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Many patients travel abroad seeking cosmetic dental treatment, in particular dental implants. However, there are hundreds of dental implant systems being used globally by dentists of all training backgrounds. Furthermore, complications can occur that patients may expect their general dental practitioner in the UK to be able to manage. The following report describes the case of a 71-year-old, medically compromised patient who presented with complaints consistent with the immediate failure of dental implants that happened to be placed abroad. On closer examination, the dental implants themselves were highly questionable in their design and placement. An incidental finding was also made in the maxillary sinus.
CPD/Clinical Relevance: To acknowledge that implant dentistry is increasing in popularity as patients have the freedom to access dental implant treatment globally. UK dentists are expected to manage these dental implants on the return of patients to the UK who may present with post-operative complications involving unknown dental implant systems.
Article
There appears to be an increase in the number of patients travelling abroad for dental treatment, coined by some as ‘dental tourism’.1,2 The drive for ‘dental tourism’ appears to be multifactorial; some of the more common reasons include the drive for dental care to meet patient-led timeframes and to gain dental treatment at a lower cost than that offered within the UK.3 In addition, low-cost flights mean that the cost of transportation combined with dental treatment abroad can be significantly lower than the cost of dental treatment in the UK. Furthermore, dental-tour packages are available to the public which, include dental treatment, travel and accommodation, all as part of the holiday package.
Implants within dentistry appear to have gained popularity in recent times, particularly noticeable within the last decade,4 as research on the design, materials and placement of dental implants has increased over the past few years. Additionally, implant placement can be carried out in a variety of settings including universities, specialist centres and increasingly by general dental practitioners (GDPs) in dental practices. Another variable factor is that of clinician expertise as there is currently no recognised subspecialty for implant dentistry. For the most part, dental implants are seen as an alternative treatment option compared with the conventional options for space restoration. Despite this, dental implants are not only an alternative treatment modality, but in many cases, they are the first choice for patients, as they offer more perceived benefits over other treatments. For example, in cases where teeth have been lost from the aesthetic zone, or in cases of severely atrophic edentulous ridges.5
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