I had heard a lot about Americans who travel to Costa Rica to have dental work done.  I always thought of this as something “old” people did.  LOL.  Face the music – my time had come.

When my husband retired we were able to continue our medical insurance through his company but not dental.  So for the past three years we have not had dental insurance.  I continue to get my teeth cleaned every six months and just pay cash.  No big deal.

The view at Meza Dental

But then a problem came along.  I first noticed it when we were walking our first Camino a year and a half ago.  I had the painful tooth looked at by a surprisingly wonderful dentist in Tunisia who diagnosed me with bone loss.  She put me on an antibiotic and I was able to forget about the tooth until we returned to the USA last summer.

Back in the USA my local dentist confirmed the diagnosis and quoted me $7500 for an extraction and implant procedure.

Holy Molars!  I can think of a whole lot of things I would rather do with $7500 than give it to my dentist (plane tickets, hotels, food…). I got a second opinion, about $1000 less.  I decided to continue to live with it for a while, but the thought of dental tourism began to develop in my head.

I knew we were going to Costa Rica, one of the countries with the best reputation for dental tourism.  About three months ago my tooth once

Surgery

again began to throb and give me pain and I was using Ibuprofen way too often.  So I began some intensive research.

Through another blogger I found in one of my blogging groups I landed on Meza Dental in San Jose Costa Rica.  I did a bunch of research about them, and in general about the safety of dental work in Costa Rica.  I was impressed.  I began an email conversation with Meza and they were incredibly helpful and patient with me and my million questions.  I decided to do the extraction and implant and a bone graft while in Costa Rica.  These three procedures, as well as an overall cleaning and two x-rays cost me $1700.  A price tag that didn’t give me a toothache.

All smiles again.

It’s been a couple of weeks now and the stitches are nearly gone, and other than the fact I have a gaping hole in my mouth, I feel really great.  I have now found  a new dentist at home where I can finish the procedure after the required six months of healing.  I will need an abutment and a crown affixed.  This will cost me a little more than $1000.

I am super happy with the results of the work I had done, and the cost.  I would definitely consider this again should future problems arise.  During the two days I spent at Meza Dental clinic I met only Americans in the waiting room – several who were in Costa Rica for the second and third time having major reconstructive and even cosmetic dentistry work done.

So, if you have ever worried about having dental work done outside of the USA, smile, and check out Meza Dental in San Jose Costa Rica.