Getting Dental Work In Mexico Part I – Clarifying Myths & Facts
So we finally went to the dentist in Mexico and I know many of you are very, very interested in the results. I’ll start off by saying I don’t necessarily have the fear that many might have of getting care in a “foreign country”. I was born in a foreign country, grew up in Asia, have been to the dentist in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Philippines, UK, US, S.America and have received both good and not-so-good care in my past. So going to get work done in Mexico is not that big a deal. But I do think there are general precautions everyone should take up-front and there are some significant $$ advantages which makes it worth looking into.
What I want to do in this first post is try to clarify some Myths and Facts about Mexican Dentists before I delve into details about our own experience and how you can go about making your own choice in dentist. This post will be mostly related to the town we visited, Los Algonodones although I will try to touch on some general points too.
1/ Myth Or Fact: It’s Not Safe At All To Go To Mexico
Answer: Myth
I’m not going to sit here and tell you that all of Mexico is a safe place to visit, the same way I’m not going to gell you that all parts of New York are safe to visit. There are certainly many towns that are not safe at the moment, and (just personally) I won’t be taking any RV trips to Mexico anytime soon. But I can absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt tell you that Los Algodones is fine. This is a tourist town right by the border of only ~5 square blocks with literally thousands of people coming through everyday. There are more tourists than locals here, and everyone depends on the business. We did not feel the faintest touch of worry down there and I would be quite happy to visit by myself (which, in fact, I’m going to do next Monday for my last appt).
2/ Myth Or Fact : You Can Get Any Kind Of Dental Work Done in Mexico
Answer: Fact
Yes, you can get just about anything done in Mexico. The border town of Los Algodones caters specifically to dental, prescription drug and eyeglass tourists. In this small 5-block town there are over 300 dentists with every kind of specialty imaginable from basic cleaning to full dental implants. Many tourists actually go for major work mostly because of the cost advantages (see #3 below) so it’s common to see people having multiple implants and other large cosmetic procedures down there. Paul and I both had cleanings in Mexico yesterday and I’m in the middle of having some more serious work to remove a crown, re-do the root canal and re-do the crown (work I’ve been putting off for a long time). It will be a week before my work is complete so I will report back fully at that time.
3/ Myth Or Fact: Dentist Work Is Alot Cheaper In Mexico
Answer: Fact
Typically any work you get done in Los Algodones will cost ~1/3 of US prices and this is true of most Mexican border towns. How are they able to do it? Mostly because of lower operating costs, lower insurance, lower labor costs etc. As an example here are some costs:
Cleaning $25-30
Root Canal $200
Fully porcelain (no metal) Crown $300
Dental Implants $1200-$1700
And for more major work? We know a couple who were quoted ~$50,000 for a major restoration (with implants) in the US and got them done for $17,000 in Los Algodones. Work costs will vary somewhat from office to office, so ask around before setting-up your appt.
4/ Myth Or Fact: All Dentists in Mexico Have Been Trained In The US
Answer: Myth
This is actually a common myth that’s perpetrated on the internet forums. The vast majority of Mexican dentists are trained in schools in Mexico. They may come to the US for specialty training or post-grad training, but almost all the dentists in Los Algodones will have degrees from Mexico, and you’ll see these hanging right on their walls.
5/ Myth Or Fact: All Mexican Dentists Are Good
Answer: Myth
This should really be self-evident and applies to any dentist in any country. You can get good and bad care just about anywhere. In fact my botched crown job that I’ve been living with for ~15 years was originally done in the US (this dentist also destroyed some of my other teeth, unfortunately). Not that that says anything about US dentists in general. I simply made a bad choice and was stupid enough to stick with it. The same is true in Mexico. You can certainly get bad care there, perhaps more easily than in the US since they don’t have the same agency oversight that you have here. So, you do have to be picky about your choices. In Los Algodones many dentists are specialists, so if you’re looking to have implant work done, for example, I would look specifically at dentists with specialties in implants. And further, I would go with established dentists with an established reputation. There is alot of competition in Los Algodones and literally thousands of tourists travel there everyday. If your dentist has been operating for many years with a good reputation and is still in business he/she is likely to offer pretty good care.
6/ Myth Or Fact: You Need To Make An Appointment
Answer: Depends
I would say if you’re just travelling down for a dental cleaning, you can get by without an appointment. There are plenty of offices offering this simple service and you can walk in right off the street to get it. If, however you’re travelling down for specialty work, then I would definitely do your research beforehand and make an appointment. In fact I would go one step further and make sure you get to see the exact dentist you want. Some of the larger offices (e.g. Sani Group) house several dentists and each may have their own speciality. Make sure you book the actual dentist, not just the office.
7/ Myth Or Fact: You Can Get Everything You Need Done In A Day
Answer: Myth
Some work can be done right away, but Mexican dentists are no more miracle-workers than American dentists. I was able to get my root canal re-done the same day my dentist took off the crown (and saw what was underneath), but I have to wait a week for things to heal up before I can get my crown. If you’re coming for implant work you WILL need time. Sometimes the mouth requires significant healing time (6 weeks to 6 months) before you can take the next step and you should be aware of that before you start the process.
8/ Myth Or Fact: You Need To Bring Foreign Currency
Answer: Myth (but do bring cash)
Los Algodones, like many tourist border towns, will happily take US$ for everything you do down there. Many dentists offices will ony accept cash or check so do make sure before heading down (some will take credit cards, but often there is an extra charge). All the local vendors and shops will deal in US$. You won’t need foreign currency, but DO remember your passport. The border crossing will require it on your way back.
9/ Myth Or Fact: There Are Horror Stories Of Care In Mexico
Answer: Fact
I know I kind of addressed this in #5, but I want to touch on it again since this is probably the number one issue that comes up regarding dentistry in Mexico. Yes, you will find plenty of horror stories on the net, and yes, you can most certainly have a bad experience. But you can also find thousands of people who’ve had very good experiences and rave about their results. Simply speaking, if all the care in Mexico was that bad, no tourists would come and these offices wouldn’t exist. DO YOUR RESEARCH before you go -> get recommendations, ask around on the forums, look at experience, how long the dentist has been operating, credentials, what his/her specialty is etc. Don’t just go down, walk into the first office you see and expect to get great results on major dental services. I wouldn’t do that in the US and I certainly wouldn’t do it in Mexico.
My next post will cover specifically our personal experiences in Los Algodones and how we found our particular dentist. Feel free to comment on your own experience or myths/facts that I missed.
Truly an excellent post. I’ve had friends rave about work they’ve had done in Mexico, but it’s a trip that involves quite a few miles of travel, so I’ve hesitated. Not having an RV adds more cost, so for me it’s a balancing act whether it’s worth the travel (& motel) expenses since I’m looking at a possible implant (or two?) This is such great information to have in deciding.
It’s a cost decision that many look at, I know. I’ve met lots of Americans from the north and Canadians who make the trip especially for care, but I certainly understand the concerns. Not an easy decision I’m afraid.
Nina
I am currently in the middle of my second trip to Sani Dental. I did my research before my first trip. I am so far very happy with their work. This trip I have saved about $11,000, and like their work better than my local Phoenix dentist. They have their own lab…not a 3rd party lab, so they have more control over quality control. They also will put you up for free at their hotel, or give you a cheap rate, depending on how much work you are having done. They also have a shuttle between the 2 and the border crossing.
I can not recommend Sani Dental 🙁 I had work done there about two years ago and have at least two cracked crowns since that time.
They employ a variety of dentists from month to month and the quality of the work varies GREATLY between them.
It is also NOT TRUE that they do all their work onsite. My crowns had to be be done remotely by a lab in the U.S. – and then sent back again when done incorrectly.
Two of my semi-permenant crowns fell out the next day after I ate (carefully) some soft scrambled eggs for breakfast. The entire job (7 crowns) took over a week to do and after all was said and done the fit was far from perfect.
Sani Dental is fantastic at self-promotion but the quality of their work is VERY variable.
I went to Los Algodones to get all of my upper front teeth crowned as the cost was cheaper than in Florida. I used Dr Eva Urena. This was in 2013. It was a lot of work and at that time there was a pretty big difference in US and Mexico crown costs. Since then one of the front crowns cracked and needed replacement. I have read about others who lost 2 or 3 in a few years and needed to have them replaced. These crowns were made in Mexicali. While I was there several people staying in my hotel had bad things to say about Sani quality.
Now the difference in prices for cleaning, cavity, crowns, bridges is not that much. Not worth the worry of how the quality will be in Mexico. If you need multi root canals or implants the cost difference is still worth going to mexico. But be warned. In Mexico they have a lot of time on their hands and often spend it filling the internet comments sections with raving reviews of various Los Algodones dentists. There are a few very good ones and many not so good there. It can be hard to tell unless you actually talk to Gringos in RV parks nearby.
Would you know if it is better to go to Tijuana or Los Albagodones (sp?) for dental work? Tijuana would be closer for me as I live in Los Angeles.
Vivienne did you get dental work done in Tijuana? I need an implant and crown and live in la county
I had a full mouth restoration by DrTores in Tijuana . Highly recommend him. He was trained in southern Cal speaks English fluently. I’m a senior citizen with the most complimented smile. This was four years ago and I would still use him except airfare is too expensive from Oklahoma .
Sandra, I’m glad to hear that the work he did for you 4 years ago held up. Would you please provide more info about Dr Tores (first name, address, etc)? Thank you!
Hello everybody. Read all post, very nice when people share experience.
This very big deal find right dental for you. I looking for again dental doctor.
I have done implants, crowns , root canal. Everything was need redo.
I been in Mexico . 1st Blk East side. Nuevo Progreso, Tamps, México
DR. XAVIER AGUIRRE
I had very bad experience with this doctor. He was removed my absolute healthy tooth , and He offer implant instead . He placed implant and get infected because crown crooked. Another two crown He did crooked too. Root canal they do so bad and get infected. I was have consultation with three independent Dental office , they tell me that crowns need to replace because they wrong and give me problem.
I was send them message and tell them about problem , they just ignore me.
PS. I was try come to they office for fix but they offer only antibiotic . That is not help, because need change all his work. He know about that , and He don’t do.
Dental office very filthy. I do not recommend this doctor
After one year I lost one implant( because doctor in US try fix and instate take off crown, removed implant) another tooth with root canal been removed, because they don’t know how fix! ) Bridge, from two implant and one crown between it’s crack and chunk off today! So, paid over $ 5000.00 to Mexico over $ 1000 in Port Angeles WA office “Family Dentist ” and have to start over ! Very nice!
Yes, I believe its have experience dentist , who know how treated , fix tooth . But I’m Unfortunately unlucky!
Sorry, my roughly written for English , it’s my second language
Dear Lyudmila,
I’m reading your post of Jan 2017 in regards to your dental work done in Mexico.
Can you send me the name of your doctor? I’m planning to get some work done and don’t want to see the doctor you went to.
Thanking you in advance, for your speedy reply,
Sincerely,
Maria Pignone
What was the name of the clinic you went to? if u have any other info on them i think i’d like to start my research after your post. I would really appreciate any time you can put into it. I know I am a stranger but its good karma. thx M
Please read Part II of my series. I have all the info and details on who I went to there.
Nina
I will be in Cabo San Lucas on Friday looking for a dentist to do full mouth implants on both Jaws. How did your experience turn out? Any recommendations?
Can you tell me how your dental experience went? I am looking for total top implants and don’t have any idea of where to look. Thanks!
Hi Michael,
Who exactly did you use? They sound great. Are they still in biz today? Would you trust them to do implants?
Thanks for your prompt reply.
Cheryl
cheryl-did you ever find a dentist?
I’m looking to have some dental implants. How was your experience at Sani?
Or would you have any other recommendation?
Hey Dan, I’m doing the same. Have you had any luck? Thanks!
Can you tell me what dentist you went from phx? I need to go asap so please advise
DO NOT USE LEON DENTAL! DRA. MARTHA LEON IS SUPPOSE TO BE AN IMPLANT SPECIALIST. SHE USED TWO IMPLANTS THAT WERE TO SHORT FOR MY JAW. SHE REPLACED MY OLD CROWNS WITH HUGE MARBLE LIKE CHEAP CROWNS AND MY BITE WAS OFF CAUSING TWO OF MY TEETH TO HAVE TO BE EXTRACTED. TWO BRIDGES BROKE WITHIN A FEW WEEKS OF HER PUTTING THEM IN. I HAD TO MAKE MANY TRIPS BACK TO HAVE HER FIX HER MISTAKES BEFORE I FINALLY SAID ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. I’M OUT $5000. I HAD DR. ENRIQUE LOPEZ GASPAR D.D.S. AT SIMPLY DENTAL FIX ALL OF HER MISTAKES. NOW I AM VERY HAPPY WITH HIS WORK. BEWARE OF LEON DENTAL!
Sandra, sorry about your bad experience with Leon Dental, but glad you found a good dentist. Now that some time has passed, are you still happy with Mr Enrique Lopez Gaspar’s work? If so, would you please let me know where he is located so I can contact him? Thank you!
We are fellow RVer’s who learned about dental tourism while on the road in Tijuana. When a dental emergency struck, we happened to be on the other side of the country. I flew to Cancun rather than Tijuana because of the price. It was kind of like a vacation too since…well…it’s Cancun. After getting the best specialist care I ever received in my life for about 1/3 of the US prices, I’ve ended up going down there 3 times over the years for different work. My wife and I both have stopped going in the US totally because of the dentists we’ve found. Check out Gilberto Galvez & his team at SOTA DENTAL. He is popular on Instagram from all his tough cases. We highly recommend!
Do your homework…and you’ll be fine.
joshua-I have a great friend in Bucerias,Nayarit,Mex-just 20 mins from Puerto Vallarta airport and was just down there on vacation in March..BUT I just found out i need a few implants,a couple of crowns replaced..etc. HOW do I find a dentist in the area I am going? The ONOY reason I am going to Bucerias is I can stay for free and palne tix on southwest from chicago are only about $100 easch way AND they DO go onsale alot!
I appreciate ANY HELP!!
