example, it’s thought that around 50% of people seeking out conventional dental implants will need a bone graft before any dental implant placement can take place. Typically, new bone needs time to bond and heal (somewhere between 3-6 months). The problem is that many people book their so-called dental vacation using their two-week holiday or work leave.
Unfortunately, some unscrupulous dental clinics or international dental hospitals know this and try to cram multiple treatments in to fit in with the tight schedules of the patient. Obviously, this can pose a huge risk to their health and wellbeing.
Alternatively, when you undergo multiple dental implants here in Australia, there isn’t the urgency to rush treatments through so inevitably, patients are assured of the proper time needed for factors like healing and recovery in between dental implants treatments.
Risk 2 – Undergoing A dental implant in Thailand – What happens if things go wrong?
Despite the skill and experience of an implant dentist, dental implants are in no way foolproof. Most dentists experience a failure rate of somewhere between 2% and 5%. This isn’t, however, necessarily through the fault or incompetence of the dental implants dentist. There are instead a wide number of outside influences which can and do affect the outcome of a dental implant. The same would apply to a dentist in Bangkok, Thailand. Moreover, many problems with dental implants occur not when they are being placed, or even a few days later during recovery, but months down the line.
So let’s just say that you are one of the unlucky ones and you start to incur problems long after your dental vacation is a dim and distant memory. What do you do now? What’s your course of action?
Back here in Australia, your dental implants dentist will at the very least be obliged to take a look at the problem and be bound by a code of conduct to put right the problem if it’s deemed to be their fault.
The same can’t always be said when you’ve undergone dental tourism in destinations like Thailand. Even if you think that there may be grounds for recourse, it can be hard trying to explain the problem over the phone or by Skype. Moreover, due to the language barrier, it’s easy for certain factors to become ’lost in translation’.
Even if they do invite you back to the clinic, there’s the small matter of a 9-hour flight, plus accommodation and food to consider. Suddenly, your fantastic bargain on dental implant treatment in Thailand has now become pretty costly with all things factored in.
Risk 3 – Differing standards
While dental implant treatment may seem costly back here in Australia, it’s worth considering that you are paying for exceptionally high standards of patient care. Care which has to adhere to strict protocols laid down by the regulatory authorities. These include factors like infection control and patient safety. All of which makes dental implants treatment here in Australia safer for patients.
Unfortunately, despite the highly regarded reputation of some dental hospitals in Thailand, regulations dictate that they don’t necessarily need to have the same exacting standards of infection control and care that dentists back in Australia do. This is something worth considering.
If you are still swayed by the cheap price of a dental implant in Thailand, then at the very least, consider visiting a reputable or renowned dental hospital or clinic in Thailand.
Avoid the back street dental clinics even if the price is considerably cheaper. Your overall health and safety have to be worth something right?
How to get cheaper dental implants treatment back here in Australia
If you feel that after careful consideration, getting a dental implant in Thailand, Bali, Malaysia or any other destination abroad is just too much of a risk, there are things that you can do to ensure you get the best treatment at the best price back here in Australia. Things like:
- Checking out your medical cover – some insurance policies will cover part of your dental implant treatment
- Taking advantage of special deals or promotions – Some dental clinics here in Australia are offering promotions or deals on a wide range of dental treatments
- Utilising payment plans – Many dentists now offer a variety of payment plans allowing you to spread the cost of dental implant surgery over a number of weeks or months to ease costs.
If you are interested in restoring your smile with dental implants and reducing the risk factor by staying at home, come and talk to No Gaps Dental. As a multi-centred dental group, we’re able to keep prices extremely competitive without compromising on treatment quality and care. Call us today.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks.