With the rising cost of everyday items, people are searching for bargains when purchasing big-ticket items such as dental implants. While there are alternative solutions like dental tourism, there may be other routes you want to take. There are reasons to invest in your dental health in the U.S. and look for other places to cut corners. Here are a few of the reasons.
1. Lack of Regulations
Dentists practicing in the United States do so under strict regulations. Not only are you guaranteed that an American dentist is licensed, but their practices are heavily regulated by the American Dental Association (ADA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
When you travel outside the country for dental implant placement, you leave these regulations behind. You are subject to the hygiene and safety standards of the country where you book your services. The lack of standards comes with additional safety risks. Some things, such as questionable techniques and hygiene practices, could lead to infections or other complications.
2. Lack of Follow-up
Dental implants are a multi-stage process. While the techniques may vary, most dentists use something similar to the following:
- Damaged tooth removal
- Jawbone grafting (when needed)
- Implant screw placement
- Osseointegration (bone growth and healing)
- Abutment placement
- Crown placement
While dentists may combine several steps, follow-up is essential to ensure that your implant is healing and no infection is present. Unless you remain in your tourism destination for the extent of your procedure, you may not receive this valuable follow-up.
3. Lack of Communication
Communicating with your dentist and the staff is vital in ensuring they meet your needs. Not only do you need to be able to ask and answer questions, but you also need to be able to communicate about any complications or concerns.
Communication can be difficult if you are fluent in the language of the country where you receive your services. Even offices that advertise they speak English may not be fluent in the language and may have difficulty understanding what you need them to know.
4. Lack of Medical Records
Anytime you have any type of medical or dental procedure, the treating doctor or dentist must have access to your medical records. Your records create a knowledge base of your medical history and note any problems or complications you experienced.
When you travel for dental implants, these medical records usually do not follow you back into the country. The lack of records means a gap in your dental history about the procedures performed for your dental implant treatment.
To learn more about dental implants, contact a professional dentist in your area.
