[Doc Juansinn]

Ok, a few years ago my dentist informed me that I would soon require a crown or two. While in Germany last week eating some Jelly Bellys, I became convinced he was right.

My dentist's advice was to get some good dental insurance first as the crowns would cost about $800. each. Well, I still don't have the good dental insurance and I imagine that the cost has gone up since then.

Two days ago, at my doctor's office, I talked with one of his office assistants who had just returned from a trip to Mexico to get some dental work done. She had seen this Mexican dentist several times in the past and was confident in her (the dentist) abilities. She just had a removable bridge (one tooth), and a removable partial bridge put in. She said it had taken one day for the work and even showed me the bridges. Her cost? $550. (I believe she said that this includes some other more routine work too). Apparently a crown would cost about $200.

Searching the web has revealed many sories about Americans and Canadians going to Mexico for treatment, but I'm wondering if anyone here has done this. Let us know if you have.

Thanks in advance.

[anthonyvthc]

Originally posted by Dr. Wahnsinn:
Ok, a few years ago my dentist informed me that I would soon require a crown or two. While in Germany last week eating some Jelly Bellys, I became convinced he was right.

My dentist's advice was to get some good dental insurance first as the crowns would cost about $800. each. Well, I still don't have the good dental insurance and I imagine that the cost has gone up since then.

Two days ago, at my doctor's office, I talked with one of his office assistants who had just returned from a trip to Mexico to get some dental work done. She had seen this Mexican dentist several times in the past and was confident in her (the dentist) abilities. She just had a removable bridge (one tooth), and a removable partial bridge put in. She said it had taken one day for the work and even showed me the bridges. Her cost? $550. (I believe she said that this includes some other more routine work too). Apparently a crown would cost about $200.

Searching the web has revealed many sories about Americans and Canadians going to Mexico for treatment, but I'm wondering if anyone here has done this. Let us know if you have.

Thanks in advance.

While not really what you're looking for...
I once talked to a woman at work who said that she accompanies her friend to Mexico for all sorts of medical reasons (mostly getting prescriptions that aren't available in the US). I don't really remember too many of the details. The one thing that stuck out (and I quote): "It's great, they let you smoke right there in the doctor's office!"

[Big Mac]

Unless I was terribly desperate to save money, God forbid, I would never consider surgery in Mexico. One can get sick just by breathing the ambient fumes of Mexico City, due to the lack of sanitation. And most people have heard "not to drink the water" over there. Hundreds, if not thousands, of Mexicans risk their lives on a monthly basis to get into the United States. The perceived risks definitely outweigh possible monetary benefits.

[RobOnTheCape]

I certainly could be wrong, but your comments regarding Mexico sound ignorant in the sense that you know nothing about that country besides what you might pick up on the tube, Fox news for instance.

Mexico City may be quite dirty true, but so are some parts of the States. I remember living just south of L.A. in the early eighties, and we thought it useless to wash our cars since three days later the cars were covered in soot like they were never washed. I hear Southern Cal. is much cleaner now than it was though. My main point is that to lump the dirty air and sanitation of Mexico City with the rest of the country would be unfair.

They people cross the border to the States in droves not because the air is cleaner or because the dentists here use better tasting toothpaste during cleanings. It's because there are jobs here. I'm positive there are plenty of dentists there who are quite competent to perform whatever dental work one would need. You don't have to go to Mexico City for it. Go to a sight such as Playadelcarmen.com and ask in their forum where some of the many U.S. expats go to get there work done. You may have to be forced to drive a bit to beautiful Merida or somewhere similar. That way you can use your savings on dental work by spending it on margaritas on the white sands of the Yucatan.

Went down there in February, and probably going again in May for a few days rest. All in all if I didn't have job considerations I'd trade Cape Cod for Playa del Carmen or better - Tulum in a heart beat.

[Big Mac]

Originally posted by RobOnTheCape:
I certainly could be wrong, but your comments regarding Mexico sound ignorant in the sense that you know nothing about that country besides what you might pick up on the tube, Fox news for instance.

Well, it's funny you say that, since I learned about the air quality issues of Mexico City from an Hispanic professor who specializes in Latin America; I can assure you, he is certainly not of the Fox News mindset but rather socialist in political persuasion. So yes, you are in fact wrong to presume I would make such assertions without grounding in fact.

[ManOfSteal]

I wouldn't even trust buying "Crest" in Mexico...

