What type of implants does your clinic use?
The implants we choose to use in our clinic are meticulously researched and only those with at least 5 years of follow-up studies are considered. Also, we only use implants that have a US FDA approval and with a strong following in the USA. In this regard, we use the Korean brand Osstem (Hi-Ossen in the US) and Straumann implants in our clinic. However, we are able to use any other brand of implants if the patient has a specific request to use that kind of implant, provided that it is available locally.
Please give me a summary of the steps in the process of getting an implant at your clinic.
The first step for any dental procedure in our clinic is always patient information gathering, clinical diagnostic examinations and treatment planning. If the patient is not physically present, a panoramic x-ray or full mouth xrays will help us to make a preliminary diagnosis and aid in formulating a tentative treatment plan. Note that because xrays are 2-dimensional in nature, the treatment plan we make based on the xrays alone may change considerably once we see clinically the patient’s oral condition.
Implant surgery is basically an extraction but done in reverse. Instead of taking out a tooth, we insert a root form metal (implant) into the patient’s mouth. This involves opening up the gums, drilling and enlarging a hole into the patients bone and inserting the proper diameter and length of implant. To the patient, this may sound like a very painful procedure. But in truth, implant surgery is less painful than taking out a tooth. This is because with implant surgery, we are using precise equipment to sequentially enlarge the hole (called an osteotomy) and with just a few drills, we are able to finish the osteotomy and place the implant. The actual time it takes to place an implant from anesthetizing the patient to closing it up is about 30 minutes.
How much do your procedures cost?
Implant surgery costs P60,000 ($1,272) and the implant crown costs P25,000 ($530) for the Osstem implants. For the Straumann implants, implant surgery costs P80,000 ($1,696) and the implant crown costs P40,000 ($848). The discrepancy in prices is due to the big discrepancy in cost for the different systems.
How many surgeries/appointments are required?
For straightforward cases, meaning no bone augmentation is required, the patient needs only to come to the Philippines twice: the first for placing the implants, and the second is for fabricating the implant crown. During the 1st visit, we require the patient to be in the Philippines a minimum of 4 days for proper post-operative follow-up.
For the second visit, we require the patient to stay a little bit longer because the fabrication time for the implant crown depends mostly on how long the lab will take. Because we only send the cases to laboratories who have the proper know-how of fabricating implant crowns, this may take between 1-2 weeks to finish. In cases where we need to do a sinus augmentation, it may be possible (case-to-case basis) to do implant placement simultaneously. However, we do require that the patient stay a little bit longer, a minimum of 10 days just to make sure that there are no surgical complications
What is the healing time required?
The downtime for the surgical procedure for straightforward cases is usually just 1-2 days. Most of our patients don’t even report of any post-operative pain after the procedure and have no need for any pain medications. Healing for the surgical site usually takes about 7 days, meaning the site is fully closed by then.
What is your success rate?
The implant integration rate of modern implants are now pegged upward of 95%. Because of this, if the implant does not integrate properly (within 3 months of placement), we will replace the implant at no cost to the patient. Alternatively, if they choose to have it managed in their home country, we can provide their attending dentist with all the details of the treatment (what type of implant was used, what diameter and what length). We will also be available to correspond with their attending dentist if necessary.
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Winning Smiles Dental Clinic
Suite 607-608 The Medical Tower, Rufino Street, Village, Legaspi, Makati, 1229 Metro Manila, Philippines
Hours:
Mon-Sat: 10:00AM – 5:00PM
Sun: Closed
Please note: This interview is for informational purposes only and does not represent a recommendation of the dentist mentioned. All opinions expressed are those of the interviewee.
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