Dental implants are now starting to catch up with dentures as a means to replace lost or missing teeth. This is perhaps unsurprising given their natural appearance along with their strength and longevity, with most lasting in excess of twenty years or more.
The biggest drawback at the moment to dental implants though are the two factors of fear and cost.
Fear of Dental Implants
A major factor that puts many people off having dental implants is that in order to place them, holes have to be drilled into the jawbone. Now, this may sound like a tortuous process but the reality is that, grisly though this may sound, the jaw bone itself actually contains very few nerves at all and therefore isn’t very sensitive to pain. Naturally, the whole dental implant procedure is done using a local anaesthetic to numb any pain that may be felt anyway.
The Cost of Dental Implants
The other major factor which deters many people from having dental implants is the cost. There is no getting away from it, dental implants are not yet cheap. Partially this is due to the cost of the implant itself which is made from titanium to ensure that the bone grow around it to hold it securely in place.
This cost factor causes a lot of people to look for cheaper options with many travelling abroad to have their dental implants fitted. Whilst there are some good dental implant dentists abroad though, it can be very difficult to determine the quality dentists from the cowboys, especially if language is a barrier.
When a procedure goes wrong that has been done abroad, and this does happen on occasions although not frequently, it can be not only painful but also problematic as the last thing the person would want is to have the same dentist work on the damaged implant and many dentists here simply don’t wish to work on another dentists procedure. Although one will be found who will do this, it isn’t an easy process and adds to the stress of having a dental implant placed.
Dental Plans
The good news is that most good quality dental implant dentists such as Darren Bywater who is based in Derby, offer dental payment plans which help to spread the cost. This is an advisable option as not only does it ensure that you have a successful and stress free dental implant placed (Darren Bywater also mentors other dentists) but allows you to spread the payment of a period of time.
As far as value for money goes; it should also be remembered that as long as good care is taken of the newly placed dental implants, they should be expected to last you for at least twenty years, with many being known to last over thirty. This will of course depend on a number of circumstances.
In short then, cutting corners by going abroad to have dental implants placed may save you a lot of money but there are significant risks involved and for most people, the risk simply is not worth it.
Tom Bridge is an actor who had an accident with a prop on stage causing the loss of a couple of front teeth. After visiting the Derby Dental Implant practice for advice, he has since had them replaced with dental implants and despite the initial fear, found the process to be ok and is more than happy with his new implants.