Management of Overseas Dentistry Failures

Many patients have travelled overseas seeking to have an improved smile appearance at a fraction of the cost. Whilst some have returned home with a good result, others have ended up in disastrous situations.

Dental cost is related to

• Qualification and experience of dentists and dental laboratory technicians
• Use of dental materials and dental implants that are safe and approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
• Safety of dental, surgical and radiological (xray) equipment
• Infection control and sterilisation procedures

Considerations Before Venturing into Dental Tourism – Initial Treatment, Rectification and Ongoing Maintenance Cost

In Australia, general dentists and dental specialists are registered by the Dental Board of Australia based on a high set of clinical and academic standards. With regards to dental treatment performed overseas, one cannot verify the accuracy and standard of qualifications claimed.

As clinicians who primarily focus on complex dental rehabilitation, the management of the ramifications of failed dental tourism cases often ends up with us at Perth Prosthodontics. It is all too common that these patients are typically overtreated with unnecessary root canal treatment (removal of nerve pulp tissues insider teeth) and multiple substandard fitting restorations (i.e. fillings, veneers, crowns and bridges, implants and dentures) that subsequently lead to rampant decay, gum and bone (periodontal) disease with acute or chronic infections. Dental implants made with unknown metal alloy and their poor surgical placements have led to serious implications that not only requires the removal of dental implant from the jaw bone, but the loss of gum and bone tissues requiring surgical graft / anatomical structural (i.e. nasal sinus) repairs.

Unfortunately, irreversible damage caused to the teeth, gum and bone tissues, more often than not, leave the patient in a worse state – financially, biologically and psychologically – than if the treatment was properly planned and performed in the first place.

Please view our Dental Tourism Video Blog to understand the associated risks.