Dental Tourism News – Dental implants are dental prosthetics made of surgical grade titanium alloy embedded into the jawbone to act as artificial tooth root to anchor dental bridges, crown and dentures in place. Because of the material used, length of time a patient needs to stay on a dental chair and the effectiveness of the procedure which is made to last a lifetime, we can expect that this treatment is an expensive one.
In the United States a single dental implant costs around $3000 to $4,500; this amount already includes dental x-ray, anesthesia, cost of abutment, cap and crowns to be used and doctor’s fee. As you may notice the amount quoted above does not include the cost for bone grafting, a procedure that helps restore the edentulous area of a missing tooth, this is because bone grafting is only done on patients that do not have enough bones along the jaw line to support the implants. In the event a patient needs to undergo bone grafting the amount will go up from $3000-$4500 to $6000-$8000. What makes it even more difficult for most patients to have dental implants is the fact that insurance companies to do not provide coverage for this dental procedure claiming that it is a cosmetic treatment and not something a patient should live without.
However, though the treatment is expensive many patients really need it for health reasons. So can these patients do? We have different options to get dental implants at an affordable price.
Patients can go to a dental school who offers dental implants for 50 per cent less than price quoted by private dental practitioners. The only drawbacks are that the waiting lists in dental schools are quite lengthy and take longer than usual to complete since dentists have to regularly check the work done by dental students.
Patients can also research and look for dentists who offer discount dental plans or those who are willing to work in installments. In this case, a patient is required to make an initial down payment then pay monthly fees. This process is effective because it would be easier for most of us to squeeze the monthly fees to our monthly budget compared to paying the entire amount in one go.
Our last option is travel abroad to get dental implants. There are numerous dental tourism spots that offer implants at affordable costs like Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica. The price of dental implants ranges from $800 to $1200 depending on how many implants are needed. The quoted amount also includes dental x-ray, anesthesia, cost of abutment, cap and crowns to be used and doctor’s fee. Even if we factor in travel fare and lodging accommodations, the total amount we have to spend abroad is still less compared to the cost we have to shoulder if we have the implants in the US. Furthermore, Latin American countries are popular dental tourism destinations for Americans and Canadians alike because there are frequent flights connecting the major cities of America and Canada to Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica.
Additionally the said countries are closer to America and Canada so the travel time is less compared to other countries in Asia that cater services to dental tourists. If you are worried that the dental clinics and facilities in Latin American nations are dingy and the standards are lower than that in the US you are mistaken. Most dental facilities in Latin America are internationally accredited and most dental practitioners are educated in prestigious dental schools in UK, Canada and US. Additionally, the United Nations and the World Health Organization ranked Latin American countries higher than the United States in terms of the quality of service and health care system so you can be sure that you will get above standard quality of service at affordable rates.
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There is a lot of information to digest when it comes to preparing for your dental vacation to Costa Rica. Entry requirements to Costa Rica, how to find a dentist or dental clinic, what to expect for your specific procedure ( dental implants, porcelain veneers, crowns and bridges, full mouth restorations and much more) and so much more.
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