Namaste~Laurie harmonioushealingtouch@gmail.com
I can only recommend those that I specifically know do good work. SOTA DENTAL CANCUN is one I can recommend as the best work I have received. They use microscopes for their dental work which is really state-of-the-art. If you know much about serious dental work, the benefits of microscopes and 3D scanning is huge. This is what really impresses us.
I have been searching for a good restoration dentist in Cancun. Can I ask what you had done?
I had 4 root canals and multiple crowns down on my first trip. (Quoted $8000USD in Pennsylvania, paid $1800USD in Cancun) I had 2 root canals on another trip (unrelated to the 1st) as well as fixed a broken tooth. My wife has had similar work done. Everything done at Sota Dental in Cancun is the nicest feeling work I have had done in my mouth. You know how sometimes when a dentist puts a crown on…it just doesn’t feel right. Everything done there just “felt” right. You really just have the feeling that they know what they are doing and really CARE that you feel perfect. They aren’t rushing you like some other dental tourism places. We have tried others in Cancun…but keep going back here because of the professionalism.
Don’t underestimate the use of microscopes for dental work either. Check out Instagram where the best dentist in the world show their work and you can find all kinds of great dentists anywhere you go. All the younger dentists seem to be using a lot of new equipment these days. We get our teeth fixed in other countries sometimes (Spain, Mexico, Japan), and by using Instagram & Facebook, we’ve been able to see who is actually GOOD at their work. The best dentists show their work. That’s how we found Dr. Gilberto Galvez in Cancun & Sota Dental. He was posting a ton of great work and it was being discussed deeply by other dentists around the world. I think it’s great that these young (30’s, 40’s) dentists want to become better by discussing their cases and growing. That means they have passion…and hopefully CARE about my teeth when they work on them.
We use this thinking as we travel when searching for all medical professionals…and we seem to have some really good luck (controlled luck I guess).
This is how 2 full time digital nomads do it. 🙂
great post! I had a five tooth bridge done in 2 separate visits… with root canals on both anchor teeth He did a GREAT job and my quote in the US was between 8 and 9 thousand for the job. Had it done in Los Allgadones for $860. Then he knocked off $30 from each of our bills because my husband had dental inlays done at the same time. (our US dentist would only do root canals and crowns on Steve for $3000.00) after it was done, our US dentist saw Steve’s teeth and said it looked REALLY good!~
Very nice. DO you mind sharing which dentist did the good job for you in Los Algodones?
Nina
Dr. Roberto Arce at
http://www.smileshoppedental.com/
tel:01152-658-517-3283
smileshop@hotmail.com
Also, we bought prescription drugs at The Purple Pharmacy…
and one note of caution: Do NOT accidently take any pictures of the border guards (or their butts as in my case) because they will come and take your camera and make you delete them! LOL Scared me silly though…
I wanted to see how the work is holding up from Dr Arce? I am planning a trip and hoping to see him .
Thank you
Who did you go to?
I just had my uppers and lowers redone took a week because I’m in the Baja and my impressions had to go to Mexicali up on the border to fabricate the teeth. $700 for both upper and lower plates, my old plates were getting thin. I am happy with the work and if I need an adjustment just I’ll just stop by the office and my dentist will take care of it. The cheapest cost in the states was $1400 and up. Oh my dentist is a good english speaker his wife is the receptionist and his son just graduated from dental college and is learning the business so the atmosphere is one of family and caring. My neighbors love him ! They have had all their work done by him and they wait till they come down from B.C. Canada! The price is reasonable, he cares and I feel good; what else can you ask for?
Great to hear you’re having a good experience!
NIna
first I want to say THANK YOU so much for such an informative blog. I am not entirely sure how many implants I need, but know it’s quite a few. I am trying to work out the time frame. At one point you mentioned it can take between 4 to 6 months. Do you have any idea how long I would need to stay at any given time and how many trip are involved during the 4 to 6 month time period. Finally, I know my dental needs are complicated and wonder if you have any recommendations of dentists who specialize in implants and possible bone complications. Lots of questions ….thanks again for your help
Maureen
Maureen , I have the pretty much the same questions as you did from your June 20, 2015 post. Do you mind sharing information that was helpful to you
I need the same work done. Who was your dentist Los Algodones?
What was your dentist’s name and how long did the procedure take?
Thank you
All the details on our dentist including the procedures we got done are in Part II of this series:
Getting Dental Work In Mexico Part II – Our Los Algodones Experience
Nina
Julia, I was wondering wher your dentist is located. I have a place in San Felipe, couple of hours south of Mexicali, and a friend who is thinking about some dental work that will cost a lot up here.
I need to get upper and lower plates and because of bone loss need implants to make dentures fixed. The cost here is about 30,000, going to cosmetic denist. Is this feasible to have done in Los algodones?
Hello
Did you receive any responses to your post?
My friend also has bone loss and will be needing dentures and implants. Her cost is around $40,000.
She is leary of the treatment/procedure in Los Algodones. She has had quite a lot of work done there before this problem was diagnosed. Her bridges, caps, etc. were great!
If your bone loss is from osteoporosis, at least where I come from in the US, they do NOT recommend implants.
I need to find a dentist in Mexico for my son. Can you provide with your dentists location and phone number
Please see part II (next blog post). I have all the dentist details in there.
Nina
Where is the part II? I can not find that?
It’s the next post along. Right here:
https://www.wheelingit.us/2013/01/18/getting-dental-work-in-mexico-part-ii-our-los-algodones-experience/
Nina
Julia….who did you have this great dental experience with? I’d really like to know.
I live in PHX,AZ and I’d love his contact info. Thanks. Christian
Thanks for this post, I was just about to dump a huge chunk of money for a dental work I need to get done before we can go full time and even with an insurance it would cost more than I really could afford. Now we can just start our adventure when ever and get the dental work done in Mexico. Excellent post! Will come very handy, like so many other posts of yours.
Good to know it’s useful. I know dental costs are a prime concern of many, many RVers. I made the personal decision to wait on care so I could get it done in Mexico. Hopefully the proof is in the pudding and my results will be good.
Nina
Another very positive experience to report here! Excellent professional care at a very low cost. Our visit was to Nogales, the border town just south of Tucson. Would do it again in a heartbeat. 🙂
Great to get the feedback. Thanks for sharing!
Nina
Can you tell me what dentist you went to in Nogalas. I need some pretty heavy duty work done. I live in Tucson. I was quoted 17000 dollars here for everything I need done. There’s just no way I can afford that. Thank you, Joshua.
The dentist we went to in Nogales for implant work was Jose Espinosa with Periogroup. If you google Periogroup in Nogales you will get their website with their contact information. Very very nice guy and very knowledgable, and we have had no trouble so far. I’ve had 2 implants, any my husband had all his whole lower teeth replaced.
Laura, How are your husbands lower teeth doing over a year later? I’m looking at doing the same. Did you husband get full dentures for the lower or did he do he do a combination of implants,bridge and caps????? Ray
Hi Ray – he seems to be doing good. He just got the lower, and it was a combination of 6 or 7 implants and a one piece denture that comes out. Our situation was that we only had a week to be down there and that’s really not long enough. If you can go down there for at least 2 weeks it’d be better. He had a marathon 8 hour day in the chair that wasn’t much fun! Then we had to go back home and he really needed one more visit to check everything out. But they called to see how he was doing. it’s an adjustment to get used to it. I think the permanent ones were more expensive, so he went with these that come out, and they’re easy to clean. He hasn’t had any problems other than getting used to them. He did use a $10 dremel tool to get a few of the kinks out. A big savings.
Hi Laura,
Joe here, Tempe. Still satisfied with your Periogroup dental work ? Have you recommended others to this group and if so how ere their results ?
I’m looking to go to Nogales for dental work…what dentist/clinic did you use and what type of work done? a thanks!
My friend in Green Valley AZ goes to Dental Laser in Nogales.
He has had implants, crowns etc and is happy with them.
Could you please give me your information on dentist in Nogales. I need to have a bridge replaced. Thank you
Hi Brenda. Where in Nogales did you get the work done? Thanks. Eric
Could you provide the full name of the dentist or dental clinic you went to? Thank you?
Pam L
Hi, just discovered your blog a few days ago and really appreciate it! I especially value your yearly overviews of your favorite campsites and plan to explore the ones we haven’t already been to, so thank you for your efforts.
Mexico Dentistry. Well, this is something we can speak to with considerable experience, both good and bad. So here we go with a long post!
First let me say we love Mexico–in fact we lived in Central Mexico for two years and still consider returning, but the call of returning to the RV lifestyle is also strong–so we’re still working all that out.
All of our dental work was done in Los Algodones, with four different practitioners as we went–and with a considerable amount of research ahead of time. We went to dentists who are well known, and as far as we ever heard, extremely popular with their patients. One of them is known to be one of the higher priced cosmetic dentists there (he actually lives in Yuma). Very attractive and up to date office, nice guy, irritating wife who is the office manager. 😉
Even with the savings, we have spent tens of thousands there, as my husband had many implants done. For me, I was too chicken to do implants there but did have root canals and crowns.
My results: ALL my dental work done there has failed. Sorry, but that’s the way it has gone. The worst experience I had was after a crown was removed, a root canal done, and the very nice woman dentist (whom I made quite an attachment to as a friend) handed me off to her dental assistant to prep for the new crown. The assistant picked up a drill and before I could do anything–promptly over drilled what was left of that tooth down to the gum line, effectively destroying any chance of restoration.
I had the root extracted in the AZ (no way I was going to do it there after all that!) and eventually had an implant done in Phoenix area with great results.
My other crowns and bridges have had to be replaced. I did not return to Los Algodones for any more dental work.
My much braver husband has had a total of 8 implants done, several crowns, a few root canals, and a six unit bridge–the work was done a few years ago.
To date: Two of the implants have failed and been redone in Phoenix.
Two of the crowns were made too short for his bite, giving him an overbite
he never had before. The overbite has caused damage to other teeth because they have been hitting together when he chews. He is now in the process of finishing a huge implant restoration which will be the first step of taking care of this (in Phoenix) but the two crowns will also have to be redone to completely correct his bite back to what he used to have.
He also had a failure with the six unit bridge (right in the front on the bottom so really had to taken care of immediately). The dentist who did the work did not offer any solution other than repaying to redo, so we found another dentist in Los Algodones who did the new bridge, which to date is still doing fine.
Even with the savings, we probably spent in the range of 20K there for all this work, much of which has had to be redone.
The other important issue with this is that NONE of my husband’s Mexico implants were “torque tested” before the implants were restored with crowns. We have since learned how essential this step is–it is literally torquing the new implants to make absolutely sure they are firmly seated in your jaw and completely healed before the crowns are done. There is no way you or your dentist can know if they are completely ready without this vital step. It’s not anything you can determine for yourself.
Maybe that’s why he had two implants fail–we don’t know. But our extremely skilled oral surgeon and implant specialist in Mesa (listed every year in the “Best of Phoenix) requires implants to heal for at least 4 months, sometimes as much as six, before the torque test is done. If you feel ANY discomfort at all during the torque test, you’re on a “continue to heal” mode for another month or two.
So while we love many, many aspects of Mexico–the food, the people, the music, the crafts, the whole lifestyle of the beautiful colonial town we lived in for two years–let the buyer beware.
Have also had prescription glasses done there with very positive results, and prescription purchases with excellent savings, which we definitely will continue to do!
And by the way, we have a home in Yuma (getting ready to sell it and return to RV/Mexico travels!) so if you’d like to get together for lunch or coffee when you come through next, let us know! It would be fun to get acquainted.
Well I certainly appreciate the personal experiences. If you wouldn’t mind, could you share the names of the dentists you used in Los Algodones with bad results?
Nina
Sure, I will share the info if it can ease the journey for someone else.
The failed bridge was done by Dr. Rubio. My husband just reminded me that the when the bridge came loose, it was discovered that there was a piece of cotton left in the bridge itself before it was cemented on, causing the bridge to break off from that anchor tooth, cracking it, and putting all the stress on the other anchor tooth, which resulted in cracking the other tooth too–and fracturing the bridge.
So I forgot to mention, he had to have two implants to replace the anchor teeth, and then a new bridge. So considerable cost the second time not to mention inconvenience.
Ironically, the dentist that put in the new implants and did the new bridge successfully–is also the dentist that put in the other implants, of which two have failed. Go figure. His name is Dr. Iniguez.
Sorry but I cannot recall the name of the women dentist who had the assistant who drilled off my tooth–her office was in the walkway behind Dr. Rubio’s office, but that was a number of years ago. And for all I know Dr. Rubio has moved into new digs as well.
The other dentists that did a crown that worked out for my husband was part of a brother/sister team of dentists. I think their last name is Luna.
I’m sure there are many who have had better experiences, but unfortunately this was ours.
Hope this helps!
We have gone to the same dentist in Progresso, MX, the last three years. He was trained in Mission, TX, lives is Mission, TX, and is wonderful. Four years ago, we used Baja Dental in Los Algonodones and were equally pleased with our service. We had good recommendations from bloggers for both of these dentists before we had them treat us. Our advice, ask reliable people who know the area of Mexico you might be visiting for suggestions on which dentist to use.
Glad to hear you’ve had good experiences. We’ve met several people who have work done in Progresso, MX.
Nina
Marsha, what was the name of your dentist in Progresso? Thanks I hate going to dentist and need a ot of work done. I might as well save some money if I can.
What was the name of the dentist you used in Progresso? Did you have any veneers done? If so, do they look natural? Thanks.
Linda
I really wish you had given the dentist’s name. I have been searching in the Progresso area, but I don’t know how to judge who are good, etc. Can you help us? Please?
What type of work did you have done? and what was the name of the dentist or the name of the office? I’ve been researching Stetic dentistry in Progresso to have imlplant dentures. I would love to actually get to talk to someone that has been there. Thank you.
For the specific details of what I got done please see Part II here:
https://www.wheelingit.us/2013/01/18/getting-dental-work-in-mexico-part-ii-our-los-algodones-experience/
Nina
Very exhaustive and detailed post. We were glad we only went for cleaning and not something major otherwise a good research would have been in order before going in. Sadly we paid more at $35 each but we were happy with the results.
$35 is still a pretty darn good deal. I think it often costs a little more when you go in without a booking because there’s a kick-back to the street peddlers (plus it’s easier to charge a higher price without a booking).
Nina
Great post! Thank you, we will be in the Nogales area soon and this post has given us much to think about.
Thank you so much Nina for a helpful report. You certainly addressed the basic facts of dental work in Mexico. Will be anxious to read of your personal experience.
Glad it’s helpful. I’m writing up our personal experience now.
Nina
P.S. Forgot to mention my father was born in Copenhagen! Yay Danes. 🙂 Wish he’d taught me to speak Danish.
I’ve had root canals and crowns done in Mexico. I had poor work done in Nogales and excellent work done in Los Algodones–I would go back again.
Good to know. Would you mind sharing your dentist’s names?
Nina
I had a similar experience to yours, with a failed root canal that required removing the crown, new surgery, one week of antibiotics to heal an infection and then followed by a new crown. It required three appointments. It cost me 10% of the cost for a similar procedure back on the west coast of British Columbia, Canada. My experience was a 10 on 10. Good luck with your procedures.
I never hesitate to express my positive experience with those who may wish to visit Los Algadones.
Glad to hear you had a good experience. I am hopeful this new crown will be better than my old one. We’ll certainly see.
Nina
thank you for your input, BC resident!! Im thinking of going down if you could tell me your dentist.!
Lisa
Whats the name of your dentist in Algodones?
Tks
In my case you can see all the details of who I used in Part II of this series:
https://www.wheelingit.us/2013/01/18/getting-dental-work-in-mexico-part-ii-our-los-algodones-experience/
Nina
A great post Nina. Looking forward to hearing more about your personal experiences.
Nina, my father was a dentist in Texas and I used to work in his office and assist as needed, so I understand what goes on in a dentist office. I was nervous about going to a dentist in Mexico, but the price of U.S. dentist finally forced me to make the jump. I picked out Dr. Juan Bernal in Algodones (U.S. phone 928-328-8237) based on recommendations on IRV2.com. He is Mexican and went to dental school in Mexico. He later qualified to practice in the U.S. and did so for four years, before moving back to Mexico and opening his practice in Algodones. His English is passable, but his front office staff are native English speakers. After using him and Dr. Rochin, the endodonist in Dr. Bernal’s office, I find them to be completely up to the standards of American dentist, including sterile practices in the office, work ethics, cleanliness of the office, etc. Every instrument he uses come out of a sealed sterile envelope. My wife and I have both had root canals, crowns, fillings, etc. I find his work on a par with my father’s, who graduated from Baylor University Dental School. The prices in Algodones are approximately 20% of the prices in the San Francisco Bay Area. The prices are cheaper because of cheaper real estate, fewer legal issues, office labor is cheaper, and outside lab work is cheaper. Mexico works on a different economy than the U.S. and the prices reflect that, but the skill of the dentists is certainly equivalent to that of U.S. dentists.
Thanks for the excellent feedback. Dr.Bernal was one of the names that came up in my search and it’s good to know the reputation is warranted.
Nina
If you have to stay overnight or longer in Yuma for dental work, I highly recommend La Fuente Inn and Suites. Free breakfast, free 5 night dinner (hamburgers/hot dogs or pizza and an OPEN bar. Great pool and hot tub, under $100 a night and really nice staff. Located at I-8 and Hwy 95. Check out the recommendations on TripAdvisor.com. And they take pets!
Great info for those that need overnight stays. There are several spots for RV’s to park in the area too.
Nina
You covered it well. I went to Virginia Castro for years and was always happy with the work done. Unfortunately, I had really bad teeth and the more extensive work, which I paid double for, was more convenient to take care of closer to home.
Thanks for the feedback on your own experience.
Nina
I’ve really been thinking about all this since you wrote your excellent post about dental work in Los Algodones.
You know, the bottom line is how tremendously difficult it is for many of us to afford extensive dental care in the US–don’t know about Canada, but maybe the same there too.
It is such a far reaching issue–because the function of your teeth, not to mention the issues of self-esteem if you start losing them and cannot replace them, is pretty darned major.
Even now, we are wondering if we could find an excellent dentist in Los Algodones to do a few more crowns for my husband, so if you’ve found one, we’ll be checking on that too.
However, for folks like my husband and myself, who have had upper implants done (in the States) there were such issues of high levels of skills required…for example, we both had to have sinus lifts done with the upper implants. This is truly a surgical procedure, very delicate in nature, and smack dab next to your brain. So obviously you want someone who is extremely well trained and experienced.
Also, several of each of our implants required bone grafting BEFORE the implants could be placed. So surgery to remove a tooth (or teeth), with bone graft material placed, that then requires five months or so to heal BEFORE the implant is even placed. This is something we did not hear about at all in Mexico. I don’t know if that has changed or not.
Bone grafting is necessary if you don’t have enough bone mass (width or height) to adequately support a new dental implant. Plus, all these procedures were done with general anesthesia, another prospect I find frightening unless you are very sure you are in good hands.
I know they did (maybe still do) general anesthesia at Dr. Rubio’s office for extractions and I just thought is seemed so dicey. But to each his own.
The problem is, you may not know for even a year or two or three if your dental work succeeded or not. For example, almost all of my husband’s Algodones root canals have failed.
So it’s kind of a crap shoot in many ways.
Actually, in discussions with our oral surgeon and implant specialist in Mesa, we have agreed there will be no more root canals. Mine have failed as well, and even in the states, you have to sign off saying you realize they can fail. With the cost of all that (root canal plus crown) we are going straight to dental implants at this point on any other teeth that present this problem.
At any rate, lots to consider and I truly hope you have a wonderfully successful experience with your dentist–because we would LOVE to find a dentist in Los Algodones who could do a few more crowns for my husband!
Thanks again for starting an extremely helpful and interesting thread that will surely be significant for many of your readers.
Sure appreciate your thoughts. I try to let everyone see all sides of the equation before making a personal decision. I do agree that there is always a chance dental work will fail, no matter where it is done and this is part of the risk to understand. And of course, you won’t really know until 2-3 years after the fact. It does seem like you and your husband have had more failures than most and I’m sorry to hear that. Apart from my one crown (and the other tooth that my old dentist destroyed) my teeth are in pretty good shape so I’m hopeful we are on the right track. Only time will tell.
Nina
Yes, we are both the classic examples of folks who had NO dental care as kids in our respective families–and have had to deal with the consequences of that as adults. On my own at 17, so I did my best, and we’ve worked hard to hang on or replace teeth as we go!
No coincidence that my adult kids have NO cavities AND got orthodontics. I started brushing their gums before they even had teeth! 🙂
Looking forward to your “reveal” of where you are getting your dental work done.
I’ll be eagerly awaiting your comments after your next visit. We live full time south of Tucson and are exploring dental options in the Mexican side of Nogales. We both had our teeth cleaned without problem, and the dentist found some issues in my mouth (which I was expecting to be there). I’m planning on some major restoration work with crowns at a large group practice. I’m still a little uneasy, but both my hairdresser and at least one neighbor have been to the same practice and are satisfied.
The more positive feedback you can get from others, the better. I’ve met folks who have had work done in Nogales. No names to share unfortunately, but I do know many go there.
Nina
One thing I am curious about is if you go to the Los Algodones, Mexico with your RV, what are the requirements to go there and come back with your pets? I have never crossed the border with our animals, other than when I flew here from Finland the first time with my dog and a cat. Is it even a possibility to park in the US and just cross the border walking, or do you need a transportation?
You can just park on the US side and walk across. In fact that’s what most people do. Plenty of space to park your RV or car on the US side.
Nina
Great, thank you! 🙂
I’ll be interested in hearing any comments about Dental Laser in Nogales.
I know my friend in Green Valley goes there and is happy so far with four implants plus other work.
He states it is very modern and clean and the latest equipment. He has had them about 18 months and so far no problems. He also had a root canal and crown.
All I can go by is what he said. I probably would go there but haven’t had the need yet.
Perhaps this is a bit off topic, but I know some people from the northern US who snowbird about mid way between Phoenix and Tucson for 4 to 5 months every year. While there they aleays make a few trips south of the border for: !-dental work; 2-medications/prescriptions (if allowed coming backinto the US); 3-medical visits/procedures not covered, or poorly covered by health insurance, or the type of treatment is not available in the US.
This is a very fast growing trend and there is actually an industry subcategory known as Medical Tourism. And it is global, not just near the Mexico/US border. The industry growth here is expected to continue to be significant for a number of years to come. The reasons are many and complex but in one word for the majority of us, it’s economics. And politics plays a roll too.
I would not hesitate to have work done outside the US. I would follow the advice given in the original post and the comments, that it is VERY important to do your research when selecting your care providers. Just like we should do here at home, in the US. Or any other home country.
As for the tales of horror and failure-they are rampant in the US too. And at much higher price$!
Research thoroughly. And best of luck to all. 🙂
Very true Rowanova. Medical tourism is a fast-growing industry. When we lived in Asia we became well aware of this trend. Thailand, for example, is a huge “go-to” country for basic health check-ups and doctors. India, as another example, is a huge growth area for heart operations. Germany is a huge growth area for cutting-edge cancer treatment (which is not yet approved in US). Having lived in Asia and experienced excellent care there, I would not hesitate to look at other countries if it came down to it.
Nina
Thought I’d add that the dentist we saw and had a very good experience with in Nogales is Dr. Espinoza of Dental Periogroup. This visit was for a cleaning and tooth extraction. http://dentalperiogroup.com/
Excellent! Thanks so much for adding the name.
Nina
One of the best articles I have read about Dental treatment in Mexico.
I have been researching Dentists in Acuna, across from Del Rio. However, there is very limited information from individuals with personal experience with Acuna Dentists. Dr. Talamantes and Dr. Flores have good websites. Not sure I just want to rely on their marketing. Both have responded to a basic inquiry, but have not provided references as requested. Maybe they were offended by the request. I have located a Dr. Faz with one outdated experience from a patient.
Not sure how to obtain specific information. Any ideas.
Thanks, again an excellent article.
John,
Glad to hear the article is helpful! Not sure if I can be more help getting feedback on your dentists in Acuna. I think my best idea (outside of the links I listed in Part II of this post) is simply word-of-mouth referrals. If you happen to know others who are using dentits there that would be my first choice.
Nina
Thanks for the response. I was hopeful someone would see the comment that may have been to a Dentist in Acuna. Thanks again.
I to have experienced good dental work in Mexico but my last trip to a Cancun Cosmetic Dentists in Mexico was a horrific experience. It has cost me well over thirty thousand dollars to fix. I made the mistake of not going where I had before thinking this dentist was an expert and qualified to do the procedures I needed. Turns out he wasn’t and all his internet advertising was exaggerated and he was not accredited dentist.
I’m glad this dialogue is happening. It Is the only way dental tourists can share information with each other because as of today Mexico does not have an open data base in which we can investigate formal complaints.
Wishing you all safe dental vacations. Just be diligent in selecting who you will trust with your health and savings. Gemma
Please do you know how long I should plan to stay if I’m getting dental bridges done in los algodones?
Sorry, no idea. I’d ask the dentist that you’re planning on seeing. They should have an answer for you.
Nina
Thank you. I was only hoping I could get an idea. Mayne a week or two or probably a month
A few years ago, I went to Dr. Rosalba Salcedo at Dental Clinic in Algodonnes, Mexico. It was my first Mexican dental experience. She started to drill my tooth and told me she was sorry but I needed a root canal (I had already been told this in the US). I was referred to a root canal specialist and then went back to her office for my cap. It was then that she told me that I should also consider a 2 tooth bridge and I took her advice. The work took only 1 day and I had 4 other fillings and a cap at the same time. The bridge is still functioning well and this was over 10 years ago.
Great information! Has anyone experienced Rio Dental in Juarez? As typical my husbands buddies over simplify Los Algodones, just walk in etc. He need crown replacement and clean up in anticipation of a total knee in Dallas. My situation is complicated. I have five bottom part of implants on lower. Due to a deteriorated TMJ ( gone!) the chances of implants working well is not good. All caps on uppers – with several (4) broken off. At this point dentures seem to be indicated. At 74 spending the estimated $100k seems impractical. Thanks for the in put everyone!
Hi Mary – its been almost a year since you put this post up, wondering if you went down to Juarez for your dental work? I’m trying to decide between Algondones, Nogales, or Juarez. Juarez would be much closer for us, coming from Colorado. thanks
I see alot of great comments [some no so great] but how do you get to Los Algodones, airport, do you need a car when you get there? I would be flying out of O’hare Airport. Just email me then if I don’t find this website again I can have an answer tt.brittain@gmail.com. Any information would be helpful.
I suggest you fly into and stay on the US side. Yuma airport would be your destination and you can stay at the casino near the border, or anywhere else in Yuma. Then just drive to the parking lot by the border, park on US side and walk across to Los Algodones for your appointment. A rental car would be easiest to get around from airport to hotel to border parking lot.
Nina
In other words, do I stay in Los Algodones or a US border town? How does this work exactly. Never been to Mexico, been to San Diego before though. But, I need braces and the pre-work is what cost here in USA. Thanks.
As I mentioned above I would stay in Yuma and drive to the border parking lot. Then park and walk across to the Mexico side for your appointment. Los Algodones is a very small town and super easy to walk around (you’ll likely only need to walk a few blocks to see your dentist), but not really an interesting spot to stay overnight.
Remember to bring your passport since you’ll need it to get back across the border to US side.
Nina
Your opinion for – bigger cities like Cancun or Mexico City are safer than cities along the border?
I would say it depends entirely on the city. Like all big cities Mexico City has safer areas and not-so-safe areas. So, just depends where you go. Los Algodones is a really (really) easy and safe spot, but I’m sure many other Mexican cities are also good for health & dental services. I don’t have too much experience in the other cities (except for Guadalajara where I travelled often during my previous job -> I like that spot alot), so I can’t comment directly, but I would say any city that has good services and caters to visitors are possibilities.
