We’re all too aware that dentistry in Australia doesn’t come cheap. In fact, one-third of Australians avoid going to the dentist altogether because of cost. It’s no wonder then that people are prepared to travel abroad to seek out dental implants in Bangkok, Thailand.
Let’s face it, everyone loves a bargain and it’s probably no surprise that approximately 15,000 Australians get medical and dental procedures done – including cheap dental implants – every single year. And what eye-watering bargains they can be…
Did you know, for example, that dental implant treatment in Bangkok is up to 60% cheaper than a local dentist back here in Australia? What is even more amazing is even when you throw in factors like:
- Accommodation
- Food and
- Return flights
You’re still making a significant saving. Moreover, with multiple daily flights direct to Bangkok from Sydney, it’s a bit of a no-brainer – or so you might think!
But before you book yourself on the next available flight, there are some important factors (read risks) you should take into consideration – these are factors that you wouldn’t normally need to think about when you visit a local dentist back home for dental implants treatment.
Let’s dive in and take a closer look at some of them…
Complex Dental Implant Surgery Needs Lengthy Recovery Time
Most ‘dental tourists’ who travel abroad for treatment do so because they need multiple treatments. These are treatments that may otherwise cost tens of thousands of dollars at a local dentist back here in Australia.
In an ideal world when a patient needs multiple dental treatments, they are planned and coordinated over a number of months spanning a multitude of visits. This is often done with one eye on patient safety.
The problem with this theory is that when you travel abroad for say multiple dental implants in Bangkok you don’t get months. Instead, it’s normally weeks – typically your 2-4 week vacation period you’re owed from work.
While this may be acceptable for simple dental treatments like a straight forward dental implant with no complications, it’s a different story when you need multiple dental implants, extensive bone grafting, and a set of veneers to complete your smile transformation.
Of course, any reputable Bangkok dental clinic (of which there are several) will suggest that this amount of work can’t be done in just one visit. However, there are other clinics who because they offer bargain dental implants prices will try to cram as much dental work into a short space of time as possible. This can be a risk as people respond to healing in different ways.
As a piece of advice, if you are adamant about undergoing multiple treatments including complex dental implant therapy then book an open-ended ticket and give yourself sufficient time to fully recover between treatments – Either that or be prepared to return several times over a period of months.
After Dental Implants in Bangkok – Recourse Strategy
Despite the fact that dental implants remain the gold standard of missing teeth replacement and despite the advancements in technology over recent years, implant-based restorations still aren’t full proof. With even the most experienced dentist working and a failure rate of between 2-5%, it can be a risk.
Just for clarification, the dental implant failure rate quoted here isn’t normally borne out of dental incompetence. Instead, these are outside influences that any dentist – even the most skilled dentist in Thailand – would face. So let’s say that you are one of the unlucky ones…where does that leave you?
Of course, if you underwent a dental implant restoration with your local dentist back here in Australia, they would invite you back to the clinic to take a closer look. If it was proven to be a badly placed or faulty dental implant, then you have definitive grounds for recourse.
But what about if your dental implant dentist was a 7.5-hour flight away in Bangkok? How are you going to get to see them? Even if you could, you might decide to fly over, and they might not agree to any form of recourse – then you’ve lost the best part of 600-700 dollars in return flight fees. What’s more, you still don’t have a workable solution to your dental implant problem.
The bottom line – if you are considering undergoing dental implants in Bangkok, these are the kind of situations you need to think about. So don’t be afraid to ask your chosen dental clinic whether they have any form of recourse should the need arise.
Ongoing Aftercare
It isn’t unknown, for whatever reason, for dental implants to develop problems one or two years after your implant surgery. Because the majority of people don’t return to their original dental implant dentist in Bangkok, Thailand, it’s usually left to a local dentist back in Australia to sort out.
Inevitably, this can leave the local dentist with a ton of guesswork. Did you know, for example, that there are over 50 different dental implant systems alone- all of which have varying lengths and diameters?
Alternatively, you can always go local!
If you do encounter problems you can easily return to the clinic who should still have all your dental records available. Because there is no guesswork involved, it becomes easy for your local dentist to highlight the problem and deal with it that much faster, safer, and more conveniently.
If you still aren’t swayed on the whole ‘stay local’ debate and still want to take a bit of a gamble then at the very least you should look to try and minimise any risk….
Always pick reputable dental clinics – Note these usually aren’t the ones offering the cheapest prices. Be prepared to ask a ton of questions and be satisfied with the answers before you contemplate booking and don’t forget to validate reviews.
Alternatively, if you feel that getting dental implant treatment is enough without the added pressure of jetting off to undergo dental implants in Bangkok, then come and talk to the team at No Gaps Dental.
As a multi-centred dental group, we have 15 locations in and around the Sydney Metro area for your convenience. In addition, we’re able to offer unbeatable prices across many treatment areas including dental implants. So before you become a fully-fledged dental tourist, book a no-obligation consultation with us and call us on (02) 8007 6727 – You may be surprised at how our highly experienced teams can help.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks.