I choose to write more on this topic because I see there is a lot of interest in it. Many of the other RV bloggers have also written about their experiences, and I highly recommend reading their input and checking out reviews before making any decisions for yourself about your own situation.
Starting as a teenager, going to the dentist was a regular part of my life. When reviewing my most recent x-rays, the dentist and I noted that I had only one tooth that had not been crowned, had a root canal, or was pulled to make way for a bridge.
It seems, like everyone in my family, I have lousy teeth. I have always tried to take care of them, brushing regularly, and seeing dentists twice a year and at the first sign of any problems. I sometimes wonder if my brain has been partially fried by all of the x-rays I have had over the years!
I am the youngest in my family, and I two of my siblings have false teeth.
I feel I have made a firm stand against getting dentures. It has been very expensive, and disappointing when my American made bridges or crowns have failed. A few years ago I spent over $3000 for a three tooth bridge, only to have it break in a couple of years, it had to be replaced with a five tooth bridge (only $5500). The dentist gave me a price break because I was retired. I have to say, this bridge seems to be OK. For now.
How much worse can Mexican Dentistry be for me? Will my new crowns hold up over time? Maybe, maybe not, but I am willing to give it a go.
One of the crowns I just had replaced is on a molar that I have had trouble with for years. It has had a root canal and a crown, but always bothered me just a little. My American dentist checked it several times over the years and wanted to send me to a specialist if it got worse. He felt there was nothing he could do for it. I know it has only been a day since my crowns were put on, but this is the first time in seven years that that tooth has been quiet. I hope it lasts!
We chose Sani Dental in Los Algodones. We have seen both good and bad reviews, and except for the long waits in the waiting room, have been satisfied with their work, cleanliness, and cost.
While writing this, I thought of another advantage for us as full time RVers. With my dentist in the States, I would have to make an appointment, weeks in advance, unless it was an emergency, get the preliminary work done, make another appointment for when the lab work was complete, sometimes a couple of weeks, and come back for the final work. When you travel the way we do, this just doesn't work.
I have been able to get cleaning appointments by planning ahead, and a couple of times we had dental emergencies that we only had to wait a week or so to get in for treatment. We have found many small town dentists and doctors have offices in more than one town and it is not easy to get in as a traveler. In Mexico, although we generally do make an appointment, the system is loose, you will be seen, and getting a crown or bridge only takes three or four days.
Would I get a knee or hip replacement in Mexico? Probably not. If my insurance didn't cover it, I would go to Thailand or Dubai.
[From Craig] I looked up Merikay's Zirconia crowns on Wikipedia. The article said they are a good investment for both appearance and durability. It finished with this sentence: "Zirconium crowns cost around $200 in India, $450 in Hungary and $550 in Mexico". Which makes me wonder why they chose those three countries. It's also an interesting data point for someone who needs most or all of their crowns replaced.
I known, I know, my header image is yet another beautiful sunset at my daughter's house. I did find that by the end of our time there I was no longer stopping to look in awe. I guess it's a good thing to have to go away from such a beautiful place so I appreciate it more when I return!
I was quite surprised at how many of my blog friends are also enjoying, or thinking about trying the new "fad" of adult coloring books.
I ordered some Prismacolor pencils from Amazon today. I can't help but smile to be able to "play" after all the years creating things to sell. No one to please but me!
And of course I got caught by another book, even though I promised myself I was going to do all of the Mandala before buying another one! But I just couldn't resist "Animals".
Updates:
My booted foot is doing well. It is now two weeks, and there is hardly any discomfort. I will continue to wear it as long as I feel even the slightest twinge. The doctor said two to three weeks, but I have heard that others have needed longer.
Los Algodones, Mexico, dental work:
It turned out I had much less work done on this visit than I anticipated. I knew I was returning much earlier than they recommended to get my permanent tooth for the implant, and when they did an x-ray it showed that not enough bone had regrown. If they tried to put the tooth in now it could cause problems, so I will be waiting for a while. I'm not sure how that will fit with our travel plans, but I will get it done eventually. I'm glad they told me to wait longer, because that tells me they want to do it right and not just make money because I'm there. I will not be charged until the work is done.
So, I decided to only have three of the seven crowns I need replaced at this time. It will give me some space to evaluate the results. Besides, I still have a bit of a cough, and sitting in a dental chair is very difficult. I took lots of medicine, but I still felt a tickle and had to fight the urge to cough.
I had the preliminary work done Tuesday, and since I choose zirconium crowns, we have to wait a few days. Everything seems to have gone well and I have no discomfort.
The only really unpleasant part of Mexican dentistry is the long waits. Appointments are made, but don't seem to have much meaning. Best to start early in the day and plan on not being done until afternoon. But then, we are retired, so what else do we have to do? I'm willing to wait in order to save thousands!
Total cost for three crown replacements was $1350. That wouldn't cover one in the US! This was for the top priced type, I could have paid less. (There was a guy hawking $140 per crown out in the parking lot, I wonder if they are done in the alley?)
I was finished and we were on our way just past one. We are now settled in our next location that was only 98 miles away.
We are at the Fountain of Youth RV Spa and Resort. I'll write more about it in my next post, but for now we are safe and happy.
