You have an MRI booked, and the form asks about metal implants. Does that include the tooth implant you had years ago? Start by telling the imaging team about it, even if you don’t know the brand or material.
The short answer
- Tell the MRI team: healthdirect specifically includes magnetic dental implants in its safety screening advice.
- Bring the details: implant documents help the imaging team identify what you have and assess the scan.
- Start with your dental history: Joondanna Family Dental publishes a medical-and-dental-history review as part of its first appointment.
By Lucy Ge. Sources checked 20 October 2026.
Can I have an MRI if I have a dental implant?
The MRI team needs to assess your particular implant before answering that question. Healthdirect’s MRI guidance says some people with implants may still be able to have the scan, while others may need a different test. A general statement about a metal is not an assessment of the device in your mouth.
At Joondanna Family Dental, our dental implant service page describes titanium implants and several types of tooth replacement, including implant-supported dentures. That explains the services we offer; it does not establish which components are in your own restoration. If your treatment was elsewhere, tell the imaging team that too.
Why do Australian MRI guides ask about dental work?
MRI uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves rather than dental X-rays. Metal and implanted devices need screening because some can interact with the magnetic field. With certain metal-containing implants or magnetic devices, this interaction can seriously injure you. Whether this concern applies to your dental work depends on the exact device, so the MRI team needs to assess it before the scan. The important distinction is between knowing that you have a dental implant and identifying the actual device for the imaging team.
| Australian source | What its patient guidance asks you to do |
|---|---|
| Healthdirect, reviewed August 2025 | Tell the referring doctor and radiology practice about implants with metal parts and magnetic dental implants. Some implants may still be compatible with a scan. Read the MRI screening guidance. |
| HealthyWA, checked October 2026 | Tell staff about metal implants and false teeth. Its list is deliberately broader than dental implant posts. Read the WA preparation advice. |
| InsideRadiology, checked October 2026 | Complete the safety questionnaire and bring implant documents so the team can identify the implant and assess whether the scan can proceed. Read the implant-document advice. |
These guides are doing different jobs, not giving competing instructions. HealthyWA reminds you to disclose dental work broadly; healthdirect names magnetic dental implants; InsideRadiology explains why documentation matters. None of those steps can be replaced by saying, “My implant is probably titanium.”
What if I have a denture attached to implants?
Describe both the implant and the denture to the MRI team. Healthdirect’s reference to magnetic dental implants is a reason to disclose attachments you know about, not a reason to assume that every implant-supported denture uses magnets.
Our implant-supported denture service is one of the tooth-replacement services listed at Joondanna Family Dental. If you don’t know how your own denture attaches, say so. Ask the imaging team what information they need before making any decision about the appliance.
| What you know | What to say when you book the MRI |
|---|---|
| You have an implant card or treatment document | “I have an implant document. How should I send it for your safety assessment?” |
| You have an implant-supported denture | “I have a denture attached to implants. Do you need details of the attachments as well?” |
| You don’t know the implant system | “I don’t have the implant details yet. What information do you need from my treating dentist?” |
| You have several kinds of dental work | “I have dental implants and other dental work. What should I include on your screening form?” |
If you want background on the term titanium, our existing article about titanium in dental implant materials covers that material. Your MRI service still needs the details of your own implant.
What should I ask before the scan?
Ask what the imaging team needs to identify your implant and complete its safety assessment. InsideRadiology says some devices must be accurately identified before the scan can proceed; its advice also says the radiology practice may seek more information from you or your doctor.
A short checklist for the booking call
- Tell the team that you have dental implants, including any denture supported by them.
- Ask which documents they want and how to provide them before the appointment.
- Explain whether you know where and when the dental work was done.
- Ask what to do if you can’t obtain the information in time.
- Follow the MRI service’s instructions about appliances and preparation.
You can use this wording: “I have dental implants and I’m not sure of the system. Can you tell me exactly what your MRI team needs from my dentist?” This is a booking script, not a substitute for the service’s safety questionnaire.
What can a dental appointment at Joondanna involve?
Our published first-appointment guide describes a visit of around an hour, including a review of medical and dental histories, a comprehensive examination, any required dental radiographs, and a discussion of concerns and treatment options. Dental radiographs are not an MRI scan, and that general appointment description does not mean you need new dental imaging just because you have an MRI booked.
- When contacting us, explain that the immediate question is about existing implant information for an MRI service.
- Tell us where the implant treatment was done and what records you already have.
- Share the imaging team’s specific request, so you can ask what information is available and whether an appointment is needed.
Lucy Ge is identified as the principal dentist on our team page. The imaging team, rather than a general dental appointment, assesses whether your MRI can proceed.
Who pays for the MRI or dental visit?
“Diagnostic imaging providers set their own fees.”
— Services Australia, Screening, tests and scans, Getting help with diagnostic imaging and scans (checked 20 October 2026). © Commonwealth of Australia, CC BY 4.0.
Ask the imaging provider about the MRI fee separately from any dental appointment. HealthyWA’s MRI cost guidance distinguishes public and private care: it says a public patient in a WA public hospital has no cost unless advised otherwise, and directs private imaging patients to ask their doctor or imaging staff.
For any proposed dental appointment, ask us for the fee and relevant item numbers before booking treatment. Then ask your fund about your own cover. Ask the imaging service about any rebate for your scan, and ask the dental clinic separately about any records or appointment charge.
Call Joondanna Family Dental on (08) 6109 6666: “I have an MRI booked and need to ask about information on my existing dental implant.” For appointment details, see our Joondanna contact page.
Sources
- Healthdirect: MRI scan — last reviewed August 2025.
- HealthyWA: MRI scan – magnetic resonance imaging.
- InsideRadiology: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
- Joondanna Family Dental: team, dental implants, implant-supported dentures and new-patient pages linked above.
Sources checked 20 October 2026. General published guidance, not advice about your own care or clearance for an MRI.
Photos in this article are AI-generated illustrations, not photos of Joondanna Family Dental, its staff or patients.
