Dentist in Mexico: Half the Price, Twice the Care.

Dentist Tourism is increasingly popular as the price of having healthy teeth comes in direct opposition to having a healthy pocket. While some would wish to bad mouth the quality of dental care in Mexico, the truth is that many of those practicing dentists were educated at some of the most prestigious dental schools in the United States.

There are many hundreds of dentists in Tijuana – just as there are many different doctors and many pharmacists. They all cater to the American who is tired of high prices.

Californians tend to use Tijuana as it is the closest in terms of mileage. However, patients fly from as far afield as Canada and New York to have their teeth done.

Dental Implants, Composites, Root Canals, and More
Included in the vast array of services provided by Tijuana dentists are dental implants, root canals, composite fillings, teeth whitening, and more. Prices range from 10% to 30% of what the same services would cost in America. Reviews of these dental services indicate that patients tend to be 100% delighted with the work, and that there are very few unsatisfied clients. Some clients have been flying thousands of miles for many years, and their families and relatives have been persuaded to make the trip, and then continued passing on the good news to others.

Finding A Dentist in Tijuana
The best way of finding a dentist in Tijuana is to search the Internet using word combinations like, “Tijuana Dentist” or “Reviews Mexican Dentists.” Once this is accomplished, select the top three or four and then call each one to speak to them. Ask the receptionist as many questions as you like. Sometimes, it is also possible to speak to the dentist. Dentists will also answer questions by email. If distance is not an issue (as for those living in San Diego), it’s a quick walk across the border and as most of the dentists are between 5 and 15 minutes from the border, it will only take a morning to call on each and see what the dental practice looks like.

Finding A Dentist in Mexico
I'm speaking about Tijuana because I lived in San Diego and always had my teeth done in Tijuana. Now I'm living in Houston so I would find the nearest border town and look for a dentist there. Again, it's simply a matter of finding a few places on the map, and searching for dentists and reviews on those dentists. As many specialize in American patients, and as American patients give reviews, it's quite easy to find someone who does a good job.

Different Dental Specializations
In general, there is a variation of the type of dentists. Some have all the latest equipment as in America. Others are more basic. However, those using dentists who use older tools tend to be more than happy with the expertise they receive and return time and time again. As with all businesses where equipment must be paid for, those that use more modern equipment charge a higher fee.

Dental Fees
As a basic comparison, dentists in Tijuana charge about $200 for a root canal and about $200 for a crown. This compares with a price range of about $600 to $1400 for a root canal (depending on type) and from about $500 to $3000 for a crown (again, depending on type) in the United States.

Obviously, at a price discrepancy like that, the cost of travel is well worth the trip to Mexico.

General Dental Know-How\

Visit your Dentist Every Six Months!
Everybody has to go to the dentist sometime. Some people don't mind, and others have had such unhappy experiences at one time or another that they avoid dentists the way most of us avoid rattlesnakes! The trouble is, though, that we all need to see dentists every six months to check that we don't need fillings or that our teeth have not been overtaken by tartar. In other words, teeth need to be professionally cleaned at least twice a year.

Older Fillings Do Not Need To Be Removed
However, there are things that dentists aren't telling people. Nor, for that matter are the supposed good guys. The good guys are telling you that the mercury in the amalgam filling (that's your metal filling) leaks out over a period of time and is deadly to your health. Yes, it's deadly. What they don't tell you is that it leaks out within the first five years, and that if you've had amalgam fillings for more than five years, you might as well leave them because there's no more mercury inside them. Instead of passing on this valuable information, those dentists that cater to people replacing amalgam fillings with composite resin fillings aren't telling patients that once amalgam fillings are older than five years, there's no point in removing them!

Comparison Costs
Amalgam fillings cost between $75 and $145 per filling while composite resin fillings cost between $150 and $200 in the United States. If you're close to Mexico and you have more than a single filling, the trip across the border may well be worth your while. Composite resin fillings in Mexico cost in the region of $40 per filling.

Disadvantage of Composite Filling
Composite resin fillings aren't as strong as metal fillings but there are other options as well. They include glass ionomer cement, resin-ionomer cement, porcelain, nickel alloys and gold. Some of these are in the same price range as the composite resin; others, like gold, are substantially more expensive.

Safety of Composite Fillings
Composite resins, however, are not 100% safe either. They contain crystalline silica which is on the Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer. However, mercury is so much more deadly that, at this point where the price of safety is beyond the reach of most people, one needs to use the lesser evil, i.e. the product that is the less dangerous. Mercury, by any standard, is deadly. Amalgam fillings should be avoided.

Gold is Best Option
Gold is not only the safest option but is more durable, does not corrode, and therefore leak dangerous substances into the mouth, and it wears well.

Did you know that amalgam fillings leaked mercury into your mouth within the first five years of the filling?

The body will get rid of Mercury in small doses. However, large doses will cause damage to the brain, heart, kidney, lungs, and immune system.

Importance of Getting Dental Care
It's vitally important to get proper dental care. Problems in the mouth weaken the heart. If you can't afford it in America, take your next vacation in Mexico and get it done there. It caters to dental tourism. Also some dental insurance pays for dental care in Mexico.