In recent years, Australians have sought dental treatment outside of the country in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. For costly treatments like dental implants, the promise of cheaper services proves tempting to those who don’t want to pay the full price for services back home.
However, travelling to a location such as Kuala Lumpur for dental implants poses a real risk to your health. From improperly placed implants to infections resulting from inadequate hygiene procedures, the risks of undergoing a dental implant treatment outside of Australia should make you stop and think twice about going abroad for dental treatment.
Why Australians are Seeking Dental Implants in Kuala Lumpur?
Malaysia is one of the most popular destinations where Austrians seek cheap dental treatment. Dental implants in Kuala Lumpur, the country’s capital, are rumoured to be almost 50% cheaper than dental implants in Australia, but that’s not the only reason people travel to another country to get dental implants.
The recommended dental implant process requires several dentist visits over weeks and sometimes months. During these visits, your dentist determines if you are a good fit for dental implants, and you undergo a series of procedures to ensure your implants are correctly put in place. These procedures include tooth removal, jawbone preparation, the placement of the implants, osseointegration and healing, abutment placement, and finally, the installation of the artificial tooth.
While these steps are necessary, some patients want to skip over them and opt for a quicker route. This is why they travel to a place like Kuala Lumpur, where they can have the treatment performed in a matter of days.
Risks Associated With Dental Treatment Abroad
It is this combination of low price and high speed that draws many Australians abroad for dental implants, but it is precisely these elements that make the procedure so risky. The following are problems that often occur during or after dental implant surgery in places like Kuala Lumpur:
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Infections
Infections are a significant concern when seeking dental implants in Kuala Lumpur. Unlike practices in Australia, like No Gaps Dental who implement procedures that combine hand washing with the use of hand sanitiser, institutions in other countries don’t follow the same high standard of cleanliness. The use of hand sanitiser alone is not enough to kill dangerous bacteria on the dentist’s hands or the tools they use during the dental implant procedure. This fact, combined with unreliable or non-medical grade hand sanitiser in these practices, makes infections incredibly likely.
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Underqualified Dentists
Dental implant surgery is a major undertaking. Although there are qualified dentists in Kuala Lumpur, they are not likely to perform the cheap, quick treatment dental tourists seek. This means that more likely than not if you get dental implants in Kuala Lumpur, you are receiving treatment from a person without the proper qualifications. Even if you try to be diligent about checking credentials, it is often difficult because other countries have different certifications than those in Australia.
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Improperly Installed Implants
Dental implants need to be positioned correctly to prevent infection or further damage to your mouth and function effectively. The procedure requires several steps and careful placement of the implants. If any part is not correctly installed, it can result in severe problems. When an unqualified dentist performs the procedure, it can lead to complications at the implant site, including infection or an impact on your ability to talk or chew.
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Cheap Implant Quality
One risk you may not consider about getting dental implants abroad is that they may be of lower quality material than implants used in Australia. Implants that use low-quality materials don’t last as long and are hard to replace if they fail years down the line. The materials themselves may be defective or cause problems in your mouth.
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Rushed Surgical Procedures
Foreign dental implant procedures are often rushed. The typical process for dental implants allows for important bone growth and healing in between surgical stages so that your implants are secured tightly to your jawbone. When you travel abroad for dental implants, you have to undergo these procedures in a rushed fashion, which leads to improper processes and healing issues.
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No Aftercare
Unless you plan to stay abroad for several weeks, you miss out on aftercare from the place where you receive your dental implants. Aftercare is an integral part of the dental implant procedure because it helps you remedy any problems post-surgery. Without aftercare, your risk of infection and other complications increases.
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Lingering Complications
One final risk that comes from dental implant surgery abroad is that there are lingering complications that aren’t quickly addressed by dentists back home. If you go into an Australian dentist months or years later with a problem related to your implant, they may not be able to identify the exact issue because different standards or material were used during your surgery.
Benefits of Dental Implants in Australia
The benefits of sticking with an Australian dentist for your dental implant procedure are numerous. When you get your dental implants from a practice such as No Gaps Dental, you receive the following benefits:
- Trained, certified dentists
- Payment plants for affordability
- Proper installation of dental implants
- Comprehensive aftercare
- Proper vetting procedures before starting
- High-quality dental implants and materials
- High standards of cleanliness and sanitising procedures
Get Safe, Properly Installed Dental Implant Treatment
If you are considering getting dental implants, don’t seek out cheap, unsafe procedures in another country. It is worth the money and time to see a dentist here in Australia to avoid the pitfalls of dental surgery abroad.
No Gaps Dental offers affordable payment plans for patients seeking dental implants so that anyone who needs them is eligible for the surgery. This way, you can get your dental implants from a safe and reliable practice.
Contact No Gaps Dental on (02) 8806 0227 to set up your first visit with us and get started on your journey to a better smile.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks.