Going to Mexico for dental implants has become very common. The reason is because the dentists in Mexico are very well trained, and can do the same procedures for less than 1/3 the cost. A Tijuana dentist can save you up to $3000 on the cost of a dental implant, abutment and crown, compared to USA prices.

 As we get older, the inevitable happens…we start to loose teeth.  I have tried to hold on to mine as long as I can, but there are a couple of my teeth that I know won’t last for long.  Dental implants can be the answer for many people.  A bridge requires the dentist to basically ruin the teeth on either side of the missng tooth, grinding them down so that they can also be crowned to serve as anchor teeth for the bridge that fills in gap of the missing tooth.  They work well, but they are not going to last forever, and now instead of one tooth missing, you have the possibility of eventually loosing the other two as well.  The problem with a partial is that you have a piece of plastic and metal in your mouth all the time that you can constantly feel.  A dental implant looks and feels like the original tooth, and it is there permanently.

Let me explain a little bit about the procedure. It is not something that can de done in a day, because it takes months for the implant to heal and for the surrounding bone to grow and attach itself.  I recently had a friend that went to Mexico to have this procedure done at Sam Dental in Tijuana, so I will elaborate on his experience.

1. The doctor has to do an oral examination, complete with ex-rays to make sure you are a good candidate. You have to have good bone density and the jaw bone has to be in good shape.  Some people will have to start with a bone graft in order to build up the surrounding bone.  If you are needing to first have an extraction, especially if it is a molar tooth, you will probably have to have a bone graft, in which they surgecly implant an artificial calcium material that the bone adheres to and grows around. The procedure takes about 1 hours per tooth, and will take about 45 days for the healing process to be done, and to be ready for an implant.  If you have lost the tooth a long time ago, and the jaw bone is in good shape, you won’t need to have this step done.  In Mexico, a bone graft costs $350 per tooth, still much less than the $1200 it costs in San Diego.

2.  After pre-drilling a hole into the jawbone, the implant, made of  titanium, is screwed in. It is coated with hydroxylapatite, which is the main mineral of which dental enamel is comprised. This helps the bone to grow around and bond to the dental implant more thoroughly. The dentist opens up the gum, and using a special machine, he removes the bone in the jaw to prepare it to receive the implant.  After insertion of the implant, the gum is sutured closed with dissoluble sutures. The procedure only takes about 1 hour, but you will then have wait for 3 to 4 months for the bone to heal and grow to the implant.  Some people have heard about mini-implants that the dentist will attach a crown to the same day, but this procedure in not highly recommended. The fact is, if you are using the implant before the bone can heal and adhere to the implant, it will work loose.  Mini implants do not have a very long life expectancy, and may need to be replaced in a couple of years.  It is best to do the slower procedure, and  have an implant that will last for the rest of your life. 

3&4. When you come in to attach the abutment and crown, it will take 2 visits to the clinic, but they can be back to back. First, the dentist will drill into the titanium implant to attach the abutment.  He will then make an impression of this post and the surrounding teeth, and send the impressions out to the lab. It normally takes a couple of days for the finished crown to be ready, but if arrangements are made with the lab, the crown can be ready to put on the very next day, and in some cases the same day.

The costs of a dental implant with the abutment and crown in Mexico runs from $1500 to $1850.  The same thing in San Diego or Los Angeles runs from $3800 to $4,600.  As you can see, the savings is significant.

Is it safe to have this done in Mexico? Although this is not a procedure that can be done by just any dentist, and requires a lot of specialty training in the techniques and procedures, there are many  Mexican dentists that have been very well trained to do dental implants.  They get a lot of practice at it because this has become a procedure that has become common in Mexico because of the many thousands of Americans who have go over to have it done.

My friend went to Sam Dental in Tijuana. They have a specialist that comes in to do implants. He has 12 years of experience with several specializations in implants, root canals, and oral surgery.  He is reputed to be one of the best in his field.  I know my freind was very happy with the result.  If you are interested in a good dentist in Tijuana, I can strongly recommend Sam Dental.  Here is a link to their website so you can check them out.  www.GoodSamDental.org

Dentists scare me. It’s not the drilling, nor the shots of Novocain, but its the price they want to charge. While living in Denver, back in 1995, I had a molar break in half. I went in to see a dentist about it and was told that it would require a root canal, and a crown. I about fainted when I learned that the root canal alone was going to cost me $750 and the crown was $550. (Today, in 2009, the root canal would cost me about $1100 and the crown would be around $850). I had a friend who was living in Chihuahua, Mexico, and as I had already planned to go and see him, I decided to see if I could get my tooth fixed in Mexico. During my vacation time that year, I had the dental work done on my tooth at a great savings. The root canal cost me $140 and the crown cost $125 for a total of $265. Compare $265 to the price in Denver of $1,300 and you find that I saved over $1000. The savings more than paid for my vacation!! That was 13 years ago, and my crown is still holding up great with no problems.

Through the years I have had a lot of dental work done in Mexico. I have also had some work done in the USA. The truth is, I have had fewer problems with the Mexican work than I have with the American work. The American dentists have commented very favorably to the many Mexican dentists crowns they have seen in my mouth. I have decided to share a few of my experiences with my fellow Americans who might read this to help them to take advantage of the great savings and high quality dental work available just across the line.

Personally, when I am looking for information on the internet, I hate to have to read on and on to find the vital information that I am looking for, so right now let me say that I think I have found the perfect place to get dental work done in Mexico. It is in Tijuana, just South of San Diego, CA. Airfares to San Diego are cheap, (I just booked a flight from Orlando, Florida to San Diego for $120 one way, including tax), and transportation to the border is very easy via the Old Town Trolley, (light rail). My Tijuana dentist, SAM Dental, actually has a website that you can access to find out about prices, contact information, and how to find the clinic. It’s found at http://www.goodsamdental.org  The website is very informative and is worth checking it out.

1. Price.

Be careful what you pay for dental care. You can get ripped off by dentists who charge Americans a lot more than the going rate. The quality of the dental work done in Mexico is very comparable to that in the USA, and the price is much cheaper. The reason for this is because the price of University training is subsidized by the government, and the costs of education are not so bloated, compared to the USA. A dentist in Mexico will come out of school and will not be head over heals in debt, like an American. Also, the costs of doing business, and the cost of living is a fraction of that in the USA. The result is, there are a lot of great dentists who simply don’t have to charge so much in order to make a good living. Besides that, the local Mexican people are very limited in their income and ability to pay for services. Although there are many dentists near the boarder who cater only to Americans, their prices are still affected by the cheaper dentists just a little further in. But don’t get excited over the lower prices and just use any dentists. If they have a big fancy office, it’s because they are catering only to Americans and are charging a lot more than the competition. If you look around, you can find an equally competent dentist who will charge you less for the same work. I have found that often there are two prices. What they charge a American can be much more than what a regular Mexican pays. That is why I fell in love with Sam Dental. They actually post the prices for the work they do on their website. I recently checked out the cost of having a porcelain over metal crown at a couple of other dentists. They wanted to charge $350 for a root canal, $325 for the crown, and $ 75 for a post, for a total of $800. Sam Dental Tijuana dentist clinic charged me $525 for everything.

2. Location.

You will want to find a dentist that is fairly close to the border crossing. What I recommend is to take the Trolley to the border. If you fly into San Diego, it is not necessary to rent a car. By asking at the info desk in the lobby at the baggage claim, they will direct you to where you can catch the 992 bus that takes you into down town. Tell the shuttle bus driver that you want to get off to take the Trolley, (light rail train). He’ll drop you off in front of the American Plaza train platform. (From Airport to Trolley it takes 15 minutes). There you’ll buy a ticket at the machine for $2.50 to go on the blue line to San Ysidro, Mexican Border. You just go to the end of the line. When you get off, you’ll see a pedestrian bridge that you walk over until you enter Mexico. Once there, you’ll find dozens of Taxi drivers who are clamoring for you attention. Just grab one. They’ll have someone standing out front, who speaks English, who’ll be asking you where you want to go. Just give them the address. My dentist is just 5 minutes away. The website can give you the exact address to copy down to hand over to the taxi driver. When you call ahead of time to set up your appointment, they’ll walk you through it. The first time I went, they actually sent someone to pick me up.

