Bone Grafting for Dental Implants Abroad

Sufficient bone in the jaw is required to support dental implants and to enable the process of osseointegration. If the bone lacks height or width either because of wearing out of or a traumatic injury, then bone grafts are used in a process called bone augmentation.

Bone grafts for dental implants abroad are economical in countries like Costa Rica, Mexico, India, Thailand and El Salvador. The advantage is not only cost savings but quality dental treatment by proficient dentists.

An Overview of Countries for Dental Bone Graft

The cost of bone grafts for dental implants could vary enormously depending on the kind of graft. It can be a pretty expensive procedure if you are not insured (even if you are, you need to check if bone grafts are covered with your insurance provider)

This is why more and more people are now traveling abroad for bone grafts because the cost of bone graft is a fraction of the US prices. Along with the cost savings come other advantages like superior quality of dental treatment, English-speaking dentists and top-notch hospitals.

Here are your options to get dental implant bone grafting abroad:

Bone Graft for Dental Implants in Mexico

Over the years, Mexico has earned the reputation of having a sophisticated health and dental care infrastructure. Mexico’s close proximity to the United States is another reason for its popularity among the Americans.

It offers affordable dental care, which is at par with the developed nations, without compromising on the quality of services offered.

Top Dental Clinics in Mexico for Bone Grafting Procedure

Option 1: Los Algodones, Mexico

Our network dental clinic in Los Algodones, Mexico has been serving smiles for over 30+ years now. It is one of the largest dental groups of Northern Mexico.

The clinic is American Dental Association (ADA) certified, equipped with the latest dental equipment and has state-of-the-art recovery rooms.

Highlights of the Dental Clinic

• Wi-Fi access
• Free parking
• Calling facility to U.S. and Canada
• Free Pick-up from Yuma International Airport and the Andrade border crossing
• CT scan and digital panoramic X-rays on-site

In-House Dental Lab

The dental clinic has a fully-operational on-site laboratory with KaVo® CAD/CAM equipment.

Proficient Dentists

There are more than 30 dentists with diverse specialties serving international clients, all under the same roof. Some of the doctors are also trained in the prestigious universities of the US.

Dental Specialties

They clinic specializes in all-on-four dental implants, all-on-six dental implants and bone grafting procedures.

Easy Connectivity

The clinic is just a couple of blocks from the US-Mexico border.

Option 2: Tijuana, Mexico

Tijuana is a flourishing border town of Mexico. For years, Americans have been crossing the US-Mexico border at San Diego to get in to TJ to get affordable medical and dental facilities.

Why Tijuana, Mexico for Dental Work?

The bone grafting procedure is nearly one-third the price in Tijuana, Mexico as compared to that in the US.

Our partner dental centers in Tijuana, Mexico is equipped with hi-tech equipment with modern facilities.

Convenient Location

The Mexican border town is less than 20 miles from the San Diego International Airport (IATA: SAN) and can be easily reached by a pre-arranged cab. TnC apply.

Enjoy a Vacation

Tijuana is famous among Americans for its cool cafeterias, upscale shopping malls and art galleries. For more on Tijuana’s nightlife and vibrant culture, visit Avenida Revolución, which has some amazing souvenir shops and pottery items.

Option 3: Mexicali, Mexico

Mexicali is located right across the border from Calexico in California. The city has grown from a small border town to an upscale metropolitan offering world-class dental facility.

Our hi-tech dental center in Mexicali, Mexico has been offering quality dental work for over three decades now. It is an American Dental Association (ADA) certified clinic, strategically located less than five miles from the border in Calexico, California.

Contemporary Dental Equipment

The Mexicali based dental center is keen on providing perfect smile to their clients. The clinic provides the following facilities:

• Intraoral Camera
• Intraoral X-Ray Sensor Digital System
• Cavitron
• LED Curing Light
• Autoclave

In-House Dental Lab

The clinic also has an on-site dental lab in Mexicali where they fabricate dental implants and other dental prosthesis.

Easy Connectivity

Mexicali is served by General Rodolfo Sánchez Taboada International Airport (IATA: MXL, ICAO: MMML) which is approximately 13 miles from the dental clinic.

From the US side of the border, Calexico International Airport, CA (CXL / KCXL) is nearby 3 miles from the dental center in Mexicali.

