With the cost of replacing just a single tooth with a dental implant as high as $7500, it's no wonder some patients seek low cost alternatives. These may range from seeking treatment through a periodontal college, or leaving the country in search of quality dental care. It might seem quite severe, but seeking dental implant surgery abroad is relatively common. There are some hidden costs that go far beyond money, so be cautious if you're considering it.
Where Are You Traveling To?
There are a number of challenges to be faced when receiving any kind of medical or dental care abroad, all of which can vary in difficulty depending on your destination. Passports, travel expenses, currency exchange, language barriers, and even questionable sanitation practices can all present problems. Do your homework in advance on the country you'll be visiting, and make plans to stay awhile.
Many implant specialists abroad offer same-day implants, but these treatment options only work for certain patients. Worse, extensive implant surgery can actually fail if done the same day, which can be problematic if it happens while you're 30,000 feet up, during beverage service over the Atlantic. The monetary cost may balance out, and you may even save money on the entire procedure, but it may not be worth the added stress and future expense if your overseas implants fail to integrate properly.
Once You Get Home
Assuming you choose to go through with an implant procedure overseas, you'll still have new issues to face once you return. Your foreign implants may be unfamiliar to domestic implant dentists, so they won't be able to predict how they'll perform and may not be able to accurately diagnose issues that can arise during recovery. Worse, they won't have any idea what took place during the surgery, and will have to figure it out based on your current condition, which will mean X-Rays and visual examination.
Even if nothing goes wrong, and you have a pleasant stay abroad, you're still going to be spending 12 to 18 hours in airports and on airplanes, after major dental surgery. Your swollen jaw, sore gums and head full of prescription medication can make a normally unpleasant experience downright unbearable.
Anyone who spends any amount of time researching dental implant costs and options will discover much lower prices in other countries. Many of the professionals abroad who accept foreign patients are highly skilled, very competent and have a wealth of experience, but that doesn't mean the trip will be worth it, or that nothing will go wrong. Instead, it's far better to save your time, save your sanity, and work with a local dental implant expert who will be right nearby if something unexpected occurs, and won't require an intercontinental flight to visit.
Share11 December 2014
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