What might come as a surprise to many is that according to a recent survey, close to half of the people who go abroad for dental treatment travel without seeing their local dentist first. This means that they are effectively self-diagnosing their treatment requirements, and as a consequence may be estimating the cost of overseas treatment based on incorrect information, which can lead to many misunderstandings.

Take the case of a patient looking to have an implant fitted. A dental implant is a screw that is placed into the jaw to hold a replacement tooth in place, as opposed to the false tooth, or crown, itself. The implant is inserted on average three months before the crown is placed, meaning that the patient will need to make at least two trips to their intended destination to have the work completed successfully, which means twice the travel and accommodation costs. Confusion over this process means that many patients will fail to take the extra expense into account before they travel abroad or, worse still, that they will fail to return to complete the treatment at all.

Similar pitfalls await in cases of gum disease and root canal infections. Without a check-up before travelling, patients can end up going abroad for treatments that they are not ready or suitable for, as gum disease and root canal infections both require attention before proceeding with further treatments. These problems can be treated abroad, but without prior knowledge this will add both time and expense to a dental vacation.

Getting a check-up before travelling abroad can actually save patients money in the long run by giving them accurate and up-to-date information about the state of their oral health. Better still, getting a digital panoramic x-ray gives patients the ability to get realistic quotes and treatment plans from dentists anywhere in the world.

Thankfully, the savings to be made when travelling abroad for dental treatment regularly run to more than 50% of the same treatment costs locally, and advances in certain treatment areas are helping to make it more convenient too.

CEREC, or Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics, is a computer-controlled system for milling crowns for implants, bridges or just the crown itself. While this technology is still quite rare, it is becoming more widespread and affordable. The latest CEREC machines are able to produce a crown in as little as four minutes, as opposed to the normal week-long wait for having a crown produced in a lab off-site. This means a much shorter stay for a patient needing a crown or bridge fitted.

Immediate Load Implants, or "Implants In A Day" also use computer-controlled equipment to place an implant with extreme precision in the jawbone, eliminating the three-month wait before placing the crown on the implant. Again, this method is not widely available yet but, as with CEREC, as it becomes more commonplace dental tourists will have to spend less time abroad to complete their treatment.

Patients who are thinking of travelling abroad for dental treatment owe it to themselves to get the best information about the state of their own oral health and their treatment options in order to get accurate quotes and treatment plans. Otherwise they may be in for a surprise when they get their final bill.