Hungarian Advanced Dental Technology

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Advanced dental tech

Hungary has always been known for its advanced dental technology. Hungarian dentists can make an amazing transformation of a toothless person to one with a set of incisors and even molars that look and work like natural teeth. Provided, of course, one can afford the price tag, something like $1,600 (P67,000) per tooth implant. Because of its closeness to the Austrian border, Gyor has an advantage over Budapest and other Hungarian cities as a destination for dental tourists.

Peter G., whom we met at the train station, is an amiable 65-year-old Hungarian, who has been married to a Londoner for the last 35 years. His family has been based in London ever since, but he has come back to Gyor several times to have dental implants. It would cost him three times more in London to have the same kind of implant. And obviously with Hungarian nationalism flowing in his blood despite his acquired British citizenship, he added, “Hungarian dentists are even better for only a third of the cost.”

It was only three days earlier when Peter had his three front teeth implanted but he said he felt no foreign body in his oral cavity. “It feels like the real thing,” he said. He already ate thick-crust pizza for lunch that day.

Replaces teeth

Dental implants replace missing or badly damaged teeth. Not all dentists can do it. A specialist dentist called an implantologist or prosthodontist performs the procedure. A dental implant consists of a titanium screw that is implanted into the jaw bone to replace the old root. Titanium has a unique property to fuse naturally with bone. A natural looking dental crown is then attached to cover the screw. A temporary crown can be placed at first. After three to six months the titanium and bone merge to form a very strong bed on which a permanent crown or cap can be placed.

The procedure can be done either at the time of removal of the old tooth or at any time afterward. However, prosthodontists recommend that implants be placed immediately after removal. The period before a permanent crown is placed can be shortened significantly if the implant is placed at the time of extraction. In some instances, a permanent crown can be fitted at the same time as the titanium screw is implanted.

Dental implantation is supposed to be a lot better than dental bridgework, because implants do not affect the surrounding teeth and they avoid gum problems and bone loss, which are usually associated with bridgework or dentures.

Looking at Peter’s new front teeth, they look exactly like natural teeth, except that they have a more glistening appearance.

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