Dental Implants in Malaysia: Cost and Risks
The short answer.
An implant usually needs a consultation, surgery, months of healing and further visits, so treatment in Malaysia may mean more than one trip. Check the dentist's registration and what the quote covers, and plan your recovery and follow-up care.
If you have missing teeth, you might be considering dental implant surgery. Implants can replace missing teeth with a fixed, natural-looking result, but they cost more up front than some other options, and the lower price of a dental implant in Malaysia attracts many Australians. This guide explains how treatment works, what having it away from home involves, and what to check before you book. If you’d rather explore treatment closer to home, read about dental implants at Dental Spot in Croydon.
Dental Implant Surgery: A Basic Overview
The dental implant process can be a lengthy one. It usually involves a consultation, surgery to place the implant, a healing period, and several follow-up appointments.
At your consultation, your dentist will check whether you are a good candidate for dental implants. If you have healthy gums, enough bone to support the implant, and can commit to brushing and flossing regularly, you will likely be able to proceed.
The implant, a small titanium post, is placed in the jawbone, usually under local anaesthetic. You then wait while the bone and implant fuse, a process called osseointegration, which can take several months. Your recovery time depends on several factors, including the number of implants and your general health.
Once the implant has fused, an abutment is attached to it, and your crown is made and fitted on top, replacing your missing tooth. You can read more about the stages of dental implants.
Planning an Implant in Malaysia
Checking the dentist
In Australia, dentists are registered with the Dental Board of Australia (another site), must meet its standards, and complete continuing professional development to keep their registration. In Malaysia, dentists are registered with the Malaysian Dental Council (another site), and you can search its register (another site) by name or clinic. Wherever you go, ask about the dentist’s registration, their experience with implants, the implant brand they use and how the clinic sterilises instruments.
Several trips
Because you’ll need a consultation, surgery and a final fitting with months of healing in between, you may need to travel back and forth more than once. The cost can increase quickly, especially if you need to take time off work or travel in peak holiday months. Travelling while you recover from surgery can also be tiring.
Clear communication
You need to understand every form you sign and all your before-and-after surgery instructions. Ask for your treatment plan, costs and aftercare instructions in writing, and ask questions until you’re sure.
Recovering away from home
You might need to stay for a few days after surgery while you recover. Your dentist may recommend a soft food diet, which can be harder to follow if you’re eating out. If you have sedation, you’ll need someone with you afterwards, which may mean bringing a companion. At home you have your support network, and you know how to get help if something goes wrong.
What the Cost Covers
Before you compare prices, check what each quote includes: the scan, the implant post, the abutment, the crown, any bone graft, and the follow-up visits. Add flights, accommodation and time off work.
In Australia, CHOICE’s guide to dental fees (updated 9 March 2023, using the Australian Dental Association’s 2022 fee survey) puts the average fee for placing one implant at $1,334 to $3,000, and for the abutment at $400 to $1,404, depending on the state. The crown is extra: the survey’s closest item, a veneered crown on a natural tooth, mostly costs $1,250 to $2,100. Scans, extractions and bone grafts add to that. These are published Australian figures, not our fees: your quote depends on your teeth, so ask us for a written one if you’d like a like-for-like comparison.
Australian private health insurance generally doesn’t cover treatment overseas. In Australia, some extras policies pay a benefit towards implant treatment, so check with your fund.
Before You Book
Smartraveller, the Australian Government’s travel advice service, notes that elective procedures can cost much less in some countries, and that while many hospitals overseas are of a similar standard to Australia’s, quality and standards in some countries can be poor. Its advice before you book treatment overseas includes:
- check that the dentist is registered with the local authority and has indemnity insurance;
- check whether your travel insurance covers complications from the treatment;
- get copies of your records to bring home.
For implants, also ask for your X-rays and the brand and size of each implant, so a dentist at home can look after them later. For other destinations, see our guide to dental implants overseas.
Talk to Us
The team at Dental Spot is happy to answer your questions about dental implants and what treatment here would involve and cost.
Sources
- How much does the dentist cost? (another site), CHOICE, updated 9 March 2023
- Medical tourism (another site), Smartraveller
- Dental Board of Australia (another site)
- Malaysian Dental Council (another site)
This guide is general information, not advice about your own teeth. Your dentist can tell you what applies to you, including the risks of any treatment.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