Nina
Thanks for the information,
I plan to go to Tijuana, on vacation and dental services.
when I get back I write a review.
I’d be very interested in your experience in Tijuana. We stay often in San Diego so that would be an easy destination for us.
Nina
Did you get your dental work done in Tijuana? I would like the dentist’s name and your comments.
I have read many reviews here but not to much at all is said about the safety in Mexico. I plan to go into Los Algodones, MX. for dental work but many friends and relatives panic at the idea. They say it is not safe going over there so many bad things are happening, Is this true? I went to El Paso and then to the border town for dental work about 8 or 9 years ago and went right to the clinic and back across the border with no problem.
What is it like crossing over from Yuma? They say that we don’t hear all
the bad news that go on there in Mexico, and it isn’t safe for American’s to go there???? Please coment on this for me. I plan to get my passport card this week but don’t wan to spend the money if it is to dangerous to go to the dentist down there. I have not read any of this on these reviews.
I hope this will be answered fast because I don’t know how to find out about this other then calling the police in Yuma and asking them and hope for a straight answer.
It’s very, very safe.
I highly recommend you read the 2nd part of this series that I wrote here:
Getting Dental Work In Mexico Part II – Our Los Algodones Experience
The town is literally right on the border. You park on US side, walk over and you’re there. The town is only a few blocks wide and everything is within a few mins. Hundreds of people do the journey each day, most of them older retired folk. I would not hesitate to recommend going there.
Nina
This is interesting insight into going across the border for dental work.
Here’s what my dentist here in Northern VA cautions about implants in Mexico: http://www.ridgetopdental.com/Blog/What-Are-Teeth-in-a-Day-and-Should-You-Go-to-Mexico-to-Buy-Them
Well this is exactly the reason for #7 in my post. It’s a MYTH that you can get all dental work done in a day and if you find a dentist that is telling you that you can get implants done in one day you should walk away. My own work (root canal and new crown) took a week, around the same time it would have taken in the US. Common sense should follow down to Mexico.
Nina
Safety: I have no problems going to Mexico. Mexico City, the west coast side, Cancun and south of Cancun…all with zero problems. The area that I hear is the worst and that should be avoided is the far NE area of Mexico along the Matamoros-Tampico highway, particularly around San Fernando and the area north of Tampico. It’s all relative as the U.S. is still more crime ridden than Mexico. I’ve driven from the states deep into MX with zero problems.
Dentist: I highly, highly recommend Dr. Martin Artola in Los Mochis, MX. Note this is not a boarder town but rather approx 400 miles south of Nogales, AZ. http://bit.ly/13RepDB
He is a USC (University of Southern California) grad, 25+ years experience and the ONLY dentist in Mexico that is certified by the American Board of Prosthodontics. http://www.prosthodontics.org/abp/locate.asp (select Mexico in the drop down menu)
U.S. dentists are in defensive mode regarding dental tourism. Most will tell you that it’s not safe. The idea that you can only get safe and professional dental work in the U.S. is absurd. That a foreign dentist needs to be trained in the U.S. to be any good is absurd. Most of the advanced dental procedures being use today were not even invented in the U.S…not even dental implants.
I have a friend who is a expat in Costa Rica…lived there for over 12 years. He says the dentists there have been using methods that the U.S. is just now catching up on. That the clinics there are more advanced than anything he ever saw in the U.S.
We as Americans have to get out of this “we are better” mentality because in many cases it’s just not true anymore. Heck we’re not even the most “free” country anymore since added security and in-country surveillance since 911 but that’s a whole different forum so forgive me. The WHO (World Health Organization) listed the U.S. #37th in healthcare out of 200 countries…37th!!!! We were #1 in one category though….the most expensive.
Cheers for the tips on the dentist that you’ve used in Mexico.
Nina
Dr. Hernandez in Algodones is a root canal specialist. He uses a binocular-like scope mounted over the patient. In fact, it’s a pair of scopes so that an assistant can watch/work from the other side. He does charge more–$400, but it’s worth it. There is also a small “dental hotel” next door. Our home is in Yuma so we go across the border for eye glasses, dental work, haircuts and fish tacos.
Good tip and good to know!
Nina
We needed a specialist for implants and a friend of us recommended a dentist in algodones. First we have been hesitating about all the facts you mentioned. But we gave it a chance and – it was perfect. We can highly recommend him too. It’s Dr. Mario Garibay – http://www.softdentalcare.com
He studied in Mexico and in the US.
Thanks for reporting back. Always good to get references of good experiences.
Nina
So many dentists recommended, hard to choose. However, 3 people I actually know have seen and been happy with Dr. Minerva Navarro Nogami of SmilingFacesForever, in Los Algodones. But would like to hear from anyone else who has been to her for further reassurance. Appreciate any feedback, thanks.
Doing a treatment (dental or medical) in México, or any other place can be risky or a great experience. There are bad doctors in USA too… Just need to do some research. It´s good to see the point of view of Mexicans (Like me) I had many surgeries, dental work in Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara (Lasik eye correction, nose job, hemorrhoid and my daughter´s birth… Never had an issue or problem, Love my nose, I don´t wear glasses anymore, don´t have problems with hemorroids, and I had the greatest experience delivering my child… oh.. and my teeth are perfect (Had an skating accident and now I have 2 zirconia crowns and 2 veneers).
I know that some of the people living in the USA or Canada sees a “Third world country medical or dental service”. You will be surprise of how advance most of of doctors are.
Don´t go to the cheap doctor or dentist. Cheap doctors will give you cheap results…
check this dentist in PVR… it´s a great way to visit a beautiful destination and have some dental work.
Thanks.
http://www.puertovallartadentist.com
It’s nice to hear the view-point from a local. I’ve heard many, many good experiences in Mexico and I know that personally, I would not hesitate to have other medical work done there. Thanks for sharing the link to your PVR dentist.
Nina
Hi!
Actually getting your dental work done in Mexico is a great idea, and as you mentioned, you can get a bad experience anywhere in the World. I went to Cancun go get my dental work done and saved loads of money!! Not to mention my kids had a blast in the Resort we chose, Cancun is so beautiful!
I went to see Dr. German Arzate at Cancun Cosmetic Dentistry, it was pretty good. I fully recommend them.
Here’s the link to their website in case you’re interested: http://www.cancuncosmeticdentistry.com/affordable-cosmetic-dentistry-mexico.html
You’re the 2nd person to mention Cancun as a place for dentistry. Good to know!
Nina
Hi,
I’m not one of the success stories, I’m afraid, and wish I’d read this post before I went down last year. I’m sure there are good dentists there. I googled the dentist I went to and didn’t find anything negative. That’s why I’m writing here.
I wanted to have all my mercury fillings replaced, so I contacted Hal Huggins’ organization, Huggins Applied Healing. He’s written books and champions himself as a man of integrity. So I purchased his program and used the dentist he referred in Tijuana, Ezekiel Lagos at biologicaldent.com.
First, Lagos admitted to trying gauze pads from China after I had a bad reaction to them that literally burned a hole in my cheek. He said he was going back to the ones he’d used before. He told this to me with my sister standing beside me. He now denies ever having used Chinese gauze, calling us both liars.
Second, 3 weeks after I returned, the fillings started falling out. I didn’t have the money to go back again or to deal with it here, so I waited and more fillings fell out. It turns out that more fell out inside the mouth that I wasn’t even aware of. There was decay underneath the fillings, confirmed by an American dentist. The American dentist states that without question, they “were not done correctly.” It’s possible inferior materials were used, too. All of the 13 fillings are having to be redone. Two may now require crowns.
I wrote to Dr. Lagos, who was defensive, dishonest and is blaming it on malabsorption. I assure you this is not possible in a matter of weeks. It wasn’t a pre-existing condition as I had no problems with fillings falling out or even getting loose before I went there.
I called Huggins Applied Healing and they said they would call me back. They never did, and presumably continue to recommend Dr. Lagos. I will leave it up to you to decide if this is the kind of integrity you want in your providers.
I was a Quality Assurance nurse for a hospital and clinic for many years. When a provider automatically blames the patient if something goes wrong, that’s a very telling sign. Lagos may have satisfied customers, but if you are the one who doesn’t have a good outcome, it’s helpful to know how that provider will respond.
I still believe there are good providers in Mexico. Just exercise caution and look for these kinds of posts online.
I read your story about Dr. Ezequiel N. Lagos and did some research. He is a quack and does not have a license to practice dentistry in Mexico nor in California, where he lives. I checked with the Mexican Secretary of Education, which issues professional licenses, and there is no person with that name who holds a dental license in Mexico.
You can read more here: http://fulano.info/forum/thread-9826.html
Very sorry to hear about your bad experience. Sadly, based on Tio Foncho’s reply it looks like you saw a poor dentist without the proper qualifications. Tio’s tip to check with the Mexican Secretary of Education for licences is an excellent one (thank you Tio!).
Again, sorry for your poor experience.
Nina
Dra. Kenia Sanchez Diaz at the Guadalajara Dental Clinic, Algodones did all my lower teeth which included 4 implants and a bridge. I neede a dental surgeon to remove some of an old broken tooth. 2 visits and $1200. That was 2 years ago and I have no problems. The fillings from my Canadian dentist are all falling out tho. Paid Much more than $1200 for those. The dentist here quoted me $3500.. for one implant! same guy did my fillings 🙁
I´m done with him.
I hear cuba is good too
Thanks for the feedback & the name of the dentist you used, James!
Nina
I don’t have a lot to offer except my wife and I have used the dental services in Algodonas a number of times (along with travel buddies) and have found the dentists there to be very good. We have not had anything major done so can’t comment on such. Our dentist down there has moved on so we will be looking for someone new this winter. I will compile names, good and bad from what is listed here. This is very timely for us…Thank you Nina
Thanks. Always appreciate people who provide feedback. The more knowledge we share, the better for all of us.
Nina
Anyone recommend a cosmetic dentist in Algodonas
? I think I will need caps on three teeth, just my take, but nonetheless looking for good credentialed cosmetic dentist.
I need upper and lower full arch dental implants, preferably same day. Any suggestions for a dentist?
For dentist suggestions I recommend you read Part II of my series, but before you do I wanted to point out that having full dental implants done in a day is simply not feasible or reasonable. It takes time to do implants, and time for the mouth to heal. If a dentist tries to sell you on doing it all in a day, I would run the other way! Plan *at least* several months and several visits for what you want to do.
Nina
thanks for all the info in your blog. I am in need of 2 or 3 caps and have a quote from my current dentist for 850.00 ea. so all things being equal I would say Mexico is a good deal. Is there a list of dentists in Algodonas on line?
Have a look at part II of my series. I list dentists and online resources there:
Getting Dental Work In Mexico Part II – Our Los Algodones Experience
Nina
I have been to Los Albagones (sp) about 4 times. We have used Jabal dentistry. We had bridges, root canals and crowns done there. I also bought designer eye glasses from them. Have been happy with their service. Used Dr. Hector and Dr. Alex.
Thanks for the feedback! I didn’t have those guys on my list so it’s nice to hear a positive review of them.
Nina
Everyone is talking about implants-which I can’t afford even at Mexico prices; anyone have experience with getting full dentures, upper and lower, with the dentists in these locations?
Still looking and reading reviews for implant work in Los Algodones.
One question about your Part 1 and Part 2. Why two parts?
What one is the most up-two-date?
Something I just found out about “WhatClinic.com”… Was reading every comment/review and could not find one poor/bad review on any dentist. I then came across this posted under one persons review.
Sani Dental Group has chosen not to publish this review text. The score of the review is included in the average ratings above.
Do you think someone is cheating???????
Errr…well if you actually read part I and part II you’ll see that part I is about general myths and truths while part II details our personal choices and experiences. Both are up to date, but cover different topics.
And regarding the reviews on whatclinic? Well your guess is as good as mine. As I said in the post I recommend looking at *several* different sources as well as getting personal recommendations (if you can) before you make your choice. Online reviews are not always genuine -> goes for every business, even US ones, so you have to take them with a grain of salt. The more sources you can find (including blogs, personal comments, forums etc) the better. My posts are meant to help people to find & make those choices, not to be a definitive guide.
Nina
Hello, thank you for this post. I have to have 7 teeth implants as I was not born with these teeth. I simply can not afford to pay the tens of thousands it will cost me to get them done here in the US and will end up putting myself in a bad spot financially just to do it. So I have considered other options. However I am terrified. Has any one else had successful implant experiences in Mexico?
I had a bad experience with Mexico dentistry in Tijuana. The dentists were fine, and the work was fine, but it was obvious the clinic was hurting for business, and was pushing unnecessary work. I went in for a few fillings and a cleaning and they came up with $6000 in recommended treatment, a lot of which was obviously not needed (such as replacement of a perfectly functional two year old crown). When I refused the extra work, they charged $150 for what was supposed to be a “free evaluation”. I had to fight to get this charge removed from my bill. The office manager forced me to log onto my internet account to prove they had agreed to the terms beforehand. Fortunately I had kept their emails on file.
This was a frightening experience in a foreign country. What if they called the police and claimed I was making a disturbance or refusing to pay them? It flashed through my mind that I could end up in a Mexico jail.
Even in Mexico, it takes a lot of dollars to operate a high tech clinic with many employees. On the day of my visit, they only had two customers. They don’t pay the bills by doing a few fillings and cheap cleanings.
I’m still a believer in the potential for over the border dentistry, but I strongly suggest doing your homework before choosing a clinic. I made the mistake of picking the flashiest internet ad. This clinic (White Smile Center) operates much like the worst of American chain dentists.
One more consideration. At the clinic I went to, the internet prices were false advertising. For instance, cleaning was advertised at $35. When I got there, it became $35 “per arch”. At $70 for cleaning it’s not much of a savings over US dentistry. I was overcharged for every item on my bill. If I refused, well then I could just pay the $150 evaluation fee for nothing.
For me it was only a small amount of money. But the other customer of the day really got taken. They quoted her $15000 for implants. After she was approved for credit, the price jumped to $20,000.
