Why do cheap implants often end in expensive corrections?

These days, probably the most common question in Facebook groups about dental treatment, smile makeovers or implantology is: "Where can I get implants done cheaply and well?"

The question itself contains a contradiction – you would like to ask whether the person wants the treatment done well or done cheaply.

Unfortunately, the two words "well" and "cheaply" very rarely go hand in hand; far more often they are at odds with each other.

Why? The answer is very simple – the dentist performing the procedure must have knowledge and skills honed on extremely expensive training courses, must have high-quality equipment, and must use a proven, well-researched implant made of high-grade titanium.

What is more, if we want an implant to work for many years and maintain biological stability, good aesthetics and proper function, we very often have to carry out additional procedures.

This is where the second measure comes in: the success rate, understood as therapeutic success – an implant with which nothing has gone wrong and which, after many years, still gives a good result both aesthetically and functionally, without significant biological or prosthetic problems.

In this case, we assess not only whether the implant is still in the bone, but also:

• the stability of the bone around the implant
• the absence of inflammation
• the health of the soft tissues
• aesthetics
• function
• the absence of major biological and prosthetic complications after many years

The stricter the success criteria we adopt, the lower the percentage of implants that meet all of these conditions after decades of use.

All right, but what can you do to be among the patients with a stable treatment result that lasts for many years? Now that is the right question to ask – "Where can I get implants done well enough to have peace of mind for many years?"

Around 40% of cases require bone grafting – the implant has to be placed not where the patient currently has bone after bone loss, but where we plan to place the prosthetic crown. The same implant must sit at the right depth to support the gum, and it must be surrounded by bone with a margin of at least 2 mm on every side.

On top of that, to quote Dennis Tarnow, "Bone sets the tone, but the tissue is the issue" – in other words, bone lays the foundation for success, but in the end it is the soft tissue that decides the outcome of treatment.

This means that, besides making sure the implant is in an ideal position and has enough bone, we also pay a great deal of attention to the quality and stability of the gum surrounding both the implant and the final crown.

All too often, treatment delivered in a model focused mainly on keeping costs down involves placing the implant wherever there is bone at the moment, without preparing the tissues first, and then fitting a standard prosthetic restoration without proper care for the soft tissues.

To be completely honest, when I analyse the X-rays of patients who come to me for a consultation, I very often see bone loss around implants and inflammation caused by exactly this lack of attention to all the aspects I have mentioned.

Most often, a "cheap" implant like this turns into an expensive intervention – removing the implant, regenerating bone, regenerating soft tissue and making new prosthetics.

An implant should be prosthetically planned in the ideal position, surrounded by bone, protected by the gum and ideally – in the case of a single missing tooth – connected to a custom-designed abutment and a screw-retained crown, with an axis that transfers biting forces perfectly.

Today, knowledge and technology allow us to plan implant placement prosthetically.

In computer software we first plan the ideal prosthetics, and it is the prosthetics that "tell us" where and at what depth the implant should go; we then transfer this position very precisely to the patient's mouth using an implant surgical guide.

After the healing period, we also often carry out procedures to rebuild and stabilise a thick layer of soft tissue that protects the implant for years to come.

This brings us to another point.

If a perfectly placed implant requires many specialist procedures, complex planning and the making of an implant surgical guide, should we really be looking for the cheapest solution?

I will leave the answer to you – if you have read this far, it means you are well informed, interested and able to answer this question for yourself.

And now a rather controversial question – if implant treatment involves several stages, requires healing time and regular check-ups, are you ready to have it done hundreds or thousands of kilometres from where you live?

So how does cheap, fast treatment abroad compare? Do you really believe that, despite the lower initial price, it will actually work out cheaper once you add up all the flights, accommodation and follow-up visits?

And have you thought about the follow-up check-ups?

Implant treatment is not just placing an implant and screwing on a crown. It also means years of care, regular professional cleaning and a quick response to biological and prosthetic problems that may arise years later.

Every clinical case requires individual diagnostics and treatment planning.

With proper planning, hygiene, regular check-ups and favourable biological conditions, an implant can function for many decades.

The survival rate is the percentage of implants still present in the mouth after many years. The success rate, on the other hand, also takes into account tissue health, aesthetics, function and the absence of biological and prosthetic complications.

Stable soft tissues of adequate thickness protect the implant against inflammation, affect aesthetics and help maintain the long-term stability of treatment.

Don't worry — a well-planned implant made of good-grade titanium can last for many years, and we choose the solution to suit your case, not the price list.