You may be, or have been considering dental implants, and thought about going abroad for ‘cheaper’ treatment. You may even know someone who has been abroad for treatment. Certainly, the adverts you see suggest that the treatment is a lot cheaper than the averages prices you can get here in the UK.
But as what cost? Is it really cheaper? What price do you put on health? Safety? Success rates?
One of the many pitfalls of patients going abroad to have dental implants is the lack of long term treatment planning. So called ‘dental holidays’ mean you have a very limited amount of time to spend with the dentist, often resulting in the dentist cutting corners, ignoring the health of your gums and trying to do too much too quickly. In many cases, problems don’t appear for months or maybe years later by which time you end up needing more expensive remedial work back here in the UK.
There is a much larger failure rate in ‘cheap’ dental implants abroad, mainly because the dental implant system they are using are from much smaller lesser known manufacturers with little or no known research. If a dentist in the UK is then, at a later date, trying to rectify problems, they have no real way of knowing where to order the necessary components from.
Most reputable dentists in the UK who place dental implants, use tried and tested implant systems that come with guarantees and proven success rates. Here at College Street Dental Centre, we use one of the world leading systems,Nobel Biocare, so in the event that any problems arise they can be rectified quickly, or should the patient relocate elsewhere in the UK or even abroad, they are not disadvantaged in anyway.
The issue is becoming so rife that the General Dental Council has acknowledged the problem and even produced a handy guide for patients regarding treatment overseas.
Some basic questions anyone considering this option should at least ask:
1: Who will be carrying out my treatment and what qualifications do they have?
2: How many times have they carried out the procedure?
3: What will happen if things do not go according to plan?
4: How can the regulatory body help me?
Unfortunately, time and time again, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
For further information or advice contact College Street Dental Centre in Petersfield, Hampshire on 01730 263180
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