Additional Facilities

• Complimentary ground transfers from the border
• Facility of medical pass to avoid long wait times at Mexicali border
• Courtesy phone calls to the US and Canada
• Wi-Fi access
• Parking provision

Option 4: Cancun, Mexico

Our network dental center in Cancun is headed by an eminent Mexican dental implant specialist, who has also served at the Louisiana State University.

Since its inception in the year 1983, the dental center receives hundreds of international dental tourists every month. Here are some of its highpoints:

Accreditations and Memberships

The dental center has earned the reputation as one of the finest dental clinics in Cancun. Below are some of its accreditations and memberships:

• Global Clinic Rating (GCR)
• American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD)
• American Dental Association (ADA)
• International Congress of Oral Implantology (ICOI)
• American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID)
• Asociación Dental Mexicana (ADM)
• Consejo Nacional de Certificacion de Anestesiologia (CNCA)

On-Site Dental Lab

The clinic has its own on-site dental lab, where fabrication of dental prosthesis takes place. The clinic’s master ceramist has over 25 years of experience and is highly skilled at his art.

Additional Services

• Concierge services
• Availability of a certified nutritionist
• Transportation facility to and from the airport

Option 5: Nuevo Laredo, Mexico

The dental center in Nuevo Laredo has been serving smiles to its clients for the past 16 years at very affordable prices.

It is easy accessible by natives of Texas including Austin, Houston and San Antonio.

Some of the features of the dental center include:

Supplementary Services

As part of their endeavor to make their client’s experience as comfortable as possible, the dental center offers the following additional facilities:

• Wheelchair friendly
• Facility of Wi-fi
• Complimentary phone calls to the US and Canada
• Accepts American insurance

Easily Accessible

Nueva Laredo is easy accessible from the American side of the border at Laredo, Texas. The closest entry points are:

• The Laredo Convent Avenue Port of Entry at the Gateway to the Americas Internship Bridge 1
• The Laredo Juarez- Lincoln Entry Port between Laredo, Texas and Nuevo Laredo (Bridge 2)

Bone Grafting for Dental Implants at San Jose, Costa Rica

The hi-tech dental center in San Jose, Costa Rica is headed by a renowned dental surgeon, who has been perfecting smiles for 19 years now!

The advanced dental clinic in Costa Rica offers the following facilities:

• In-house dental lab
• 8 advanced treatment rooms
• Parking provision
• Wi-Fi
• Free calling to USA/Canada

Bone Grafting for Dental Implants at Bangkok, Thailand

The state-of-the-art dental clinic in Bangkok, Thailand has been providing excellent dental care for the past 15 years now. The group has 8 dental clinics – 4 each in Bangkok City and Phuket Island. Some its features are:

Award-Winning Dental Clinic

The group has achieved following awards and accreditations:

• ISO 9001:2008 Certification by the Bureau Veritas
• Partnership with MALO CLINIC Worldwide
• Nobel BioCare Authorized Clinic Award

Bone Grafting for Dental Implants at El Salvador

The dental center is headed by a distinguished prosthodontist in El Salvador – the only certified prosthodontist in Latin America. He has an experience of over 30 years and his work has been published in many journals globally.

Why Choose El Salvador?

Bone grafting procedure for dental implants in El Salvador is up to 60% cheaper than the US. Other reasons for choosing El Salvador include:

Advanced Technology

• CAD/CAM technology
• Digital and panoramic x-ray
• Hi-tech dental implant system
• Ultrasonic bone surgery

Travel Assistance

Assistance will be provided for transportation, lodging and sightseeing tours.

Easy Accessibility

El Salvador is easily reachable from the major US cities. From Miami, El Salvador is just a two-hour flight away. Similarly, from Los Angeles, El Salvador is a five-hour journey by air.

Why is Bone Grafting Required?

Some conditions that might need a bone grafting procedure include:

• If an individual has been edentulous (toothless) for a long time, bone absorption ensues gradually.
• A face injury or trauma may cause tooth loss leading to bone loss over the years.
• Periodontal disease or gum disease is sometimes responsible for bad teeth.
• Inheriting a specific jaw bone anatomy might cause damage to teeth.