In general I would recommend knowing exactly what you need from the Mexico dentists and get prices confirmed before crossing the border.
Very, very sorry you had a bad experience, but thanks for reporting back to us.
Nina
Hi Thank you very much for the fantastic work you have done here.
I have been in Hospice Care twice once in 2001 and again in 2007 and one of the byproducts of having had stage 4 cancer (lymphoma)is that I lost almost all of my teeth (Long Story) I have 6 teeth left and I was having something going on with my gums anyway upon going to a really great Dentist (The only one I have ever met that I can say that about unfortunately) and upon looking at my teeth he said I am sad to tell you but if I was you I would not put any more money into those teeth as they all have decay. I went to an implant referral and well I just cannot afford it – I went to another dentist in Ocala Fl and they have a new thing called Dentist-Dental Discovery – General and Implant Dentistry Adwww.ocaladentaldiscovery.com/
(866)433-6284 and the people were very nice very high class office onsite labs Etc. their solutions for me on the low end was shy of 10K and on the other end shy of 22K neither of which I can afford.
So my question is do you have someone I could go to that has a good long standing reputation on implants with an on site lab? And I am assuming if I sent them the quote the sheet that has the exact teeth that need work and what they need Etc. – I am thinking I could get them extracted here at the dental college and heal etc then go get the implants there and save not having to stay or make 2 trips.
Any input you could give me would be greatly appreciated. And again thanks for all the excellent work you’ve done here as I would not really know how to begin to research – Loving Shalom ~ David
I don’t have any experience regarding Implants in Los Algodones, but you could probably try and send the quote to some of the dentists that have been listed here and in the comments. I do hope you manage to find a solution.
Nina
A month ago I had two implants done in Los Algodones. A week later they both swelled up and as we were already one our way back to Canada I waited to see my own dentist. He immediately sent me to a oral surgeon who opened the sites up. One implant was floating in infection. I now have substantial bone loss so also had bone grafting done. Both implants have now been removed and the cost is horrific! Not to mention what I paid in Mexico. The surgeon here said he believes it was caused by lack of sterilization. Well I am now paying the cost for a dentist that was referred to me!!!
Very, very sorry to hear of your terrible experience. Would the share the name of the dentist you used in Algodones?
Nina
PLEASE post the name of the dentist who caused you to have an infection at your implant site!. I just returned from getting 2 implants and am optimistic that they were done well. I thought that Dr. Luis Medina, who did my implants was very careful about keeping things sterile.. . You said that your infections showed up a week later. This posting site NEEDS that doctor’s name so people can avoid him.
Elwood, what is the name of the dentist you used in Los Algodones?
I’ve been researching quite a bit and I’ve been referred to Dr. Salinas at 280 Saratoga in Los Algondones.
Also someone was asking who the Mission Tx Dr name and I believe it’s Dr.’X’ Aguirre. He practices in Progreso too. I’m waiting on a quote from him. He comes from a long line of dentists, his father taught at some university… anyway… stay away from Stetic Dential Implants – read horrible reviews. They give great customer service on the phone but don’t be fooled. I also wasn’t impressed with Mustre in Progreso even tho they have great reviews and following – customer service on phone sucks.
Thank you so much for commenting about Stetic Denatl. I was considering them until i found out you cannot do implants in 2 or 3 days as they have promised me.Their customer service is very personalable and answer all your questoins, but one give references. There are lots of bad reviews and good ones about them, i confronted them about the bad reviews they told me one girl took a dremel tool to her teeth after having implants done and she was a self mutilator they told me her name and everything! Not professional. I asked for pictures of previous work and never recieved them. The promise of implant dentures over one weekend for both top and bottom for $3600 sounds great but it’s exactly what it sounds like too good to be true!Thank you so much for doing this Nina I’m sure you have saved many people many troubles and tons of money. I’ve pretty much decided to go ahead and spend $14000 here in texas, too many horror stories for me.
I also need a retreat and crown that my dentist messed up about 12 yrs ago and my husband needs an implant. We live in texas and feel this is the only option, as insurance only covers one major trip to the dentist before you have exceeded all your “benefits”. Please let me know how your retreat went, the cost and the doctor’s name. We don’t speak any Spanish and are very nervous about having to do this
I just returned from 5 days in Los Algodones. I had 3 crowns re-done, 2 in gold, a root canal, and 2 implants. I had had a scan done in North Hollywood, CA, and took it with me. The implant specialist, Dr. Luis Medina, studied it before starting the implant work. He is from a family of dentists and was referred to me by Dra. Lupita Monge who did my crown-redos. He , Dr. Luis Medina, was superb! His honesty and skill is superior to that for which I had paid consult fees in Los Angeles. A Woodland Hills, CA dentist had extracted a molar, and I saw the pieces and said that I thought he had left some pieces inside my jaw. He insisted that he had gotten it all, and although I asked twice I was told that the X-rays showed that there were no pieces left behind. WELL, Dr. Medina saw a piece on the X-ray. It had had a root canal and had the piece of metal still in it. He had to call in a specialist to remove that residual piece of tooth from my jaw bone. I will never know whether the L.A. dentists would have just put the implant in on top of that piece of tooth or whether they would have removed it as Dr. Medina did. The place where that tooth fragment had to be removed required some bone grafting. He then put in the implant. The recovery on THAT implant required my taking Vicodin for a day and two nights, followed by Tylenol for a day and 2 nights. Now, 5 days after the work, it is not painful. The other implant went flawlessly and wasn’t even painful for recovery. Today, 5 days after all the work, the self-desolving stitches are falling out little by little, and I am not needing any pain meds. Dr. Medina’s assistants are excellent. His office is tiny and immaculate. His equipment is all new and up-to-date. He took X-rays frequently during the procedure to be sure every step of the way wass done correctly and safely and at the right angles. At one location he drilled the hole for an implant that had been recommended by an implant specialist at UCLA and two dentists in L.A., but when he put in the test post and took the X-ray he found that it was too close to my sinus, and he recommended that I not put an implant at that location. His honesty is over-the-top. He could have put in the implant, taken my money ($700.) and let me suffer or have the implant fail some time in the future. He lost money on that and didn’t charge me for it. In 6 months or more, after the bone has had a chance to adhere to the implant I will return for the crown work. I am 77, in case you care to know. I highly recommend Dr. Luis Medina. . . .tell him that I sent you. . . . I think he will remember me with that piece of old tooth down in my jaw that had adhered to my jaw bone. PS: I felt VERY safe in the tiny, friendly town of Los Algodones. I have always loved Mexico, but in the past few years have stayed away due to fear of dangers, but Los Algodones is a peaceful place.
Thanks so much for reporting back on your positive experience with Dr.Medina. Very happy it worked out for you!
Nina
About crowns. Dra. Lupita Monge did my crown re-dos. She took off the old crowns and gave them to me. She removed all the decay and took impressions. The next day I returned for placement/cementing of the crowns, but she didn’t like the way the lab had done them, and she sent them back. She then chose a different lab. They negotiated the price on GOLD and deducted a part of the cost by melting down my old crowns and using them to make the new, BEAUTIFULLY crafted ones, and they even returned to me a scrap of gold that was left over from the molds. SUCH Honesty really impressed me.
Absolutely incredible post.
Just came home from the dentist in Tempe Az. after being quoted 3300 dollars for a bunch of different things, but without the insurance that I have it will be double that, and I am leaving my job and losing the insurance.
Feeling as if I might have made a poor decision leaving this horrible work environment, I opened up the first google hit for “Mexico Dentistry” and found this.
I am relieved to hear that I will not be forced to walk around with a mouth full of bad teeth the rest of my life, and am delighted to hear that with proper research and some investigation beforehand, good affordable dentistry is available just several hours from my house!
I have particularly enjoyed your responses to the folks who ask the same questions you’ve answered a dozen times, and applaud you for remaining still more patient with the three or four complete idiots who must have been drinking or smoking the wacky tabacky when they posted.
Kudos! And thank you!
Has anyone heard of Dr. Gladys Flores Carrera , dentist for Bio Care Hospital, Tijuana, Mexico or Dr.Jesus Carlos Ornelas, Tijuana? Both are biological dentists. There is also Dr.Ezekiel Lagos.
Thanks
There is some info about Lagos on this blog, you’ll have to read thru it, but someone found out that he doesn’t even have a license to practice.
We just got back from Nogales, Mexico for 2 dental implants and had a very good experience with the Dental Periogroup, and Dr. Espinoza. The office staff are very nice and their English is very good. Dr. Espinosa is very thorough and very clean. He cleaned my teeth before he put the implants in! None of my other dentists in the US have done that! I had only planned on 1 implant but Dr. Espinosa suggested 2 because I had had one fail (which was put in by my dentist in Colorado), thinking it may have failed because it had too much weight on it from the 2 teeth above and doing 2 would make each one have less impact. We are a week out, and so far so good. I am trying to keep my teeth clean, brushing and flossing after each meal which is very important. We chose Nogales over Los Algondones because it was closer for us coming from Colorado. Juarez was even closer but I could not find any reviews on Juarez. There was one review for the Dental Periogroup on this blog, which helped me make my decision. The total cost of both implants done in Nogales are going to be 1/2 the cost of just one done by my dentist in Colorado. We are going to go back, and my husband is thinking about getting some work done too. We can only be down there for a week at a time, and so we try to get a little hiking in and make it a vacation.
Thanks so much for reporting back on your experience!
Nina
Here is their website with all the information: http://dentalperiogroup.com/
They usually got back to me in the afternoon, and after the initial phone call we just communicated by email, and everything worked out fine.
And like I said, it was a really really good experience, I hope you have the same! There was a couple in the waiting room while I was waiting there, the wife was having a lot of work done, saving them a good $50,000, and they were commuting from a town close by, and they were very happy as well.
I am just beginning my search for less expensive dental care than us. Very interested in the outcome of your crown work.
Has anyone when to Tijuana..to Trust Dental Care.
I would love any feed back..
I have been researching, and have liked what I have found..
Dr. Cirenia Aparicio, is a Cosmetic Specialist. she is who I am
looking at for my dental care..
If anyone have any reports of using them, please post..
It’s just my impression, but Trust Dental Care looks like the typical Tijuana dental factory. They try to make it appear you are dealing specifically with a named experienced dentist (in this case Dr Cirenia)But when you get there it’s a rotating staff of recent dental school graduates. One of the websites says Trust has 4 dentists.
That said, if you know what you need before going it could still be okay. I believe these clinics have the facilities and expertise to do quality work. But I would be hesitant to accept their suggestions for treatment.
Thanks, rjt1000, for the reply..
Do you know of, by experience, or word of mouth, a good dentist there?
It is kind of scary, and stressful, trying to decide which dentist to go to..
Tijuana, it is just the closest and easiest for me to go to…
I live in the central part of Calif. I can drive to SD..
Most Clinics there offer transportation, back and forth over the boarder.
I do know what I want..
I need 1 to 2 crowns..
I want to have my 6 top front teeth fixed to have a pretty smile, I have always had ugly eye teeth. I want veneers, the Cerec Omnicam System, is what I think I want used to make them.
Has anyone had dental work, and teeth done using this system?
I am glad I found this forum…
I had been researching, and other than reviews on the Dentist websites, it has been hard finding independent reviews.
I think Tijuana is scary, so I went to Los Algodones, and I think it is safer. I had three crowns done by Lupita Monges. She was reconmmended to me. She has her own tiny dental office and sends the work out to a lab and installs the teeth the next day. My work required a root canal, so I went to a different place for that work. I had two implants put in by Dr Medina. He had to call in a specialist to dig out a piece of tooth that was carelessly left behind when an extraction was done in Woodland Hills, Ca by a dentist who trained at USC. I thought Dr Medina was better qualified and honest than my California dentist. He also put in some bone grafting at no charge. Dr Medina and Lupita Monge both speak English and have English-speaking assistants you can speak to on the phone with a US phone number.
I only have experience with the one clinic (WhiteSmileCenter) and don’t have any information on better alternatives. It’s hard to research, because the corporate clinics know how to work the internet. On the plus side for “Trust” I only see one negative review online over a billing issue. Starting in 2014, bad reviews started popping up for WSC.
I think knowing what you want and need is half the battle. I let myself get pulled into WSC’s “comprehensive evaluation”. After sitting there for several hours, it would have been easy to just say yes to their suggestions. Big surprise they were able to do $6000 work of work that day, if I would agree. The atmosphere sure changed when I turned them down!
Maybe you could see if Trust is willing to set up an appointment to do the Crowns/Veneers without getting too aggressive about a complete evaluation. If they really push the evaluation first, it could be a bad sign.
The transportation over the border at TJ seems to work okay. Med related transports get to skip the line. Otherwise it would be hours to get back into the U.S.
I have a U.S. done Cerec crown and it has been fine for 3 years now. This is the one WSC wanted to replace for no good reason.
After more research..I have found that Dr. Cirenia Aparicio Miranda is also a licensed dentist in Calif.
She also passed the AACD with one of the highest scores ever.
So I am feeling better an better about going to Tijuana for dental care..At Trust Dental Care.
I am saving money, and hoping to go in August. .
That also gives me more time to research. .
Like the above poster said..I also have found only one negative post about Trust Dental Care, an that was a refund issue. .
That I understand, from reading was one of two sisters, After giving consent on the work to being done, and authorizing payment to be made, they backed out of having the work done.
That complaint was posted on YouTube. .
I will be watching here.. hoping someone posts, with firsthand knowledge. . About this Dental office..
As part of your research, you might give them a call and see if Dr. Cirenia will be doing your work. The answer could be interesting. At Whitesmilecenter, they give out the name of the owners brother as the licensed dentist associated with the clinic. He is licensed and works in Ca. and has fairly good online reviews. But there’s no evidence he actually works at the WSC. Given we are talking about Mexico here, I wouldn’t count on truth in advertising.
I asked, and my contact person, said that I could have her as my dentist. . My appointments would have to be arranged to fit with her scheduling.
This definitely is not an easy decision. .