3. Transportation & Lodging.

If you want to stay in San Diego, and rent a car, I still recommend that you park in the parking lot for the trolley and take it down to Tijuana. I don’t recommend driving a car into Tijuana. All the traffic can make you nervous. If you want to stay in San Diego, there are a lot of inexpensive hotels in Chula Vista off of E Street, which also has access to where you can catch the trolley. If you are a little more adventurous, you might want to simply stay in Tijuana. There are a lot of nice hotels, that are a lot less expensive than in San Diego. In fact, there is a descent hotel, clean but not too many frills, right across the street from my dentist. However, I kind of like to stay about 15 minutes away, over in Playas de Tijuana, by the beach. There is a cool walkway with stores and restaurants right on the beach, and I found a coffee shop that I like to sit at and read a book while drinking a frapechino and listening to the breakers. In any case, my dentists office helped me to find a hotel and took care of booking arrangements. I just had to tell them what I wanted.

4. Time frame required.

I have made several trips to Mexico and had root canals and crowns done in just 5 days. I have had crowns, with no root canal required, done in 2 days. It costs a little more to have the lab expedite the work, and it is tiring to sit for a long time in the chair having everything done at once, but it is possible and worth it. However, I have to say that in order to figure out how long it will take, the dentist has to check out what needs to be done. If you have a tooth that is infected, you have to get the infection cleared up before a root canal can be performed. Nevertheless, the dentist can get give you a good idea of how much time you need to budget when she talks to you on the phone. If you live in the San Diego or L.A. area, it is a lot easier to go across the border for multiple visits. But if you are flying in, you’ll want to budget enough time to get it all done. There are many US citizens who are going on medical vacations to Mexico today. Last time I was in Tijuana, we had a couple of days to spare and so we went down to Ensenada. I’d like to go down and do some fishing in the ocean off a boat next time.

To Enter Mexico: USA Visitors to the northern part of Baja California do not need US passports or tourist cards if staying in the country for a short time. If you plan to stay for an extended period, or if you plan to travel beyond Ensenada, You will need to obtain a tourist card.  Proof of US citizenship would then be required.

To return back into the USA: To return back into the USA: As of June 1, 2009, US customs will  begin asking for a passport.  While the truth is, if you have your drivers lisc. and birth certificate, they will definitely allow you back into the country. Nevertheless it is best to go ahead and get your passport to avoid being hasseled by customs.  you If you have any doubts, by all means go to the government website to check it out. Click here to link to the Department of Homeland Security. If you have time, it is good to get a U.S. passport, but don’t be overly concerned. If you live in San Diego or L.A., you’re good to go, with your California Drivers license and your birth certificate, for at least 2 or three years.

6. Funds.

This is an important point that I don’t want to forget. It is no necessary to travel with a lot of cash to Mexico. I only take a couple of hundred dollars in my wallet. Dollars are as accepted as Mexican pesos for the purposes of purchasing things. However, sometimes you’ll get a better exchange rate changing some of your money at a “Cambio” store front. But what I do is simply bring my ATM card and get cash at any banks ATM machine. The exchange rate at the ATM is usually pretty good. You can use your VISA or MASTERCARD to pay for hotels, and most restaurants. I use cash just to pay for small things like taxis, or food at a taco stand or a hamburger joint. Some dentists will even accept your credit card for payment. I know mine does. I have found that the amount charged to my card has been at a good exchange rate in dollars.

Again, click here:Mexico Dentist in Tijuana for the website of Sam Dental in Tijuana

First you need to get online and look for a dentist’s website.  Google the words: “dentist in Mexico”, or dentist in Tijuana”, or my favorite: “Sam Dental Tijuana”. You will find a number of dental websites of dentists in Tijuana, Mexico. Tijuana is the best place to go to because it is located just across the border from San Diego, CA, which is the largest US city on the Mexican border, and there is much easier access from the USA and a major airport. Flights into San Diego are much cheaper and more frequent then to El Paso, Texas. 

