With the benefit of dental implants now being more widely understood, it is not surprising that we are seeing an increase in interest in this particular treatment at the Sync Dental Centres in Addlestone. Patients are increasingly aware that this is a semi permanent and long lasting tooth replacement option that provides both strength and security to a level that dentures simply cannot match.
One area where dental implants can’t match dentures is in price. Unfortunately, dental implants are only available privately, and the materials, skills and additional training required to place them means that they may not be as affordable as dentures; at least in the short term. Although the initial cost is larger, the long term benefits of dental implants pay off for those who have them. A better quality of life for a little extra money is a price many people are willing to pay. We also offer a number of finance plans to help our patients spread the cost of this type of treatment.
Cheaper implants
It is fair to say that most of us love to find a bargain, especially where it is for something that we really want, rather than buying it just because it is cheap. Understandably then, people will often look to save money on dental implants when they can. There are sometimes genuine offers, usually time limited, at dental practices where they are promoting this treatment. Indeed, we are currently offering free no obligation implant consultations at our Addlestone dental clinic at the moment.
Where these implants are placed by experienced and skilled implant dentists in the UK, there should be few problems. Many special offers that are advertised, however, relate to implants being placed at dental practices abroad. But should you go for it?
Weighing up the risks
Although we understand that people want to save money, it is important to remember that having dental implants is not the same as buying a pair of shoes. If an implant procedure goes wrong, it can have a significant impact on the patient, not only financially, but on their oral health too.
The first thing that patients should ask when they see this type of advert is why and how they are able to offer them at this price. There are a number of reasons why this might be possible, some of them even legitimate. For example, the cost of living in some countries is cheaper and this may enable them to reduce the price a little. Any savings in this area though is often offset by the cost of travelling there.
The dangers of having cheaper dental implants abroad are many. It is very difficult to ascertain the level of skills and experience of a dentist that you don’t know. In addition to this, different countries may have different standards of training. That is not to say that there are no good dentists in these countries; there almost certainly are. The problem is how do you know and how can you find out?
If you take a chance and trust that the dentist is qualified and knows what they are doing, it may work out, or it may be that your gamble fails and their lack of expertise means that your dental implants fail or are painful. When this happens, you are left with the choice of travelling back to the dentist who placed them in the first place, probably not something that you would happily do, or spending significant extra money in the UK to have the problem rectified.
In a competitive market, some dentists may also be tempted to use cheaper dental implants. The quality of workmanship and materials used may vary in these implants and the bonding qualities may be affected. Where an implant does not bond successfully with the bone into which they are placed, they are likely to work loose and fail.
Don’t take the risk
While any decision taken regarding where to have their implants placed is the choice of the patient, we believe that it is simply not worth the risk of being tempted by bargain implants. Most dental practices in the UK offer implants at a similar price and there is a good reason for this. Dentists in the UK are regulated and have to achieve certain standards. If you have dental implants placed at the Sync Dental Centres, for example, you can be sure that the dentist will have undergone the relevant training in order to be able to offer them at our practice. In addition to this, our implant team are experienced and have placed dental implants successfully for many patients over the years.
We do understand that people often have many questions that they would like to ask us about this procedure and also the cost implications of having them. We are always happy to talk patients through the treatment process and answer any questions, as well as looking at the best way for you to pay for the treatment using one of our finance plans.
If you would like to take advantage of the free initial consultation offer at our Addlestone practice, please call the Sync Dental Centres for an appointment today on 01932 856541.