Dental Implants in India


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Dental implant treatment is ever-popular in India, due not only to the high quality of care a patient can expect from an Indian clinic and dentist, but also due to the extraordinarily low prices for which this treatment can be done. Dental implants are metal bolts, which serve as artificial tooth roots: they replace the original tooth root and are screwed directly into the jawbone, where they are firmly anchored. After this has been done, the implant and the jawbone will undergo a lengthy biological process known as osseointegration – put simply, the two fuse together to make the root solid and reliable. After this process is complete (or, in some countries, including India and Greece, before it has been) a denture can be affixed to the implant, thereby giving the impression of a healthy tooth that is firmly secured. Dental implants are popular among patients who have severely decayed or missing teeth, as it becomes possible to remove such non-aesthetic problems and replace them with a fresh new denture or crown. A further advantage of dental implants is that they do not affect the surrounding teeth – it is perfectly feasible to have a denture fitted over an implant and for this denture to then inconspicuously integrate with the rest of your teeth. Similarly, several teeth can be replaced by this method, with the same overall effect. India has some of the finest and most specialised oral implantologists (an appropriate job description which conveys aptitude in this procedure) in the world.

Procedure of placing  dental implants in India

A significant number of dentists who have trained in India ultimately come to work in the UK, so the dental implant procedure is broadly similar, not only in these two countries but in fact among most countries in the world.


No dental implant treatment is even considered before a computer map has been taken of your mouth. This is a crucial step of the overall procedure as it not only allows the dentist to work out whether you are a candidate for the dental implant treatment (odds are that you will be) but it also allows him or her to work out the exact orientation necessary for the implant to be effective, and allows a plan of action for the procedure to be created. In addition to the basic computer scan, you may also have to undergo a CT (computer tomography) inspection, in which numerous 2D X-ray images are fused into a 3D model. This is nothing of concern as it fulfils the same purpose.

Furthermore, these scans can also determine whether, if you are ultimately eligible for the treatment, you will have to undergo some complementary procedures to ensure that the treatment is as effective as possible. Typically these boil down to two main procedures: gum (gingival) grafting and bone grafting. Both are designed to strengthen the area immediately surrounding the target area of the implant. Gum grafting is a relatively simple procedure that requires some gum tissue to be taken from other areas of the mouth, and then by several possible methods grafted onto the gum area. The result is an increase in amount of gum tissue, which augments the implant and ultimately leads to a more effective and reliable osseointegration process, as well as increased protection of the base of the tooth.

Bone grafting is performed in the event that you lack sufficient bone matter, or if the bone you do have is not strong enough to support the dental implant. Traditionally bone would be taken from non-essential areas in your body, such as the pelvis or chin, and then grafted on to the area around the implant. However, advances in technology now mean that it is far easier and just as effective to use synthetic materials and have these grafted on to the jawbone; they will osseointegrate in just the same way as real bone, so this is increasingly a preferable solution.

Once you have had either, both or none of these complementary procedures as appropriate, you will be fully ready to undergo the main dental implant treatment.

In an Indian clinic, the procedure is done while you are under local anaesthetic, so the target area is numbed while you stay awake (it is easier for the dentist if you are not incapacitated during the treatment). Furthermore, as your bone is being worked, a cooling saline spray is used throughout to keep a steady temperature, and prevent any potentially dangerous overheating of the bone. First a ‘pilot hole’ is drilled into the area of the jawbone designated for the implant. This is then followed up in progression by drill bits of increasing size, until the hole in your bone is large enough for the implant. Finally, the implant can be screwed into this recess, and then left to osseointegrate, while you will be dismissed for the time being, to be called back once this process has completed.

Completing your dental implant treatment in India

Generally it is considered to take around six months for the osseointegration process to complete, but this is a safe estimate. There is considerable debate among dentists; some maintain that this is right for the upper jaw, but osseointegration in the lower jaw is quicker. In general it is best to be slightly wary of any offers you have of a quicker process – you must ensure that such dentists are properly qualified and have an excellent success rate, otherwise you may risk complications.

Once the process has completed, you will return to the Indian dentist and then you will be ready for the denture. First the dentist will need to expose the implant, which will more than likely have become slightly overrun with gum tissue, and then he or she can fit a number of supports on to the implant. Finally the denture(s) can be installed and you will once again have a full set of aesthetically pleasing teeth.

However, as India is one of the foremost countries for dental treatment in the world, it is able to offer some of the newest advances in dental implant treatment. One of these is known as immediate function or immediate loading, and does more or less what it says on the tin: the dentist will fit the denture onto the implant straight after (or at the latest within a couple of days after) the implant has been secured into the jawbone. This has the main advantage that you will not have to go home and then return for the second step of the treatment. If you have this done in a clinic that has suitable accreditation, by a dentist who is appropriately qualified, then the usual potential risks – foremost possible damage to the osseointegration process – will be all but nullified. It is certainly appealing not to have to fork out for additional flight accommodation costs.

After this stage is complete, whether you choose to wait for osseointegration to complete before undergoing it, or if you opt for immediate loading, you will nonetheless be advised to remain in India for a few days shortly thereafter should any problems or concerns arise. As India is not immediately accessible from the UK, but will take time to get to, you must be sure to have a backup plan arranged with your UK dentist before returning home, should anything go wrong.

Advantages of having dental implants in India

Nearly all dental clinics in India will speak English, as it is the current international langua franca. This means communication with the clinic of your choice should be extremely easy, and it is highly unlikely you will have to talk via your interpreter or medical tourism provider, a massive advantage when you are researching by yourself.

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