Travel dental care had seen a huge surge in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The promise of pearly white smiles with flights and accommodation included, has had quite the allure to the enterprising traveller. With borders now opening, some pitfalls surround dental travel. Leif Svennson, Clinical Director at Affordable Dentures and Implants in Phillip, says since the pandemic, he has seen a rise in Aussies opting for local dental treatment.

Local clinics like Affordable Dentures and Implants help Aussies by offering competitive pricing for their dental implant treatments.

“Being transparent, building trust with patients, and understanding all their dental needs, particularly with complex treatments is not typically something you want to leave in the hands of someone you don’t know and may never see again,” says Leif.

People thinking of doing an overseas dental escape are generally seeking dental implant surgery or high cosmetic treatment such as crowns, bridges, and veneers. These can mean hefty treatment costs even for those privately insured in Australia.

Some things to consider before opting to do complex dental treatment overseas:  

1. Who are you seeing?

Misleading marketing can be common amongst overseas dental practices. Booking a 5-star hotel package (or even a 5-star ‘looking’ practice) does not tell you whether the practitioner has the necessary training to perform the procedure. Whereas local dentists in Australia must adhere to stringent and heavily regulated training and hygiene requirements.

2. Smile subjectivity

Cosmetic dental treatments are often geographically subjective. This means, for example, in East Asia, what is perceived to be a beautiful smile is not necessarily the same as in Australia. Where some countries love big buck front teeth and unnatural ‘fridge’ white teeth colours, other cultures like small virtually invisible looking front teeth. “It is especially critical when working with your front six cosmetic teeth that you are able to spend the time you need with your dentist to ensure they can give you the smile you want. Time and communication are key,” says Dr Garth Jones, Implant Surgeon at Affordable Dentures and Implants in Phillip.  

3. Good treatments can take time

Dental implant treatments can take time. For example, it can take three to six months for a dental  implant  to heal properly with the bone. A several-week trip overseas for dental implants does not allow for this timeline; the overseas dental packages are generally for a much shorter period. When asked about rapid implant treatments, Dr Jones’ response was, “You can’t cheat biology; the body needs time to heal.” There are increased risks when rushing to complete implant treatment and success rates are decreased. Time is your best friend after implant surgery.

4. Can you enjoy a holiday if you’ve just had probing and drilling in your mouth?

The façade of dental tourism and attractive ‘5 star’ dental packages takes away from the possible pain and recovery involved when you have had a tooth (or teeth) pulled out or an implant placed into your bone. Is it really a holiday if you’re in pain and can’t eat as you please? This is another reason why more and more Aussies are choosing to do their complex dental procedures in Australia.

5. What if something goes wrong with the new ‘overseas’ smile?

Your local dentist or implant surgeon will more than likely be very cautious before intervening with complex dental treatment that has been undertaken overseas. There are several reasons for this, with the main one being that they may not agree with the approach or positioning of the implants in the bone. They may also not be sure what type of implants were used or be concerned about taking on the risk of potential complications from implants they did not place. If, for example, the surgeon cannot access the necessary parts for that implant brand (as different branded implants may have fittings that are not common), you may not be able to do rectification work if it is required.

6. The price

Let’s be frank, the decision to do overseas dental work generally comes down to price. This certainly cannot be overlooked despite the risk factors listed above. With improved technologies such as digital scanners and guided surgery like those used by Dr Jones and Leif at Affordable Dentures and Implants, Aussie practices have been able to provide more affordable treatment prices locally, without compromising implant selection and treatment procedures.

For more information, you can visit Affordable Dentures and Implants at 65 Colbee Court, Phillip, or call 02 6190 8828 for a free consultation. Leave your overseas holidays as holidays … knowing they will be pain-free!

For more information on sponsored partnerships, click here.