[RobOnTheCape]

Mexico City has major health issues granted, much more than southern Cal from years ago. The city is situated in some volcanic bowl of some sort, which prevents the emissioms from escaping. However, using that city to insinuate that the country is a cesspool is a stretch.

I think the "perceived" risks outside of places like Mexico City are just that, perceived, and not based on reality.

From one sentence you mention "don't drink the water" down there to the next about how they risk their lives to come here by the thousands. One doesn't necessarily follow the other. It's the foreigners who can't drink there water. Mexicans can drink from the tap with not much of a problem. They are not crossing the border for Poland Springs from the tap, but again it's about jobs.

[Big Mac]

Originally posted by RobOnTheCape:
Mexico City has major health issues granted, much more than southern Cal from years ago. The city is situated in some volcanic bowl of some sort, which prevents the emissioms from escaping. However, using that city to insinuate that the country is a cesspool is a stretch.

I think the "perceived" risks outside of places like Mexico City are just that, perceived, and not based on reality.

From one sentence you mention "don't drink the water" down there to the next about how they risk their lives to come here by the thousands. One doesn't necessarily follow the other. It's the foreigners who can't drink there water. Mexicans can drink from the tap with not much of a problem. They are not crossing the border for Poland Springs from the tap, but again it's about jobs.

They're not crossing the border for clean water, and no one could possibly infer that that is what I meant from my previous post. I was just making various points about the general condition of Mexico. And, by the way, if foreigners cannot tolerate Mexican tap water while natives allegedly can, that still obviously does not speak highly of Mexican tap water.

[Mithras]

Anyway Mexico is a highly stratified society, and it may very well be that the price of (what would be for Mexicans) top-line dental care is cheaper than it is here. And assuming you're going to a place that caters to high-income Mexicans, there's no reason to think that any of the lessons learned in average or poor Mexico ("don't drink the water") would apply.

Sorry I can't be any more useful, though!

[bubblewrap]

A latin lady at work her goes to Mexico all the time for dental work. Had crowns done. Can't beat the price and you get a vacation.

[Cody Dawg]

I would never go somewhere, Mexico or otherwise, to get dental work done.

My spouse just had two crowns and a bridge redone. Guess what? Yes, it was expensive: $800 each for the crowns and $3000 for the bridge.

But, after the work was done was what is/was important: They needed slight modifications. He had to go back in twice to get more tweaking done.

If you go somewhere and get the work done, then come home, then find out that they need readjustments or fixing for some reason, you're stuck. Now you have to find a local dentist to take over your continuing care and they will charge you and now you may as well have had it done right where you are.

Also, most reputable dentists stand behind their work, so that means some sort of guarantee. If you use a local guy you're good. If not, good luck.

Seriously, it's a huge investment but look at it this way: Do you own a car? How much was it? Your health and your teeth are worth more than a car that eventually depreciates and falls apart and becomes close to worthless, if not worthless, over time.

Make the investment in yourself...you're worth it.

[von Wrangell]

Originally posted by Big Mac:
And, by the way, if foreigners cannot tolerate Mexican tap water while natives allegedly can, that still obviously does not speak highly of Mexican tap water.

It has nothing or very little to do with the quality of their tap water. It's a different bacterial flora than foreigners are used to and tends to give people the typical "foreigners stomach". Mexicans can get the same result if they drink our "high quality" tap water.

[G4ME]

my grand parents had some dental work done in mexico back in the mid 90s don't think they had any problems with it.

[Big Mac]

Originally posted by von Wrangell:
It has nothing or very little to do with the quality of their tap water. It's a different bacterial flora than foreigners are used to and tends to give people the typical "foreigners stomach". Mexicans can get the same result if they drink our "high quality" tap water.

Uh huh. Then why do people warn specifically about Mexican tap water as opposed to Canadian or European tap water? I'm highly skeptical of your account.

[Turias]

Originally posted by Big Mac:
Uh huh. Then why do people warn specifically about Mexican tap water as opposed to Canadian or European tap water? I'm highly skeptical of your account.

Yes, the tap water in Mexico City is bad. In fact, even the locals don't drink it until it has been boiled.

But people don't drink the tap water in Washington D.C. either, for fear of lead poisoning.


And I do take offense to your "general conditions of Mexico" comments. I agree, some places in Mexico are pretty bad. The poverty along the border is horrible, and yes, Mexico City is extremely polluted. But parts of the country are also very nice, and I'm sure there are dentists all over that would do an excellent job on your teeth. I would, however, recommend not seeing dentists right along the border. Go to an area of Mexico that isn't known for its "cheap" goods and services for foreigners. I'm sure many of them are fine, but personally, I'd be wary.