I so wish I could find a few people with their own personal experience, that I could actually talk to..That has went to Trust Dental in Tijuana.
Even reading this blog, there are those that h had bad experiences, even going to places they thought were good.
But I am not giving up. .I will continue to research, and ask questions.
Loved your info on dentists in Mex. Got any suggestions(I’m a newly retired gal)who unfortunately had to sell my Class A RV a few years ago. Now I want to find a rental RV or trailer or little condo/house to rent in the San Felipe, Baja coastal area for 4 to 6 months. Got any info on that area of Baja or any rental info? I will continue to follow your blog. I hope I can find another affordable RV of my own in the next year and start rolling again. I miss it.
Here’s some more comments on Trust Dental. The negatives catch my attention because it’s some of the same things I found at WSC.
http://rateadentist.com/reviews/California/SanDiego/TrustDentalCare
Ruth, it’s been 2 years since you were going to see Dr Cirenia at Trust Dental. How did it turn out? Are you happy with the work? Would you go back to them again? I’m doing the same research you did back then as I need a bunch of work now … cavities, crowns … and don’t want to pay US prices (my AZ dentist quoted $500 to fill 2 small cavities even though I have dental insurance). Thank you!
I’ve been going there for long time and in the last couple of years switched dentists, but only because I considered the first one too old school. Both are trustworthy and do fine jobs. The female dentist does a better job as far as a cleaning is concerned. The male dentist is a periodonist and also did a good job but he is now in teaching and he often did not meet his appointments on time so that was a bit frustrating. Now, that I read this article of yours I like the information you wrote about the dentist in Mexico, I will surely book for appointment as soon as possible to try it there. Thanks for the info!
Does anyone have any experience with Dr.Dahlia Dental in Tijauna?
I’m another patient of Dr.E’s, Dentalperio Group in Nogales. I am so impressed with this man, I have a life long dental horror story that lead to the need for full restoration. So far, Dr. E has done lower implants, a sinus lift and massive bone grafts. I’m going back in Sept for the upper implants. IDK how he does it, but I have never had one second of pain, swelling or even one slight discoloration of my face (the sinus lift involved knocking four holes in the dental ridge with a surgical hammer and chisel). The man is truly gifted, as well as, HIGHLY educated.
He is so gentle, caring and really goes above and beyond. The quality of his work is outstanding (he guarantees his work for 5 years). I’m very happy with his work.
Dr. E also corrected a problematic crown, that my husband had done by a dentist in Chandler, AZ. He is also impressed with his work. My friend is really impressed with him. I took her down for a second opinion. She was told by a local dentist she “needs” to have a 6 tooth bridge replaced and two implants, for the approx cost of $7k. Although she takes very good care of her teeth and was unaware of any problems, she was told the support teeth were failing. Dr. E looked at her bridge and support teeth and told her NOT to have the bridge replaced, the support teeth were healthy and doing so would cause more damage. The man turned a patient away, for the sake of her dental health not his wallet. How many dentists do that?
I can’t say enough about this man, he is wonderful.
If you decide on going to Nogales, go a bit early and have lunch over at LaRoca. Impressive place that serves farm fresh/five star quality food that makes you count the days to your next appointment.
Thank you Deb (and Laura)for your reviews of Dr E in Nogales. I live in Tempe and plan on setting up appointments for 3 implants. Where do you stay while in Nogales? The US or Mexican side?
We always stay on the US side in Nogales, AZ. 10-15 minute drive to the border, park at McDonalds (you may have to pay $4 to park, sometimes we do and sometimes we don’t) and then walk across the border 4 blocks to the office. I have always felt very safe, everyone is very polite altho sometimes the vendors are a little pushy.
Hi Vicki,
Joe here from Tempe. Contemplating having work done (implant) at Periogroup. How has your work turned out ? Would appreciate feedback from you. In advance, thanks !
Joe
Thanks so much for this thread. I was quoted $19,000 for my dream mouth at my regular dentist in northern California (or just $7700 to have the minimum done in terms of fillings and crowns). Instead I went to Castle Dental in Los Algodones. Had 6 zirconia crowns, 4 porcelain on metal crowns, several fillings, whitening, cleaning – total of $3310 – same exact work in that $19K quote.
Prep for upper teeth was done on Monday, prep on lower teeth was done on Wednesday. All teeth were fitted and placed on Thursday, then cleaning and whitening.
Work as as gentle and thorough as any dentist I’ve seen in the states. I highly recommend Castle Dental – they are awesome.
I’m glad that I went in the summer. Temperatures weren’t much worse than at home (I live in a hot area of the country) and my wait to come back across the border to Yuma was basically 0 minutes as opposed to the 2 hour wait you might see in the winter.
I stayed in Yuma and took cabs most days, plan on $25-$30 with tip each way. Talk to people in the breakfast room of your hotel, you might catch a ride (throw them some $$ for parking and gas to be considerate).
There is a bus that I didn’t use.
Or rent a car. I stayed at the Best Western on S. Castle Dome. They said that Enterprise rents cars at $19 a day (figure lots of taxes and fees of course). That might have been a better route.
But seriously, even with hotel, plane, etc., obviously I saved a TON of money.
Hi Christine,
What is the name of the dentist that did your work at Castle Dental?
Thanks,
Julie
I am planning on going to Los Algodones and I didn’t really see any recommendations for porcelain veneers. Of course, there was a lot of comments to scan over. Can anyone give me information on dentist that specializes in veneers? I got two front broken teeth and desperate to repair them. Thank you.
I am currently getting braces in Cuernavaca, Morelos and yeah it takes some time they don’t put the braces all in one day I just got the top part of the brace glued but I didn’t get the wires on and I do wish they would’ve finished the top part but they are the professionals and they do know what their doing and you do save a lot if money getting any type of dental work in mexico my braces cost 3000 pesos which is 30 dollars and this dentist is really good you just have to find a good dentist to do your dental work but if you want to save money then I do recommend to go to mexico Just find a good dentist !!
What dentist did you go to for your braces?
Where do most on here go for crowns? And also braces that I may get on my 6 bottom teeth because with age the middle 2 are turning in I have no idea where to start can someone direct Me?
Based on your recommendations and the positive remarks on Trip Advisors, I selected Dr. Roberto Arce of Smile Shoppe in Los Algodones, Mexico to repair my bridge. Here’s my experience:
Just want to add my experience with Dr Roberto Arce of Los Algodones . I went in yesterday because I felt I need my bridges replaced. Dr. Roberto reassured me that I do not need to have any of my crowns replaced; but he had to build 2 of my core buildups; which he charged $150.00 U.S. each = $300.00 and cementing my bridge back in place which is $100.00 U.S. and $10.00 per x-ray for each tooth. The total cost was $420.00. His prices were much higher than what I was quoted by a dentist in Phoenix. I had a quote of $110.00@ for building up the cores and $80.00 for cementing back the bridge. To add insult to injury, he charged me $20.00 for a 500 ML bottle of Perioxidin which the Purple Pharmacy at Los Algodones sells for $17.00. Dr. Roberto Acre gouged me because the summer season is slow and he had to make up the difference for lack of patients. I would double check your price before attempting to use Dr. Roberto Acre. As far as his work is concerned, only time will time. Beware of PRICE GOUGING….I was stuck in his chair and felt I had to have the work done!
Very sorry you had a bad experience, but really appreciate you reporting back to the rest of the readers. Smile Shoppe did not make my list of recommendations (Part II).
Nina
Nina Koepcke, this is Anna Loh! I’m researching dentists in Mexico and will certainly cross Dr Arce off of my list based on your negative experience. Did you ever find a good dentist you’d recommend?
Hello….I just found out I need several crowns and root canals. Yikes! Even with some dental insurance, it is way more than I can swing. I do NOT want dentures! I have yet to receive the estimate as they were pushing to get started with four teeth and did not give me a whole mouth estimate. I guess my point of writing to you is to say thank you! I’m a little nervous about going to Mexico but realize it is my only option. I will keep you posted (and also ask questions from everyone if need be). Again, thank you for this blog.
I am looking for a quality implant dentist in Los Algodones. Any personal recommendations? Thanks!
Looking into having implants done in Mexico.I live in New Mexico and the price here at home is prohibited.Thanks for this blog,very informative.
I just found out to have a root canal and crown is 2300.00. I stood up said thank you paid the office visit and stated goggling. THANK YOU!!!!!!! I am self employed and dental insurance is not something we have in Florida at least that covers much. I am heading to Mexico
I’m looking for any recommendation from personal or trusty second-hand experience for my daughter to get an quality implant(no adult tooth) in Matamoros, MX. My father lives nearby in Laguna Vista, TX, so we can plan a stay for 2 trips(3 months apart) to visit and get the work done. My good friend from Reynosa already recommended her specialist who did 2 implants for her sister. But I’m still checking for someone reliable in Matamoros, or maybe an option in Reynosa. Thanks!
Does anyone have experince with Dr.Valdez from Dental Lazer? He also works at the clinic next door.He puts in implants but then you are seent to dr. # 2 for crowns or dentures.I’d like to hear from anyone else about this dentist or this clinic.
Thanks
Nina: We plan on heading down to Los Algodones in January for some dental work. Where did you stay with your rig on the U.S. side?
We always boondock out by Ogilby Road. But there’s also boondocking by the Casino (the road out to Los Algodones) and a few RV parks in the area if you want hookups.
Nina
I need one, maybe two implants and a root canal redone (infected, I’m on antibiotics). Anyone have experience with dentists in Cancun? I think the clinic is Ocean Clinic advertised as a US trained dental clinic.
My friend needs extensive dental work done. She has an excellent doctor in Los Albagones(sp). But she is afraid that if something was to go wrong when she gets home, what to do! Her dental work involves dentures with screws holding them in or a procedure called an 4 in 1. Has anyone on this site had something like this done in Los Algodones?
Regarding implants I would contact Dr. Medina. He 2 implants for me, and now I will return soon to finish the job. I think he is very meticulous and conservative. He speaks English and so does the assistant who answers the phones and works with him. Luis Medina’s U. S. phone number is 928-227-1040. Implanting the screw was $700. each. There was a piece of tooth left in my jaw bone by a butchered extraction that was done in Los Angeles. I had to pay $200. for a different dentist to remove that piece of left-over tooth. Then Dr. Medina had to put in some bond grafting material to fill that hole.
Dr. Medina put in the implant and closed the area with stitches. At UCLA my daughter in law had some implants, and at UCLA they put an implant that has a cap in it that remains exposed during the healing process while the bone is growing onto the implant. When she is ready for the next step they will unscrew that cap and put in the piece that will hold the crown. In my case he will have to cut open the area that he stitched closed. That is NOT the most modern technique, but it is still used in the US and Mexico UCLA is more advanced. You can read about these techniques on the Internet.
Ok, I amn in desperate need of implants for my front teeth. I do not remember the last time I was able to smile. Please if you know a dentist that is able to do the type of work and do it right i would like to know or tell me a few dentists that can.
I am in need of dental work with the following factors:
1. I am petrified of dental work. I am brave ONLY if I am “asleep”. I don’t want to be a baby, but it’s a fact. . .are there any Alg. dentists anyone would recommend for such patients?
2. I need 3 extractions, a lower partial and full upper plate done. A dental office with a lab on site makes sense to me for expediting, but not a deal breaker.
3. Also, I would be flying in. Any experience from folks traveling via plane assuming I choose to launch from Yuma?
Any comments concerning my “issues” would be very much appreciated.
If you live in Los Angeles I can recommend a superb doctor to do the extractions. I wouldn’t do them in Mexico because even in Los Angeles I have had a super extraction and then from a different dentist a butchered job.
If you need to be asleep for dental work I would not recommend Los Algodones. What if something went wrong? Joan Rivers comes to mind.
If you just need false teeth then I think you would be happy with Los Algodones. On this site people can recommend some good dentists.
I had two implants put in by Dr. Medina, and I think he is skilled. I have now given the implants enough time to have attached to my bone, so I will return for the remainder of the work.
If I were to “fly” to Yuma I would try to stay at Quechuan Resort. That is the closest place to Los Algodones.
I was needing implants done but don’t know what dentist is the best in Mexico everyone tells me I am crazy to go over there but it cost to much in the US I’m a single mom. Does anyone know how implants work because I heard they put them in and then u have to go 4-6 months before they put the teeth in? I would hate to go around with no teeth I would be embarrassed. Any help would be appreciated and I need a dentist that speaks English because I don’t know any Spanish. Thanks for any help.
My wife and I have visited Los Algodones frequently over the past 18 years both when we lived in Yuma and now while living in Mesa.We have had dental work done and bought meds over those years,i will list the “facts” we believe to be true based on our experiences.
1.Los Algodones is very safe to visit.We have never seen any crime or violence.
2.Dental work costs about 20%(crowns) to 40% of typical prices in Canada and the USA.
3.Dental offices we have visited have seemed very clean and sterilization process very good.
4.We have never had an infection or a serious problem.
5.We stay overnight whenever we visit for dental work/med purchases or recreation at the Los Algodones Motel(owned by the Sani Dental Group). We take our car in and park at the motel in a secure parking area.We do not drive other than to come and go through the border.
6.We have found the residents to be always civil and friendly even while they are trying to sell us a product or service.They want us to come back and tell our friends about them.
7.We frequent a number of businesses where we consider the proprietor or waiters friends.
8 We love going to Los Algodones and in fact are scheduled to go next week.
Before I went to Nogales I read this article. I did some research across the border before making a decision and actually everyone is going to the wrong side of the border.
We went to dental arts which is on the east side, not the popular west side.
After you park don’t go through the west gate, go to the east side, there are a lot of big shops (my wife loved it) and a park on the arizona side, when you cross in to mexico its quiet and clean compared to the other entrance.
here is a map http://www.dentalartsnogales.com/contact-dental-arts.html
Hope that helps! It is a great clinic and the techs Jessica and Rocio are just sweethearts, remind me of my daughters.
long story short…I had most of my teeth ground down and crowns put on in Algodones. I have seen 4 dentists to fix the problems of the previous dentist. recently I chose a dentist with a good reputation but the wrong specialization and the result was not good. After doing some research I feel that I need a prosthodontist who is honest., has the experience, equipment & is capable. Do you have a recommendation?
