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dentistry

Dental Work in Costa Rica

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I need twelve dental crowns done. After doing some calling around, I learned I can get this done for just $6000 in Costa Rica. I would have to stay two weeks, but that’s like a vacation and it is still cheaper than what I can do in the states. My sister is freaking out saying this is a huge mistake. She asked me to at least call my dentist and get his opinion on this plan, but of course he’s going to say don’t do it because then he gets my money. I came across your website. You are across the country from me and have no chance of getting my money, so what do you think of my plan?

Mason

Dear Mason,

map of costa rica

Should you get dental work done in Costa Rica?

 

I’m glad you wrote. I think I can save you a lot of grief. The dental industry is a real risk in Costa Rica. Because of the way their legal system is set up you have no recourse if something goes wrong. And let me tell you, a LOT can go wrong. Here are just a handful that come to mind:

  • A tooth can be broken off or lost
  • Overdrilling could take place causing nerve or root damage
  • You could end up needing a root canal treatment
  • Your bite can get thrown off leading to painful TMJ Disorder
  • Once you return home, the crowns can fall off
  • The crowns could look terrible, pasty, fake, and the wrong color
  • Poor placement of the crowns can impact your speech

Believe me, I am not exaggerating here. I recently read a case that you can read about in total here, but I will sum it up. A woman went to Costa Rica to save money on her dental care. The job was so badly done that she was in terrible pain. A dentist in the states called it criminal negligence and it would cost her around $35,000 to get the needed repairs done. Of course, she didn’t have that kind of money. She tried to get her money back from the Costa Rican dentist, even hiring a lawyer from the area, who was on her side. However, the law in that area is very corrupt and she ended up getting in trouble for complaining about a Costa Rican dentist publicly who had not been convicted of any crime and they put a warrant out for her arrest. She ended up having to flee the country.

You are at particular risk because of the number of dental crowns you need. There is a lot that could go wrong with that type of bite placement. My advice is to find a dentist here in the states with good qualifications and let him or her do the work. You may even be able to work out payment arrangements. Leave the Costa Rica trip for a true vacation, where you are not putting yourself at risk.

This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss, an AACD accredited dentist.

Can I Trust the Dental Tourism Adverstisement I received?

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I received this advertisement that describes the most delightful vacation I can take all while getting my dental care done at a fraction of the cost I would pay in the United States. I have my choice of Baja California or Cancun. I have to be honest, I am tempted. Is it safe?

Estelle

Dear Estelle,

Woman covering her mouth with hand.

I am very glad you wrote before taking part in this. Dental tourism is heavily marketed and when it works out, it can be okay. But, when it does not work out, and that is more often than people think, it can be a disaster.

I actually know about the dental group you are referring to here, but won’t give their name here, so as not to give them any more advertisement. Here are my concerns with this particular group, which believe it or not are better than most.

First, there are quite a few reports of them trying to upsell. That means they are proposing procedures that may not even be necessary. There are also reports of patients receiving the wrong treatment. In many of these dental tourism countries, when things go wrong there is not much recourse (if any at all) for the patients. The dentists themselves have zero risk.

Here is one review I saw on Yelp! where a patient experienced both of these issues at the same time. You should know they went to this dental clinic I believe you received this advertisement from.

“My mom and I went to Mexico recently for her to have dental work done. I’m sure mom needed some dental work done but not 10 crowns and a root canal. The 2nd molar that had the crown and root canal fell out 2 months later due to bone loss.”

Doing a root canal treatment and putting a dental crown on a tooth that had the type bone loss described here shows a serious lack of integrity on the part of the dentist. He did two useless procedures on this woman simply to take her money, all while not giving her the treatment she actually needed.

You can probably guess by now that my advice will be NOT to go.  If you want to go to Baja or Cancun, go to enjoy the sites, but get your dental work done here by dentists you can trust. You didn’t mention if you were going for general dental work or if you had cosmetic work in mind. If you are looking for cosmetic procedures, the best cosmetic dentists are AACD accredited. I would suggest that is the dentist you seek for your smile makeover.

If you are looking for a general dentist, be sure to check their Yelp! reviews. This will give you some idea of the experiences other patients have had with them.

This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.

Victim of Dental Tourism for a Smile Makeover

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I went to Croatia and was able to receive $60,000 worth of cosmetic work for just over $10,000, including airfare. I thought I was getting the deal of the century. When I asked them how they could afford to do that, they told me health care was more affordable in their country because they don’t have as many laws and restrictions. I fell for it hook line and sinker. I’ve been home two weeks and have followed all their instructions including not to eat with my front teeth for a few months. But, since then four of them have already fallen out including one of the front teeth. I promise I haven’t been eating with it. What do you recommend?

Stacey

Dear Stacey,

A woman smiling with a beauttiful smile

The most important factor in a smile makeover is the skill of the cosmetic dentist.

Dental tourism is a booming industry, especially for advanced cases like smile makeovers. Unfortunately, as you are discovering, it rarely works out the way the tourist hopes. While it is true we have more regulations in our health care system, most of that is to protect the patient from unhealthy or incompetent practices.

If they truly gave you porcelain veneers, telling you to avoid eating with your front teeth sends off huge warning bells to me. With correctly bonded porcelain veneers, you should be able to eat anything you want. It sounds to me like these “dentists” may not truly understand how to bond them. Though, there is always the possibility they didn’t provide you with true porcelain veneers.

Getting this Smile Makeover Repaired

You are going to need the expertise of a top of the line cosmetic dentist. Look for one who is AACD accredited. They are in the top 1% of cosmetic dentists in the country.

The first thing you’ll want to find out is if they are truly porcelain veneers. That is your best-case scenario. If they are, an expert cosmetic dentist can bond them back on properly. This isn’t something any dentist can do. It requires techniques and skills most dentists don’t have. I’d recommend having the rest of them re-bonded as well if that is the case.

If they are not porcelain veneers, you can try to get your money back, but most of that will depend on the laws available to the consumer in Croatia. It’s not likely to be anywhere near as useful as what you have here.

This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.