Okay, I'm between a rock and a hard place. I need major dental treatment done which will cost from $40,000 to $60,000 in the U.S. and isn't covered by insurance, which I don't have anyway. I am fed up with over-priced treatment here and I am checking into getting this done for the tune of $11,000 in Costa Rica. The potential pitfalls are use of inferior prosthodontic materials (even though some clinics state they use U.S. manufactured materials approved by the ADA and Food & Drug Administration in the U.S.) and lack of immediate follow-up treatment. Has anyone on this board gone outside of the U.S., Europe, or Canada for this kind of treatment? If so, what were your experiences? I'm priced out of the U.S. market--it has become a scam for those with significant dental issues, despite years of good dental hygiene and visiting the dentist every three months!

I can't say that I have, but people here go to TJ and Mexico all the time to get procedures done, including dental, at a reduced cost, I've known a few and they were satisfied, never knew anyone that was seriously harmed. But there are always risk. But it looks like you're going for much more than a filling.

morningsong said:

I can't say that I have, but people here go to TJ and Mexico all the time to get procedures done, including dental, at a reduced cost, I've known a few and they were satisfied, never knew anyone that was seriously harmed. But there are always risk. But it looks like you're going for much more than a filling.

Yeah, I'm looking at implants (F*** it all!). That's why I have to do careful research before I go to another country. Seems I have an agressive genetic predisposition to bad gums even though I have done everything to avoid this situation. But, you are right--thousands of people go overseas every year to get dental treatment done. Even though some procedures might fail, ALL of them can't be done wrong or there would be a major uproar about it. I think that the dental and medical establishments in Western countries try to discourage seeking more affordable treatment overseas, not based on factual evidence, but because it is a threat to over-priced treament here. I'm not buying into it anymore.

Darn. No one on this board has gone to another country for dental procedures or knows anyone who did?!

My aunt needed dentures, and for less than the cost of a set here...she travelled to Mexico, got to visit her family...and got dentures made.

No complaints.

I assume that your procedure must be more significant ($60K ??? ) but if it were me, HELL YEAH I'd take a vacation to Costa Rica and get my work done. Costa Rica isn't as backwaters as you'd think.

Just my 2¢