Nina, you rock! Thank you for posting such thorough information on a topic that is obviously important to a great many of us. I truly appreciate it.
I am looking for a good holistic biological dentist near Tijuana, who does total dental revisions, preferable using the Dr. Hal Huggins protocol. Does anyone have experience? Anyone been to American Bio Dental. I believe the dentist is Dr. Munos.
I had a bride of nine teeth done by Dr. Carrasco in Cancun,and 2 root canals. This was done about 2 years ago. I went to a dentist here in Bloomington IL yesterday. He told me I have cavities under the bridge and infection. This dentist knew I had the work done in Mexico and then he went off on the dentist. I was told my 2 year old bride needed to be replaced. I had a good visit with Dr. Carrasco and found him to be a top notch dentist. The problems I’m having I don’t think had to do with a botched up job. It’s very hard to figure out if what I’m being fed is because many Canadians and Americans are crossing the border. This dentist even gave us a ride back to our hotel on one visit.(Cancun) I can’t seem to get ahold of him. I’m trying to go back to Cancun and get more work done. Does anybody know of a good dentist in Cancun? Preferably with their own lab. Thanks Donna. I’m Cdn. living in the US
After doing research two prior conversations with the office staff and e-mail quotes on prices and procedures, I scheduled a visit to go to Sani dental,I was picked up at the boarder and taken to one of their three offices. I was walked a short block to their pretty Platinum building where I waited for an hour to been seen. I told the dentist what I wanted ( which they were informed prior to me getting there, so I thought) for an extraction $40.00, implant $750-$1200 , laser sterilization post procedure $190.00 First time I heard of this ???, c scan x-ray $130.00 not to mention possible bone graft $320.00( only able to tell if the dentist grinds out your existing crowned tooth too much. I opted to do extraction by a skilled oral surgeon. I was walked back to the first clinic and a c-scan completed. Walked back to the Platinum building and proceeded to wait to speak to the dentist. The dentist said great bone density we could do the extraction and implant today. Now the sales pitch. The $750 implant is no good pitch which one I want. Its 5p.m and most employees are gone but they have an experienced, “the best” oral surgeon waiting for me. Again I walk across to the first building I went to and the one I had my c-scan done at, and waited 40 minutes to be seen. Experienced is a joke LOL I told the dentist who was born in 1980 something how to remove my tooth. I worked in oral surgery of 5 years as an assistant 20+ years ago. Injection went well 🙂 But Sad that this doctor never used a fulcrum which allows him to get a grip and stabilize his hold while attempting to grip the slippery stump. I suggested a bite block so I didn’t naturally close my mouth while he was yanking away. finally I suggested that he get a plier # 151 or a cow horn to help him he didn’t know how to hold this plier, so I suggested a pedo plier, he said they don’t have children size pliers. I then heard the break in the tooth. I knew a skilled surgeon should have had this tooth out in 10 minutes. I told him to get a professional. He got the #2 bur and drilled there went my healthy bone down to a gaping hole. Now, I am healthy and had great bone density before he started. He suggested the bone graft at this point I said, “No. Close it up give me antibiotics and pain killer 2 hours was my limit. I asked for extra gauze and changed the blood soaked one in my mouth. I asked the dentist to close the gap with a few sutures. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE DENTAL CHAIR I looked at the dental instrument’s and they were all sealed in sterilization bags but I noticed the indicator strips were not changed, (they should be black after going into the autoclave looking like a zebra). Now I wonder if not only my “Experienced” dentist was a fraud but was the sterilization process a fraud too. $230 later I drove home within the first hour, 2 stiches came out, the dentist forgot to knot them so I pulled it out through my gum myself.
As for returning to Sani NO WAY. My dentist was not experienced and no way should he be attempting implants if he cant do extractions correctly. It was a money racket and up charges like the US dentist I’ve been to lately. My new gap is in the upper molar quad and the bone will fill in in about 6-8 months, so I think I will try Dr.Medina next January for the implant.
The Dentist I saw 4/1/15 was Beharrah (not sure how it is spelled) no first name young and in his 20’s.
Dr Luis Medina did 2 implants for me. I thought he was well-trained, and his assistants are lovely. I was very happy with his work, but be careful when choosing the dentist to do the crowns after the implant is healed. I had some very bad and incorrect work done by a different dentist. I would be happy to discuss in private messages.
Barbara,
I am headed to Mexico next week and need crowns on some implants that I already have completed. Can you tell me the name of the dentist that did the very bad work?
Thank you!
Lupita Monges. She removed two of my gold crowns, cut away my gums, cut decay off the two molars, and cut the teeth with such bad angles that crowns could not be attached well. She had two gold crowns made for me that fit so badly that I could put an entire fingernail under the margins. She removed them when I complained about them and kept the gold. Her assistant made really bad temps. She had made the molds right after my implants had been put in place by Dr Luis Medina right next to the tooth that she was working on. ( He had told her not to do that.). Making the mild was very painful, and fortunately she didn’t rip out my stitches. She and Dr Medina are very close friends. She did not put crowns on my implants. I talked to Dr Medina’s assistant and learned that they have dentists to whom they refer their patients for crowns. I suggest that you ask his office for a recommendation. The reason I had gone to Lupita was that a friend of a friend referred me. Then Lupita sent me to Dr Medina for implants, and because of that I had gone to Lupita for my gold crown re-dos that she messed up so very badly. I will probably lose at least one of the teeth that she worked on…. During the work she also took me to an associate for a root canal job. I lost a lot of money by having gone to her….. I was satisfied with Dr Luis Medina’s implants.
Stay away from Lupita Monges.
I need a full mouth restoration. I was given an estimate of 50,000 for an All in Four procedure. No way I can afford that and would not be able to even get a loan for that amount if I wanted to. But even at a discount I think I’m looking at around 10,000 and have no idea how I would pay that with cash so not sure how to proceed from here. Anyone have experience with All in Four in Mexico?
Cheryl…I’m trying to research the All in 4 also. Since it’s been a year later from your post…have you had any luck?? Would love to heard what you ended up doing..if anything..and with whom. Thanks 🙂
Has anyone had any experience with AZ Dental Now in Nogales Mexico? I am set to have two bridges and full snap in top denture done in a week. Stressing a little.
Update on my work done last year in Los Algodones. My uncle, cousin, her daughter and husband are all in the dental field. They all think it is foolish to get dental work done in Los Algodones because good sterilization techniques are expensive, and they don’t believe that Los Algodones dentists reach the standards that U.S. dentists do, with regard to sterilization. That is not the subject of my comments here, though.
The dental work that was done to re-do two gold crowns turned out to be done incorrectly in Los Algodones and will need to be redone. Dr Lupita ground one of my teeth down at bad angles, and my U.S. dentist had to re-build the tooth and put in a support post so that a crown can be attached to that tooth. The crowns did not fit properly. I could put an entire finger nail under the edges of each gold crown. I returned to Los Algodones and had them removed. Very badly made temporary teeth were made with blobs of badly formed materials that cut the sides of my tongue. I will not return to re-do the crowns. Two dentists in Los Angeles refused to repair the work, but I have found one dentist who will repair the damage and do the crowns. I have thus lost all the money for those two gold crown redos. Now I am afraid to have my implant work finished in Los Algodones because if any materials are carelessly left under the crown when an implant crown is placed, it can lead to bone loss and ultimate failure of the implant work. Also, there is a problem of finding a dentist in Los Angeles who is willing to work with the compatible parts of the type of implant screw that Dr. Medina used. A dentist told me that it is not the current style of the ones that are used here in L.A. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but that’s what I was told. I LOVE Mexico and wish that I could report a success story about my experience in Los Algodones.
Very sorry to hear that, but thank you for reporting back.
Nina
Babsi, are you saying you’d avoid seeing Dr Luis Medina in the future because of your experience? I was seriously considering him after reading some glowing reports. Thank you.
I am happy with the work done by Luis Medina. He put in two implants and brought in a specialist who removed a piece of tooth that was left over from a badly done extraction, done in Los Angeles. He did some bone grafting. All work was excellent. The BAD work on my teeth was done by Dr Lupita Monge. She made a LOT of mistakes which have cost a ton of money to remedy.
My dentist in North Hollywood said that the implants done by Dr Luis Medina looked fine but it was difficult to find abutements because the implants were not a current style. I don’t know if that is valid information or not. The crown was done by my local dentist and seems fine….. I like Los Algodones and will likely return to dr Medina again in the future but NEVER to Dr Lupita Monge
Good to see that, I am from Australia and many of us travel all the way to india to have dental treatments and they there have world class facilities and treatments few reviews are here, watch them they are good options to try from: http://bit.ly/1FLgzWh and http://www.realself.com/review/mumbai-india-dental-crown-three-crowns-and-than-when-started
I am happy to tell you all about ny implant experience 818/888-2773 … I think Dr Medina in Los Algodones is well trained and did a good job, but the dentist who was going to do the crowns did some very bad work that needs correcting…. I had gone to her first, and she had recommended Dr Medina, so I had gone back to her for crown work on two other teeth. I didn’t meet the dentist that Dr Medina would have recommended for the crowns.
YES, the implant needs 4-6 months to adhere to your jaw bone.
Hello! So much info to follow this thread. I am considering, but with reservations, doing dental work in Mexico. I need at least 4 crowns and replacing some fillings—-I want Zirconium and E-max crowns.
As I am in Los Angeles, my easiest choice is to go to Tijuana; but I could possibly fly to Puerto Vallarta or Cancun and at least get a vacation out of it. Does anyone here have recommendations in these three cities? Or places to absolutely avoid? I am nervous as there are stories of bad results as well as good. Thanks in advance.
I’m sorry that I don’t remember. It was a man, probably in his early 40s.
We went to Los Algodones this morning to get new glasses for me. At Best Optical the optomotrist took a reading of my old glasses and then gave me a thorough check-up, at the end of which he declared that my eyes had changed so little that it was not worth it for me to get new glasses. According to him my vision problems are being caused by a cataract not outdated glasses.
Frankly, I’m impressed. I know that my doctor in the US would have sold me new glasses if I needed them or not, no question about it.
I also went to Alberta Dental to get my teeth cleaned. They did a good job, although it was a bit annoying that they tried very hard to sell me a new bridge, which I’m not interested in at this time.
All in all a very good experience.
Hi Guys, And a great big thanks to you and everyone who commented. I recently retired and I RV about 6 months out of the year. I live in AZ and have friends that live in Yuma so this Mexico trip for me is easy. I have been mulling over going to Mexico for dental work for sometime. I will now continue my research, do my homework and very possibly go! After the prices I have been quoted in my hometown I like what I am finding out about Los Algodones!
Thanks again! Hope to see you out on the road someday!
Hi David, was just wondering if u have had any work done yet? Did you like it? I need some work done but am really worried about the quality of…..everything really. I would love to find several good reviews on the same dentist before i decide. Thanks. My email is karen321mn@gmail.com
I am in need of extractions, most likely bone graft , full upper and lower dentures. I live in South Texas. Does anyone know of a reputable dentist in Progreso Mexico? Thank you so much for any any suggestions.
Amy reccomendations on where to get both upper and lower fixed dentures?
Hey guys,
Thank you for sharing your experiences! It is time to share mine.
Destination – Tijuana
I’ll be quick, so if I miss something, please feel free to ping me.
Tips:
1. Do not go for your dental work in Tijuana.
2. If you decided to go, then avoid all clinics. Reviews doesn’t work and a lot of them fabricated.
3. Washington dental Tijuana – operated by business people who’s agenda is to squeeze your pockets. They quote me for 12 crowns, when few local great dentist said what i need max 3 crowns and 12 is just insanity!!!
4. Spend at least few days to ask around and visit LOCAL doctors cabinets to get a full taste of how they run a business, who work with locals.
5. Ticuan – the best hotel i found so far ($65 a night)
6. You might not need a car, but i felt safer with my own rented car from San Diego
7. Dental work what I felt comfortable to do in Tijuana – feelings only, old feeling restoration.
8. Dental work what I didn’t felt comfortable to do in Tijuana – extractions, crowns. The reasons: they tell you to use antibiotics, which i never used after a proper oral surgeon. I didn’t felt comfortable to extract my 2 wisdom teeth in Mexico, so I did it in the US – no antibiotics, local doctor care, warranty, no cuts, simple and easy extractions (cost 2.5 times more but worth it IMHO)
Bottom line – is it worth it it to do dental work in Mexico?
Answer – probably no… Regular feelings will cost you 200$ in the US. If you need crowns you better safe or for in EU (Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus – they have outstanding clinics and doctors at fracture of the US cost (probably 10x cheeper and incredible quality)).
I posted comments about Tijuana dentistry a couple of years ago and agree with your conclusions. Prospective patients should be very clear in advance what they need, shop carefully, and be wary of the most visible clinics. It’s a frightening experience to be in a foreign country dealing with fraudulent tactics, not knowing what rights you have if any. I got stuck in a fraud clinic with a $6000 phony estimate, and wanted to just walk out the door. But I had no idea what would happen. I could’ve ended up in a Mexican jail for non-payment since they had already done a lengthy (totally unnecessary) exam.
The whole thing was basically a con job. They told me the exam was free by email, no obligation. That story changed when I was in the chair. Just one example of the fraudulent claims: They wouldn’t do the two fillings I needed because they claimed root canals were necessary. A US dentist later did the fillings with no problems.
I have had dental work numerous times over the years in Algodones. Have used several different dentists, mostly recommended by Escapees members at their Yuma RV park. Everyone has their own favorite dentist – mostly because they have had success. Obviously the reverse is true – those with bad experiences hate their dentist.
Though this blog is useful for anecdotal experiences, I suspect the very wide range of dental conditions going into treatment makes the value of the information here very questionable. We don’t know how bad folks teeth were, what level of care they had had, or what their personal dental hygiene experiences were.
