It’s no secret that dental costs are high in Australia which is why more people than ever are regularly seeking treatments abroad in an industry known as dental tourism.
Tooth implant cost abroad – how much do you save?
Getting a dental implant overseas is one of the most common reasons that people embrace dental tourism. In Australia, the average cost of a dental implant is around 5,000 AUD whereas in Thailand, for example, you could pay the equivalent of 1300 AUD. A significant saving – on paper at least.
However, by the time flights have been added to the equation plus additional costs and possible hidden fees, this isn’t always the case. Often, it may be cheaper to stay here in Australia.
The fact is that choosing to have complex dental treatments such as a dental implant in a different country based on cost alone, lends itself to problems.
Like most things in life if it appears too good to be true then usually that’s the case. This is why it’s best to visit a dentist that you know and trust.
One of the concerns we have with dental tourism is that people are so keen to grab a ‘bargain’ that they don’t always think things through or carry out any research on the clinic beforehand. We’ve treated patients who have arrived at our clinic in great discomfort, having been rushed through their overseas dental implant treatment because of the restrictions on their flight schedule.
What type of implant is being used?
At our clinics here in Australia we use top brand implants that are made from high- quality materials and have a reputation for durability and reliability. But this isn’t necessarily the case with a dental implant overseas. Your clinic could be using lower quality implants with little research and inferior materials. This is probably reflected in the low tooth implant cost abroad and ultimately could cause you long term suffering.
The dental implant may be made from a weaker grade of titanium, for instance, which could over time lead to gum and bone coming away from the implant. Early warning signs of this occurring include sensitivity and sore gums. Another problem of a cheap dental implant overseas is difficulty in sourcing parts if further surgery is required in the future. As designs change it may be impossible to get the right tools for the system and a healthy implant may have to be removed to adjust the tooth.
What’s included in the tooth implant cost abroad?
Many overseas clinics lure customers through their doors by offering attractive (read misleading) prices. At No Gaps Dental, our prices cover all parts of the dental implant – including the implant fixture, abutment and crown. Some prices you see advertised don’t even include implant placement. We believe in total transparency when it comes to treatment prices – it’s the right thing to do.
Lower standards
Our experienced dentists have successfully placed thousands of implants and undergone years of training to be able to do so. Many dentists in smaller overseas clinics may have completed a short weekend course in implantology but may never have placed a dental implant on a bonafide, fee-paying patient. Indeed, if a dentist isn’t placing implants regularly and lacks experience, it’s nigh on impossible to maintain the high standards required.
Speaking of standards, we follow a strict hygiene protocol and ensure thorough sanitisation is carried out to prevent the spread of disease and infection. Hand sanitiser is strategically placed throughout our clinics for patient use and we also encourage patients to use hand sanitiser at home following implant surgery. Hand hygiene is one of the most important parts of our infection control and while soap and water are frequently used by our team, we also encourage the use of alcohol-based hand sanitiser by dental practitioners. This may not be the case when you take the dental tourism route.
Is a CT Scan being performed?
When getting a dental implant overseas, you should ask whether you’ll be receiving a CT scan. Without this, a dentist can’t know for sure how much bone a patient has in their jaw and what its condition is. Failure to carry out a CT scan could leave the patient with unexpected complications and potentially, additional costs.
Are you getting the right treatment?
With dental tourism, the low prices seem so attractive that it’s easy to be tempted to hop on a plane. That said, there is often a tendency for dentists abroad to overtreat a patient to increase the overall cost. This may mean recommending unnecessary or even undesirable treatments. As a result, patients could find themselves suffering from major problems having undergone unnecessary crown or root canal treatments.
At No Gaps Dental, we provide patients with a customised treatment plan setting out exactly what the patient is looking for and the minimum treatments necessary to help them reach their goal. Our objective is to care for your oral health and help you get the best from your smile.
What if something goes wrong?
If your dental implant treatment goes wrong overseas, it’s highly likely that you will have no cover. At No Gaps Dental, patients are supported all the way with many of our clinics open from 8 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday and Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm. If you were receiving treatment from a clinic overseas, you could find yourself forking out for an expensive last-minute air ticket as well as taking more time off work – which is something you probably can’t afford to do.
So, while the tooth implant cost abroad is certainly tempting on paper in reality it could end up costing you a lot more in the long run.
Don’t take risks with your oral health. If cost is your main concern, you should know that we provide flexible payment plans and finance options to help you spread the cost of dental implants. Book your consultation today. Call us now on (02) 8806 0227.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks.