Dental Work in Mexico

26 th Feb Friday


A few weeks ago I had my teeth cleaned in MX and I was advised that I needed some Dental work because I had some "Old " fillings that were leaking which had caused some cavities. I also have a "bridge" and it would have to be replaced. So I dug up the nerve to return to the Dentist is MX since I knew this work had to be done someday so I might as well face the music.
I have been going to the same Dentist for about 10 years so I feel quite comfortable with " Maria ". This was a husband and wife team but they have now added their daughter to the office and I'm sure the daughter does the majority of the work on a slow day.
We went to MX around 9:30 and I did not bother to make an appointment because I know their appointments are arranged around the number of  "walk in " customers and appointments are seldom if ever on time. I arrived at the office around 10:00 AM.


Maria's office is located in a courtyard area surrounded by 5 other Dental offices, so it is a very busy courtyard area because these is were everyone and there spouse sit to wait their turn. Most dental waiting rooms will hold no more that 4 people so the courtyard is were you wait your turn and "chew the fat " with ( mostly interesting ) people you don't know but it helps to kill time. Most spouses get bored and  leave their "partner" after a short time  and go for a walk or mostly go shopping. This includes Carroll, however her boredom forced her to buy a purse and a wallet that she did not need.


The dental clerk said she could get me in shortly, which in Mexico terms means somewhere between 20 minutes and an hour. During our wait we drummed up a conversation with a couple from Las Vegas who come to MX for all their dental work. As an example,  a Crown replacement in Yuma cost 1500.00 and in MX it 200.00. When I got into the Dental chair,  Maria was my dentist which I liked because she has done all my dental work. She told me I would need two " root canals" and that she would need to arrange for a "Specialist " to do the work and he was not available until 3 PM.


 I should tell you that  Root Canals , in most dental offices are done by a Specialist, not by the Dentist and the Specialist  only do the Root Canal not the preparatory  work.   Maria then prepared my two teeth for the root canals which included removing the bridge. Then she prepared another tooth for a Crown. In the mean time Carroll returned to check on me and I told her to go for lunch as the root Canal was not schedule until 3 PM. She told me which restaurant was going to so that is where I could find her later.  Once my teeth were prepared Maria told me to take a break and to return at 2:45 to get ready for the Specialist. Since I knew which restaurant Carroll was going to I went there; but no Carroll, so now I have to check on several restaurants in a two block area. I found her at our favorite "haunt" which is the Taco stand where they serve Shrimp Tacos for 1.50 and beer cost a dollar. You gotta love Mexico.
After Carroll finished her lunch ( I did not feel like eating ) we meandered  back to the dental courtyard to wait on the Specialist for my 3 PM appointment. Maria then called me in so they could do the Impressions for the Crowns and the Bridge. Then back out to the courtyard to wait.
While sitting the courtyard you can see the " Specialist"  moving from office to office. Usually, a dental assistant will arrive 5 or 10 minutes before the Doctor and she will be pulling a small suit case with all the tools and she sets up the tools and gets you prepared. When the doctor arrives,   they usually speak fluent English and they always introduce themselves and their assistant. After freezing half of my face , he goes right to work and both teeth where done in about 1/2 an hour. The doctor then does an x-ray to ensure that all is well and he then shake hands and leaves. Incidentally, Root Canals cost 300.00. It is now about 5 PM and I am done until tomorrow when I have an appointment for 11 AM tomorrow to install the bridge and the Crowns.
During the afternoon we noticed a long lineup of about 1 1/2 hour returning to the USA but by 5 PM the lineup was gone and we walked right thru until Carroll got to the customs officer. He says , this is your luckily day as you have been chosen by the computer to be further checked, No reason given. So she was ushered to another office where she had to wait in line with other " convicts" ha ha.  One gentleman waiting with me ask a Custom Office if his wife would be leaving out our exit door or the back door. He reply " if she goes out the back door  she will be in hand cuffs ". We all laughed, but the custom officer did not. When Carroll got to the Officer he said I don't know why you are here so you are free to go.


26 th Feb Saturday
We arrived about 10:30 AM, foolishly thinking that I might get in early but I don't think my Crowns and Bridge had arrived so again I was parked in the courtyard. Carroll brought a pair of my "good " shoes that really need a polish so she took them to the local Square where all the  Shoeshine boys/men ply their services. She also want to buy some Asparagus which they sell on the street corner  besides it helps to kill time for her. While sitting in the courtyard waiting on my Crowns I was speaking with a guy from Minnesota, whose wife was having Mega work on her teeth as she grinds her teeth and has worn them down. He said the estimate at home was 22,000.00 and Maria was doing it for 2600.00.
Finally my Crowns and Bridge arrived and it probably took and hour to install the them. The Bridge  took a little grinding to fit properly so it was sent back to the factory ( down the street ) to be re-polished . The dental offices have Runners , much like our Couriers on Bicycles to deliver the impressions and to pickup the Crowns etc.
The cost for the 3 Crowns, a Bridge and two root Canals cost 1600.00. I think and hope that my insurance will cover 50 % of the cost. I'll let you equate that to a cost if I had it done in Canada. cheers