I have three general problems with crowns done in Algodones. First, I think there is a conflict of interest and a perverse motive in the Mexican use of root canals. They use about 3 times, plus/minus, as many root canals as are done in U.S. It seems to be the MAIN way to make money, so they use them in excess IMO.
Second, the lab work, though at first blush looks good, has problems in my opinion. The lab does not provide adequate clown length at the gum margin. The underlying tooth is frequently slightly exposed or there is no margin coverage. If it doesn’t happen right away, it will shortly – especially for older folks. That will cause decay problems.
Third, the crown fit isn’t very good in my case, but I do confess to a serious overbite. Anyway, they could do better on fit. Excess adjustment grinding is a sure sign of poor fit.
Just my 10 years of experience.
Headed to tj tomorrow to look for a dentist for an implant. Do you have first name for dr torres
Hello Miss Sharon, did you go to see Dr Torres? I would like to know what you have done and how is your experiance with his work?
Thanks. JM
No, didn’t find him. Found Dentist in Placentia for $1400. Including bone graft
My husband, sister and brother-in-law went to CIRCLE DENTAL in Los Algodones in March of 2016. WE are all from WA and spend the winters in Indio, CA. It is a 3 hour drive to Los Algodones. I had a crown put on my implant for $550. It fit perfectly. I went in one day to have an impression and the next afternoon it was ready. We got our teeth cleaned for $30. Glenn had 25 crowns and 2 bridges done for $6,000. They did all the prep work in one day and he went back a week later to have new crowns put on. He had no infections, everything fit perfectly and they look fantastic. Another friend from Canada had 26 crowns and 3 root canals done for $6,500. He a had no infections or problems and everything fit perfectly. Several other people from our RV park also went to Circle dental and all had great results and were very happy with the work done. There are 4 dentists and all are very good. We did call ahead to make appointments.
Hi Jill, can you tell me the names of the doctors you are happy with at Circle Dental? Do you have an address or phone number for the business? Thank you.
I’ve empirically observed a number of cases reportedly done in Mexico.
Good: 1) The most fantastic all gold crown work I’ve ever seen. Beautiful anatomy on all 24 teeth they still had, the margins were exquisite. Quite impressive lab work. The patient came to see me due to lack of periodontal work and all his teeth once they were uncomfortably loose. Up to that point the restorative work had worked for him.
Bad: 1) A patient went to Mexico to have all of his teeth extracted prior to having a denture made in Phoenix to save money. When arriving to the Phoenix clinic to have his dentures made I was called in by the denturist as there appeared to be parts of teeth still in the mouth. A panoramic film revealed every single tooth that he had previously had was simply broken off at the gum line leaving roots partially exposed and buried. The subsequent oral surgeon visit turned every formerly simple extraction into a surgical extraction.
As reported before, there is always good and bad anywhere you go. Sometimes the monetary savings is apparently worth the risk.
It’s mentioned that the cost is typically around 1/3 of the cost in the US – does this assume one has no insurance in the US or does this take into account the discounted prices one gets if they do have insurance?
I did the math and I save about 50% on the dental work.
For an Implant at Bernal Dental; including everything required (bone graft, implant, abatement, post/support, crown):
U.S. $3073 (this is after insurance)
Mex: $1550 (this does not include any insurance coverage. I am on a DMO plan and it does not cover out-of-country)
But not done, I will need to go to Mexico twice so the round trip flights are around $400. So adding the flights:
U.S. $3873 (including 2 round trip flights)
Mex: $1550
Now the saving drops to 40%
Am I missing something or is the 1/3 not including the transportation costs and assuming we don;t have any dental insurance?
I’ve based my price estimates on having no insurance in the US. So I’m comparing the cash price I’d pay in US to the cash price I’d pay in Mexico.
Nina
I know it is a little late to add to this post, but I went to Mexico to follow up on a botch job I received in the U S. I found their facilities quite clean, sanitary and knowledge was very much a plus!! Unfortunately I waited 9 years to do a follow up implant that landed me in ICU with a horrible diagnosis of sepsis & almost dying. The following year went back to have the back tooth implanted that I lost during the bout of sepsis…I ended up loosing the inplant I had payed for ended up having to have everything there surgically removed & now $21,000 dollars later not including the cost of 8 days in ICU, I am still missing the bottom back teeth & am now having to deal with bone loss due to infection. I really wished I would have done the work in Progresso Mexico when I looked into it!!
Buyers remorse
I want to get porcleline veneers. Can you tell me what a bal park total cost would be? And a reputable Dr. to go to? I see prices from $59-$450 and am not sure if that is per tooth or total.
Thank you.
I have been researching, it would be per tooth. I have yet to decide where and with whom I’m going to get the work done. Reading many of these posts have frightened me. Also if your bite if off I have read it will cause stress on the veneers and they can crack and all veneers are not treated equal. I’ve seen some before and after where they look fake and terrible. Do your research and you move forward please update us here.
I had 14 teeth pulled in Los Algodones (Near Yuma, Az). I did this in 2012. I also had a upper full denture made and a partial lower denture made. I paid ~$1400.00. That is for all the dental procedures. Possibly a stay over a couple nights, a place to stay and food.
You get what you pay for. The pain medication for the extractions must of been expired or not Novocain.
I had to have 24 pain shots. But I got through it.
The dentures looked good for about 4 years, now it is time for new dentures or implants. This is 2017 and here is my advice.
To have extractions, it is super cheap per tooth.
Denture cost may vary from one dentist to another in Mexico. See if you can find the city denture maker. It is possible to make a deal with the denture maker separately.
Get some update referral information on dentist.
I hate dentist over all. The dental procedures are prices are totally based on “what the market will bear to pay.”
Sometimes you can find americans that take you across the border and set you with the dentist of your needs. One this to insist on. EVERYONE SPEAKS AMERICAN WHILE TREATING YOU AND THROUGH THE BILLING PROCESS.
When they speak a language you don’t understand and look at the work they just got done performing on you oddly, there may be a problem. There was in my case. Insist that every thing is spoken in a language you understand.
You will get a good deal. Better than the rip-off dentist in the U.S. .
Nobody should make $1000 to pull a few teeth that hurt you, especially when you are a military veteran.
The military dentist assistants that have training from the military, they just get out of the military should be able to work in VA hospitals for veterans that require this type of easy procedures and don’t qualify to have teeth pulled or cleaned by VA dentist. Assist veterans more than we are.
More dental needs are needed by veterans than any other health procedures.
Great post thank you! I have had some work done in Algodones by Dr. Armando Salazar at Apolonia Dental. I have been going to a dentist here in Tucson and he told me that I needed at least $30,000 worth of work done and I had the minimum done for $3500 that included a temporary partial and a crown. one day I was talking to a friend and she said that she and her husband both go to Dr. Salazar over in Algodones Mexico. I couldn’t believe the prices they were telling me. So I made a appointment with the Doc and it was awesome. He didn’t waste any time talking about the whole procedure he just got my okay and started working. He extracted one tooth and added it to my temporary partial the whole thing took about 3 hours and like a dummy I only brought credit cards so I had to go find a ATM and get cash. So that trip cost less than $100 and the work was excellent. The next trip he crowned a tooth and measured me for a metal partial. The crown cost $220 and the partial was $250 that took three days to complete so I had to make a couple of trips but the crown and partial are a perfect fit. So if you go be sure to take enough cash to cover your work and be prepared to get the work done in short order. If you already know what you need done call them and they will give you a quote over the phone. His office is easy to find it’s a easy walk from the border entrance. Parking on the US side of the border costs $6 for the day and its a easy walk. I had all of this work done in February 2017 and I will go back when I need dental work again. BTW No problems crossing the border and getting back. Take your passport!
I live in Yuma and was seeing a dentist in town. When I broke a tooth, and had another that needed to be pulled and replaced with an implant, I decided to see what the procedure would cost in Mexico. Needless to say, it was significantly different. I had the crown done for $560 and a root canal for $340 and the tooth extracted for $50. I am waiting to go back for the implant which was estimated to be $1700. This was with Rubio Dental in Los Algodones. I am pleased with their service, but Monday I was going to pick up glasses in Los Algodones, and the manager of a dental practice enticed me to come with him to meet the dentist and tour the office of his guy. The dentist is young – been in practice about 8 years and it appears he left a group and is just setting up his own practice. He trained with Rubio and his prices are insanely low. I was offered a deep discount for referring fellow Yumans to his practice. I can’t find any reason not to give them a try – their implant price is $500 vs $1700 – and I found this blog while looking for more information on Rigoberto Zazueta DDS. At these prices, I am considering other procedures that I’d pretty much figured would have to become an emergency. I live 15 minutes from Los Algodones, and we go there for the dental, optical (still 1 hr service) and the pharmacy – the dentist gave me an Rx for amoxicillin and the entire bottle of 100 was about $5. And if we time it right, lunch and the best margaritas at Pueblo Viejo right across from the border crossing. BTW, you can cross with just your USA driver’s license, but if you have a passport it is better.
Thanks. This was actually useful information. Thank you for stating the name of the clinic you used, too. I appreciate it.
We also discovered Dr. Rigoberto Zazueta; he was fantastic and very reasonable! I think his new place is called Face+Dent (strange name, but….both my husband and I had extensive work done and have been very pleased)
HQ Dental Clinics in Cancun, Los Algodones, & Tijuana
Hello! This is Joshua & Natsuko again from Chibi Moku. We are full time RVers and architectural filmmakers who have been following this blog post forever and constantly see when people are commenting on it. We’ve been following Wheelingit since we started RVing full time 5 years ago.
Anyway, after personally doing dental in Tijuana, Cancun, & Playa del Carmen over the years…we got passionate about this topic and started our own dental company down in Mexico. My wife and I both had pretty bad teeth for our age before going to Mexico for dental. We are still doing our architectural documentaries as our work for Chibi Moku, but our second company is JUST focused on dental tourism. We realized that so many people couldn’t find good dentists and were worried when traveling abroad about getting bad work…so we decided to do something about it. Over the last 3 years, Natsuko and I developed our company SOTA DENTAL CANCUN. It started as a way to just bring in some patients to Cancun, but exploded overnight. Our goal was to seek out only the 1 best dentist in each geographic area based off their proven work, social media presence, and professional attitude. But most important was the quality of their work and statistical success rates. Dr. Galvez in Cancun is my main business partner and we make sure to have someone of his level check ALL cases that come through our company. He makes all dental decisions in our company no matter the location via a virtual network I created for our doctors to collaborate. We have 3 clinics down in Cancun, Puerto Morelos, & Playa del Carmen…but will be adding 1 new clinic in Los Algodones and 1 in Tijuana starting the beginning of 2018. We are filming the new clinics from Jan 2-8 and will have all the new content up on our SOTA DENTAL website soon after (while filming down in Arizona with architects from the school of Frank Lloyd Wright….phew! Gonna be a busy month!) We know RVer’s tend to be in these areas so we really want to make sure our full time RV family is taken care of…not just Cancun travelers.
Treat our website just as you would anyone elses. Research it, and look through it closely as well as everyone else in the market. Don’t just take my word for it…or anyones for that matter. It’s your health! We never want anyone going to Mexico without doing great research on all the clinics. However, Natsuko and I worked so hard to seek out only the absolute best doctors….rather than trying to bring on a bunch of doctors in each area that we cannot confirm their work. Our doctors must PROVE their dental work and have it vetted by the international dental community for us to bring them on our team. Thanks to the social media age, you can find doctors who literally post all their cases daily. This was key in us deciding who comes on our team. We know that is what RVers need…just a better trustworthy source for doctors who can PROVE their work. Not these huge dental facilitator companies who are being paid by doctors to list themselves on their websites. This creates bad information for patients and is quite unethical in our opinion. As filmmakers…we went in and interviewed them very hard to make sure they were honest & good people. Most of our doctors are family driven people who love their careers and just want time with their families. They are all like our family too. We make sure to take care of everyone well.
We are still living on the road making our architectural films day to day…but I am proud to have created this option for Americans specifically. We got into it because everyone was protesting about healthcare in the US…and we thought….rather than protest…just do something about it. Due to the fact that I specifically picked the highest level doctors in the areas with the most advanced equipment, sometimes prices are a little lower at other clinics. But, we are not in the business of doing cheap work…so I pay our doctors a good wage for their work and only attract patients who are serious about getting good work done. People who want to take the risk out of the trip. Our prices are pretty darn competitive though. You get what you pay for in anything in life. If you want it done by a specialists who has a good heart and really cares…on the best equipment…that is why you come to us.
Anyway…we get back on the road later this month and will be in Yuma soon. If anyone ever needs help…just contact us via the SOTA Dental website. I personally am the first person to check all emails coming through to make sure everyone is taken care of. This is not a huge $$$ making business for us…as our film work keeps us busy. But it is great to help so many people with their smiles! Especially our American RV family!
Joshua & Natsuko
Chibi Moku
SOTA Dental
I don’t usually let these kind of self-promotion comments through, but appreciate the fact that you are fellow RVers and have put a solid case forward for what you do. If any of my blog readers decide to use this service, please post a review for others.
Nina
Thanks for letting us share our story. This isn’t really just about business…it was about finding a solution to a problem that SO many fellow RVers are having. Dental is so darn expensive back home…and it’s just not fair that people have to be in pain rather than get help. We didn’t go into this with a plan to make a business…but rather just to verify a few good dentists in each area. We figured that as filmmakers, we could at least show some of the doctors faces to people so they could make decisions for themselves. After doing this…it kind of took on a life of it’s own as we had no idea the amount of people who were needing help.
Thanks a lot for helping US to find dental options with your blog and also for helping the butterfly effect! Who knows how many people this will be able to help!
I hope your plan will help weed out the bad dentists. I lost two teeth and thousands of dollars due to bad dental work in Los Algodones by Doctor Lupita Montes and had gods implant work done my Dr Medina..
The two of you are just adorable. Thanks for all this information—as I sit here with a botched filling and infection from an Oregon dentist.
Anyways, your lifestyle looks amazing and the people here have given me some hope that there is another way to keep my teeth besides moving out of my apartment and renting a cheap room somewhere for ten years just to afford it!!