Types of Bone Grafts

 There are 3 common types of bone graft material:

1. Autogenous grafts: The patient’s own bone is taken from other areas in the mouth. Rarely, bone may be taken from areas outside the mouth like the hip or the shin bone. Bone from the hip is considered the best because it has a lot of marrow (soft tissue within the bone), which contains bone-forming cells.
2. Allografts: An allograft is a graft between genetically dissimilar members of the same species. An allograft may be obtained from the living donors who have bone removed during surgery or from cadaveric donors.
3. Xenografts: The bone is taken from another species, usually from a cow. The bovine bone is specially processed to make it biocompatible and sterile.

Subsequently, the transplanted bone may take several months to grow to support the placement of dental implants.

Bone Graft Procedure

The bone grafting procedure entails the following:

First Stage

• Administration of local anesthesia to the implant site and to the donor site (from where bone will be taken).
• The periodontist will make an incision in the gum where the implant will be placed to see how much and what type of bone is needed.
• A block of bone is then removed from the chin along with any bone marrow. The resulting gap in the donor site is filled usually with another type of bone graft material and is covered with a membrane. The incision is then stitched closed.

Second Stage

• The second step involves placement of bone graft on the implant site.
• For this, little holes are drilled in the existing bone to make it bleed. The bleeding is done because blood provides cells that help the bone heal.
• The bone removed from the chin area is placed and is held firmly by titanium screws.
• Next, the patient’s bone marrow and some other bone graft material is mixed and placed around the bone block.
• Finally, a membrane is placed over the area and the incision is stitched up.
• If many implants have to be placed and bone grafts are needed, a lot of bone graft material will be needed.
• In such a case, bone from your chin is not enough; hence, it will have to be taken from the hip, shin or some other part of the body. This procedure is done in the hospital under general anesthesia and requires an overnight stay.
• After the bone augmentation, about 6 to 12 months are required for healing and osseointegration (fusing of jaw bone with dental implants).

Benefits of Bone Augmentation for Dental Implants

• Without strong jawbone support, dental implants cannot be held firmly. Therefore, bone grafts are required. As per Elakkiya S and colleagues, the mean survival rate for the dental implants in grafted bone was reported at 98.5%.²

• Bone grafting is required for better mouth functions and an attractive smile.
• In case of tooth loss, bone grafting may also be used to preserve the jawbone structure.
• Bone grafts help restore facial esthetics and give you a younger look.

Aftercare

The initial 24-48 hours post bone graft surgery are critical as the incision area is fresh and needs healing.

Before bone grafting processes were used, a person who had insufficient bone structure would automatically be disqualified for bone implants and had to use dentures instead.

But dental implants have inarguable advantages over dentures, and bone grafts help you have implants, irrespective of the state of your bone structure.

Helpful Links:

Costa Rica dental surgeon Dr Mario Bonilla Robert: He is a dental specialist, and the founder of New Smile Dental Clinic. Dr Bonilla is a pioneer in Valplast technique and mini dental implants in Latin America.

El Salvador dentist Dr. Rafael E. Lorenzana: He obtained his Board Certification in Prosthodontics in the United States, which is only shared by one other practicing dentist in Latin America. Dr Lorenzana has many years of experience in implant dentistry.

Mexico dentist Dr Angel Serrano: His expertise is in same day dental implants, dental crowns, mouth restoration, teeth veneers, and more. Dr Serrano is highly experienced in cosmetic dentistry.

Contact us for a FREE quote on bone grafts for dental implants abroad.

References:

1. Ladha K, Sharma A, Tiwari B, Bukya DN. Bone augmentation as an adjunct to dental implant rehabilitation in patients with diabetes mellitus: A review of literature. National Journal of Maxillofacial Surgery. 2017;8(2):95-101. doi:10.4103/njms.NJMS_16_17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5773998/
2. Elakkiya S, Ramesh A S, Prabhu K. Systematic analysis on the efficacy of bone enhancement methods used for success in dental implants. J Indian Prosthodont Soc 2017;17:219-25. http://www.j-ips.org/article.asp?issn=0972-4052;year=2017;volume=17;issue=3;spage=219;epage=225;aulast=Elakkiya
3. Pippi R. Post-Surgical Clinical Monitoring of Soft Tissue Wound Healing in Periodontal and Implant Surgery. International Journal of Medical Sciences. 2017;14(8):721-728. doi:10.7150/ijms.19727. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5562125/