All on 4 Cost Thailand: The Real Cost of getting All on 4 in Thailand

All on 4 costs in Thailand range from A$12,000 to A$16,000, with some Thailand clinics and medical tourism companies claiming considerable savings of up to 50% off local pricing.

Compared to the average cost of All on 4 in Australia which is around $25,000, it’s no wonder some Australians consider doing their dentistry off-shore.

However, when you add up the travel, accommodation and incidentals the real saving is likely to be no more than $5000-$7000.   Providing everything goes to plan.

But cost aside there are some practical considerations.  You need to be aware of that no overseas clinic or medical tourism company (who themselves are not medical professionals) will openly discuss these with you.

Is All on 4 Thailand Worth the Risk?

So is it worth the risk?  That's what we will be discussing in detail in this article.

It really depends on how much you like to take chances, keeping in mind that all on four is an irreversible surgical procedure.  The biggest drawback of getting dental or medical treatment overseas is that you'll be completely and utterly on your own if something goes wrong.  

There are no consumer protection bodies that can help you seek redress for any failed or inadequate procedure requiring costly re-treatment.

Even if you go through a medical tourism company, they make it clear that they do not underwrite the work performed or the healthcare facilities as choice magazine reports.  It's also worth noting that your travel insurer is unlikely to step in and help you.

How much should you budget to get All on 4 in Thailand?

Here's a breakdown of the average costs:

All on 4 Dental Implant & Tooth Bridge

In writing this article, I researched the all on 4 cost in Thailand from many dental surgeries offering the treatment.  The average price for clinics that use clinically proven dental implants was around $15,000.

[As an aside: there are hundreds of dental implant brands.  But only a fraction of these are available in Australia. If something breaks and you need a spare part, it can be hard to source these from the lesser-known brands.]

Travel, Accommodation & Spending money (first trip):

Most Thai clinics advise a two-week stay but, ideally, you should aim to stay around 4 weeks. Here’s why.

• You might get an infection
• Your teeth may need modifications and adjustments so they fit you perfectly

The table above does not account for spending money, keep in mind that you will also need to budget for meals and transport.

Travel & accommodation expenses (second trip, 6 months after)

Most clinic websites don't mention a return visit, which is baffling as 99% of the time the tooth bridge needs adjustment at around the six-month mark.  

After the healing period and once the swelling from the surgery subsides, your dentist will need to adjust the tooth bridge.  This is done by adding some pink material on the surface that rests against the gums, we call this a ‘reline’. We remove the tooth bridge from your mouth and add some more material to close the small gap that forms between your gums and the replacement teeth.

Additional All on 4 costs Thailand to consider

Look carefully at the terms & conditions and the inclusions of the all on four treatment as it varies from clinic to clinic.

• Some may charge additional fees for removing teeth
• They may also charge extra for the preliminary consultation
• The "from" prices only include four dental implants,  if you need six implants the price increases. (In the top jaw, it's common to place more implants if you have soft bone or a powerful bite).

I’ve not accounted for any of the additional costs in these comparisons but do be on the lookout for these.  It can quickly add up.

After factoring in the appropriate travel and accommodation expenses, the treatment costs for an All-on-4 in Thailand can escalate closer to A$18,000-20,000.  The promise of half-price treatment only holds if you compare all on four treatment cost and not the additional costs.

All-on-4 treatment at the Macquarie Street Centre in Sydney typically costs $25,000, including tooth removal (if required) and up to 6 implants when needed.  

Here's what the All on 4 price at the Macquarie Street Centre includes:

• Tooth removal (if required)
• Up to 6 implants if needed
• Soft tissue remodelling using PRP technology
• Night Guard to protect your all on four when you unconsciously grind your teeth at night as you are getting used to your new teeth
• Waterpik for hygiene
• Post-operative check-ups & Hygiene appointment

Yes, it is dearer but a clinician with 30 years experience in dental implants performs your treatment.  Our clinic is run entirely to stringent Australian health and safety standards.  You'll also have access to ongoing care and maintenance without travelling to a different continent.

But I'll be getting a "Thailand holiday" and an All-on-4!

Here's the truth: it won't feel like a holiday.  All the typical holiday fun is off the itinerary if you're going for an all-on-4.  Instead, you'll be travelling to and from appointments. After your procedure, you need to rest and recover, and for that, there's nothing better than the comfort of your own home.

Nonetheless, if your mind's made up and you want to travel to Thailand for all on four, here are some considerations for your planning.

Don't rush, be prepared to stay one month

That long?  But all the websites say all on 4 treatment takes just one day?  I can book a zippy trip, no?  

I’d advise against it.  All on 4 is a complex treatment, and although you won't see it, behind the scenes, your dentist needs lots of time to plan your surgery and design your new teeth.  You can read more about the 'behind the scenes' stages in our All on 4 guide which you can download here.

If your dentist meets you for the first time on Tuesday and is performing the treatment on Wednesday - when did they plan?  

Then there's the procedure itself.  When all the stars align (which they rarely do), All-on-4 can be done in 1 day, but don't bank on it.  Achieving the best cosmetic outcome for your teeth takes at least three days.  

Here's what happens on each day for all on 4 at Macquarie Street Centre:

Day 1: Dental implants placed (teeth extracted if you have some)

Day 2: Try in a mockup of the teeth to make sure they fit perfectly (and look great too!)

