Dental treatment abroad

welshdent

miamoo wrote: »

Just wanted to add that I have an implant, and I have never been asked by the dentist who provided it, i have had 3 dentists since the implant and none of the dentists asked where I have had any of my work done. I have never been asked if I have had work done abroad either.
Can I just say that if you know a patient had an implant abroad was in pain, and was a regular patient and couldnt afford/ unable to get back there, you would even look at their problem!

If a patient had a problem with an implant I wouldnt know what to do!
I am trained to fix teeth and gums. Last time I checked an implant was titanium or zirconia. brook sums it up well. If a patient phones up complaining of pain or problems with an implant you are right. I wouldnt look at them. I would tell my receptionist to explain politely to them that I have no experience of managing implants and no training for them. They should seek the opinion of the placing dentist or I can provide them the names of the implantologists we recommend.

If they are really desperate for me to see them then by all means pay me the £12 emergency charge for an emergency examination .. where after a quick look ... i`ll tell them the same thing. I am not being heartless I am being sensible and looking at it practitcally. Would you want to waste time and money coming to see me when you can actually use that time and money to get it fixed?

What your own dentists feel competent to take on is their own business but I know my limits

miamoo

I had my implant done in this country by a 'regular' dentist, I had no idea that dentists dont do implants. Well it was a very long time ago that I had mine done, things have changed a great deal. The dentist I had my implant isnt even a dentist anymore. He retired and the practice was taken over, so going back there wouldnt be an option.

miamoo

Can I just check we are talking about the same thing, an implant is when you have no tooth or root. The dentist gives you a metal 'root' and then sticks a crown onto it. Is this right?

welshdent

yep thats right. Its only skimmed over in dental school. TO be able to justifiably place them you would need to do numerous courses. To do them IMO safely and properly you should be doing a well mentored course over a year or so and they cost in the region of £30,000 to do. Some companies offer week long or weekend ones but I personally would not feel comfortable placing them with so little experience.

"regular" dentists are generally who do them as there is no speciality of implantology at the moment but they would have been trained to do them as per my comments above.

miamoo

welshdent wrote: »

yep thats right. Its only skimmed over in dental school. TO be able to justifiably place them you would need to do numerous courses. To do them IMO safely and properly you should be doing a well mentored course over a year or so and they cost in the region of £30,000 to do. Some companies offer week long or weekend ones but I personally would not feel comfortable placing them with so little experience.

"regular" dentists are generally who do them as there is no speciality of implantology at the moment but they would have been trained to do them as per my comments above.

Fair enough, I didnt realise. I must of been lucky as I had mine when I was 14 due to a an absess and it was a front tooth. The dentist did an amazing job, he really was a great dentists that tooth has been stuck fast for over 20yrs,and looks so natural.
A few years ago I had another one, not through choice long story, but I ended up with quite a poor looking tooth that I hate.

I really can understand people going abroad for dental work though to be honest. I have had 2 implants in this country one great one terrible, that can happen in any country.
I just had a quick google of prices and the Brighton clinic offers implants at £1,000 per tooth, and that they reckon is the cheapest in the uk, abroad you can pay half that, but you would just have to really check reviews.

brook2jack

from your description I don't think think you've had implants.I think you have post crowns. They have metal posts that appear to screw into the gum but there is some root left.It is a standard treatment and well within any dentists capability.

20 Years ago implants were placed but very rarely and certainly not on a 14 year old. You wouldn't even place one on a 14 year old now as they are still growing. 18 to 20 is the normal age.The implant would have been even more expensive then and not available on the health service.It is a series of proceedures over 3 months that includes a minor operation.

It's a common mistake... people often talk about screw in teeth or implants when they mean post crowns.

theheathen

miamoo wrote: »

I had my implant done in this country by a 'regular' dentist, I had no idea that dentists dont do implants. Well it was a very long time ago that I had mine done, things have changed a great deal. The dentist I had my implant isnt even a dentist anymore. He retired and the practice was taken over, so going back there wouldnt be an option.

Assuming that welshdent practices in Wales, he likely still works via candlelight.

theheathen

welshdent wrote: »

yep thats right. Its only skimmed over in dental school. TO be able to justifiably place them you would need to do numerous courses. To do them IMO safely and properly you should be doing a well mentored course over a year or so and they cost in the region of £30,000 to do. Some companies offer week long or weekend ones but I personally would not feel comfortable placing them with so little experience.

"regular" dentists are generally who do them as there is no speciality of implantology at the moment but they would have been trained to do them as per my comments above.

It would seem it wasn't all you skimmed over.

welshdent

theheathen wrote: »

It would seem it wasn't all you skimmed over.

Does anyone hear "antes law" echoing around the building?

coldstreamalways

In an echo of toothsmith's sentiments on a different forum, I would like to suggest that all dentists on here either put professor heathen on ignore or simply stop giving advice on threads where he is a contributor. I am fed up of receiving abuse from people simply because of the profession I chose to follow.

I *hope* that the input of the long time dental posters on here is valued enough by other users that they will support this.

Can someone remind me how to "ignore" someone please?