Travelling Abroad to Get Dental Implants

Getting your teeth done abroad is now accessible and many people around the world travel from their home countries for dental treatment. There are both advantages and disadvantages which will be discussed in this article.

If you are considering dental treatment abroad, it’s a good idea to do your research first and to be aware of the potential risks.

One of the main reasons some people go abroad for tooth implant treatment is to save money.  With the attractive price that is often promoted by overseas dental practices it’s no wonder many people are tempted to travel abroad for dental implants.

Expensive dental treatment such as dental implants, crowns, root canal surgery or veneers can be cheaper abroad than if done locally in the UK – up to 50-70% cheaper, according to some estimates. Dental treatment is a great opportunity to experience an adventure abroad during your treatment.

However, there are many factors to take into consideration.  Some of the issue you may experience can be with communication and aftercare.  If there is a language barrier or communication difficulties, you may not get all the information or support that you would get from your dentist at home.

Dental implant treatment often requires regular visits to the clinic, which can be more convenient and less expensive if it is local.  If you need to travel abroad, aftercare appointments may require more time and expense for flights and hotel.

Also be aware that if you require a follow up with a UK Dentist, it can sometimes be difficult for local Dentists to treat patients who have received their implants overseas.  This is due to some countries having different dentistry regulation standards and using other systems to place implants.   Whilst implants have a very high success rate they can occasionally be problems, again, this is much easier to remedy if the implants are placed in the United Kingdom.

It is always useful to ask questions before you decide on treatment abroad, who will be carrying out my treatment and what qualifications do they have? Will the dental team speak English? If not, will you provide a translator on the day of the procedure? Do you have any references or testimonials from previous patients? Are you regulated by a professional body and do you have to be registered with them? Is the work guaranteed for a certain period of time? What happens if I am unhappy with the results? Who pays for the extra flights, hotel and remedial work?

Always to stick with recognised implant companies and ensure they have certificates to prove that the dental implant components used are genuine. The General Dental Council have put together an Advice Going Abroad For Your Dental Care for people thinking of travelling abroad for their dental treatments.