Day 3: Final teeth placed

Week 2: Check-up with Dr Dunn to check healing and how your teeth are biting together

Week 4: Removal of tooth bridge to check it is able to be cleaned properly (to prevent infection which can lead to implant failure)

Month 4: Appointment with our hygienist and a reline of your tooth bridge

Done in just one day, you won't have the chance to see your new smile beforehand.  What if it's not right or not what you thought? It's for this reason I rarely commit to one-day All-on-four treatment.  And as the recipient of a new smile, don't you want to "test drive" it first?

Some of the clinics I researched get around this by having  '12 different smile designs you can choose from'. If you go to a clinic that gives you a menu of smiles to choose from - run, don't walk, out of that clinic.  Why?

Each smile is unique and should suit your personality and facial features.  It's not like ordering #13 chicken green curry at the local Thai! You may get beautiful teeth from a menu, but they may not be the beautiful teeth for you and will always look a bit wrong.  

Below is an example of what a beautiful All-on-4 treatment should look like:

Lastly, after implant placement, you need to allow 2-3 weeks for the dentist to do the postoperative checkups.  If there is an infection or something is not healing as it should, they can step in immediately and address this.  

Or if the teeth aren't feeling quite right, or you’re getting headaches, this means the bite needs adjustment.  You may not realise this in the days immediately following the procedure.

If you start experiencing problems when you are already home, you'll need the urgent attention of a local dentist, but you’ll need to pay for their time.  In contrast, if you have the treatment done locally, the required adjustments are all included in the initial price.  

Another thing to bear in mind here is that you may be hard pressed to actually find a dentist that will fix someone else's mistake.  Especially when the work is done overseas. This is because once a local dentist starts treating you - the problem becomes theirs.  The solution may always be inadequate as is often the case with revision surgeries, you’re starting on the back foot.

2. Budget for a second trip to have your teeth adjusted in six months

Hang on, the second trip?  Nobody mentions that on their website.  Missing from all the slick looking advertising material promoting all on 4 cost Thailand is the need to revisit the clinic for a reline of the teeth, which I explained in the introduction.

What happens if you don't get your teeth relined?  Food will get stuck in the space between the tooth bridge and gums, which is not hygienic or comfortable.  This gap may also be visible when you smile.

3. If something goes wrong, be prepared to lose all initial cost savings

If you get home and realise something is just not right, you'll either need to travel back to Thailand for re-treatment or seek local help. Either way, it means an additional cost.

When a local doctor performs the all on 4 treatment, they're responsible for any complications that arise under their warranty.  For example, if an implant fails in the early healing stage, they will need to replace the implant. However, if your clinic is in another country, getting help with complications is logistically more difficult.

Depending on the complication, a local dentist may not even be able to guarantee a re-treatment outcome.  We see patient cases with implants in the wrong spot. This is almost always impossible to reverse, and the result is a compromised treatment outcome and can mean significant, irreversible damage to your jaw bone.  

We also see many patients coming in with teeth breaking on their all on 4 tooth bridge.  This is no small fix, and means we have to replace the entire tooth bridge.  

Learn about all on 4 problems and potential complications here so you can make an informed choice about your treatment.

In summary, if you are thinking of getting all on 4 in Thailand and any fixes are needed after your return home most, if not all, of the savings, will quickly be lost.  Either in local dental fees or trips to the original dentist in Thailand.

4. Accept you may not find the same level of experienced professionals

Australia was one of the first countries globally to treat missing teeth with dental implants.  In fact, one of the early ground-breaking dental implants studies was carried out in Perth. As a consequence, we have some of the most experienced dental implant professionals in the world who have a proven long-term record.

Here at Macquarie Street Centre, we started treating patients with dental implants nearly thirty years ago. I travelled to Sweden to undertake training with the inventor - Prof. Branemark.  At the time, many of my patients longed for a better solution for their missing teeth.

5. Make sure there are no language barriers that can lead to miscommunication

Having a surgical procedure in your own country is stressful enough. Having surgery in a country where you don't speak the same language, even more so.  

Make sure that before you leave Australia, you have personally spoken to the doctor.  Ensure that they are able to explain all the associated all on 4 costs in Thailand and the procedure.  They should've already provided you with a written treatment plan. There's nothing worse than not understanding what is happening to you when you're having a major, irreversible surgical procedure.

6. Are the reviews legitimate?

If you're researching All on 4 cost Thailand, you will come across many positive reviews from former patients who have gone there for dental treatment.  There are a couple of things to take into consideration when reading these reviews.

How are these patients correctly evaluating the clinical success of their work?

Unless you're a dentist, it's almost impossible to be able to judge the quality of your dental work clinically.  The most you can go on is 'how you think your teeth look, if you are no longer in pain, if the clinic looked clean and the people were friendly.  This in no way indicates that the treatment received will be long-lasting, is clinically correct, or even if it was the right treatment plan for your needs.

Are the procedures they're reviewing similar to All on 4 treatment in Thailand?

Those patients dental needs may be very different from your own.  In doing my own research for this article, I saw that many people travel to Thailand for different types of dental work.  Dental work that is not as invasive or irreversible as All on four.

Read more about what you should be considering when reading All on 4 reviews here.

I don't know about you, but travelling to Thailand for an All on 4 to save A$5,000-7,000 seems like a significant risk for a comparatively small reward!  If you’re concerned about costs, there may be some payment options that you’re not aware of. I’ve written an article covering the most popular All on 4 payment plan options that you can read about here.

Still unsure? Here at Macquarie Street Centre, we offer a complimentary Q&A call with one of our expert team leaders to discuss any concerns you may have.  Feel free to call us on 02 9247 1394 or book your call here.