After finding some dentist’s websites, next compare the pricing.  If they don’t list their prices right up front, beware, you may get a big surprise when you go! So skip over those websites. After you settle on a few dentists, then call them.  If they can’t communicate adequately with you in English, skip them too. When you talk to the dental clinic they should be able to give you a rough estimate over the phone.  If you have gone to your local dentist, you will know what you need done, and you will also find that in Mexico, the prices will be from 65% to 80% less than in the USA. If the person you talk to can’t give you an estimate, skip that clinic. Ask them if they guarantee their work, how long it takes to get the work done, and ask to give details as to how the procedures are done.  The person who answers the phone is most probably not the dentist, but if the dentist has not properly trained them to answer your questions properly, then that should raise a red flag, so go on to the next one.  

Make sure they offer good service. Price is not the only consideration.  It is not worth it to get poor service, or no guarantee on the work, just to save a few bucks.  It is important is to see how much the clinic is willing to help you plan your trip, help you with hotel accommodations and figure out transportation. These things aren’t something you can expect the dentist to pay for, but a good dental clinic will be conscientious to accommodate the patients with good service, and you will need their help if you are coming from afar. 

Before you finalize your plans, ask the dentist for some referrals and for some before and after pictures. A good dentist will have plenty of patients who are excited about the good work the received, and they should be able to give you the contact information of a few of their recent patients.  You can tell if the person they give you is really a patient by the way they respond to your questions, and you will be able to get a good feel for how well they were taken care off.  If they aren’t ready to give you referrals, and some before and after pictures, then don’t go there. 

The next stage is to plan your trip. 

The dentist that I recommend is Sam Dental in Tijuana, Mexico, located just South of San Diego, CA. For more information go to: http://www.GoodSamDental.org They are extremely honest, very capable, have very low prices, and they guarantee their work. The will also help facilitate your trip by helping with transportation needs, and hotel reservations.

*Many people who are going to a dental clinic in Tijuana will have made arrangements to be picked up by someone from the clinic.  The common landmark that they all use is a McDonald’s hamburger stand.  You can see the big yellow “M” sticking up above the wall to your right, just after you pass the customs officials and before you go out through the turnstile.  If you have plans to go to a certain dental clinic, be careful that the yellow taxi takes you to the right place. Some of them get paid to take you to the wrong clinic.  A clinic that would pay to steal a patient, will have no scruples about taking advantage of that same patient.  It is best to have made arrangements with the clinic ahead of time to have them pick you up.   

The dentist that I recommend is Sam Dental in Tijuana, Mexico, located just South of San Diego, CA.  They are extremely honest, very capable, have very low prices, and they guarantee their work. 

Dental Price list at Sam Dental Tijuana: www.GoodSamDental.org 

About Sam Dental Tijuana: www.goodsamdental.org/Dentistry-in-Mexico.html 

Help to facilitate your trip, transportation needs, and hotel reservations:www.goodsamdental.org/Dental-in-Tijuana-Lodging.html

The cost factor. This was the reason that was previously discussed, but it is simply that the costs of dental work in the USA are prohibitive, and in Mexico they are very reasonable. One can expect to save at least 75% on most procedures. When you have been neglecting your teeth for years because you couldn’t afford to fix them, the next thing you know, it can add up to a small fortune in order to save your teeth. Many people have been shocked when their local dentist tells them that the total cost to restore their mouth is over $10,000. Mexico sounds pretty appealing when you find out that the same procedure there can be done for under $2,500. Try Sam Dental in Tijuana and look at their price list. 

The dentist that I recommend is Sam Dental in Tijuana, Mexico, located just South of San Diego, CA. For more information go to: http://www.GoodSamDental.org They are extremely honest, very capable, have very low prices, and they guarantee their work. The will also help facilitate your trip by helping with transportation needs, and hotel reservations.

About the author: Jim C. has lived in South America for many years, and traveled extensively in Mexico. He speaks Spanish fluently, and is and expert in cross-cultural communications. In other words, he knows his way around!