[urbatronik]

Originally posted by Big Mac:
And, by the way, if foreigners cannot tolerate Mexican tap water while natives allegedly can, that still obviously does not speak highly of Mexican tap water.

I can't eat US junk food "that l obviously does not speak highly of american junk food". (duh)

i never drink tap water in mexico, either in the US, so i cant talk about that.

i think is all about our different cultures. i cant eat your junk food..you cant drink my water, period.

[Vi0]

Mexico is awful because of the culture there. If Americans lived in Mexico, it'd be a great place. I think the mexicans who come to America are ridiculous. Basically it all comes down to greed and laziness. Mexicans will not work to build up their own free country with a good economy like Europeans and Americans will. Their culture isn't complex and evolving. But they sure do scrub a toilet like nobody else.

[Turias]

Originally posted by Vi0:
Mexico is awful because of the culture there. If Americans lived in Mexico, it'd be a great place. I think the mexicans who come to America are ridiculous. Basically it all comes down to greed and laziness. Mexicans will not work to build up their own free country with a good economy like Europeans and Americans will. Their culture isn't complex and evolving. But they sure do scrub a toilet like nobody else.

Wow. I pronounce you the king of idiotic stereotypes. I've got a great idea. Let's walk down a street in south-eastern D.C. (which is brimming with crime and poverty) and try and sum up America from the kind of people we see there.

[Cody Dawg]

But they sure do scrub a toilet like nobody else.

What an ass.

Pfffft.

[OreoCookie]

Originally posted by Vi0:
Mexico is awful because of the culture there. If Americans lived in Mexico, it'd be a great place. I think the mexicans who come to America are ridiculous. Basically it all comes down to greed and laziness. Mexicans will not work to build up their own free country with a good economy like Europeans and Americans will. Their culture isn't complex and evolving. But they sure do scrub a toilet like nobody else.

So you're really trying to offend people here? Or was it a bad joke?

[TeknoTurd]

LOL

[VoicesInMyHead]

Big Mac, you (and your spanish professor or whatever) are one of the self-centered, ignorant and prejudiced people I am so tired of. I do take offense from your comments, and if YOU haven't gone to Mexico City, well, then just shut up and speak from your experience, and not from someone else's.

I am Mexican, born and raised in Mexico City, even got my B.S. there. I Came to the US to get my Ph.D. in Microbiology, so I guess I know a 'bit' more about water quality than you. And the reason some foreigners get sick with the water in Mexico is the same one that gets me sick when I come back here to Iowa: we have diferent intestinal flora, and the water has different mineral contents. I have been living here for 7 years, and I still get a bit sick when I go back home and then come back to Iowa.

Yes, the air quality is poor, but it also depends on the season and weather. It is usually worse in winter. However, when I went to Los Angeles (which by the way is a horrible city) I did not see any difference between LA smog and Mexico City's. At least in Mexico City you can walk to places, you don't need to be glued to your car all the time.

And no, I didn't come here to study because of lack of good schools in Mexico. I just wanted the experience of living abroad, and since I spoke english, the US was a good choice. So save your "So what are you doing here then?" speech.

You can get excellent health and dental care in Mexico. You just have to get referred to a good doctor/dentist, and the cost would be a fraction of what would be in the US. One of my friends almost died here in the US because his HMO wasn't willing to fork out the costs of the tests he needed to determine if he had a genetic bone disease. He ended up having to go to his country (in this case, Spain) to get the care he needed, because his HMO would just keep denying him the care he required. Something similiar happened to me, and just because of that, I am not going to say that ALL health care in the US is like that.

I had a great time in the US, but I'm going to go back to Mexico soon to work there and try to make a difference. It might have bad air or bad water, but at least I won't have to be dealing with prejudiced ignorants like you.

[bzImage]

wow, just looking at the prices you guys have to pay in order to have dental care....

My wife is a dentist and she works for the government in a "DIF" (in Mexico City) a facility that provides health care and dental care for cheap prices. (5 dollars an extraction, 10 dollars an amalgam, 20 dollars a bridge, etc, etc.)

She studied for 7 years and has a speciality on dental and maxillofacila surgery, she earns about 200 us dollars per month.

I can say that she knows very well her work and she is really good, so cheap dont means bad or unhealty.

Just one thing, if you are going to Mexico for any health issues, dont just go to the border (Tijuana, El paso, Ciudad Juarez, etc.) go to Mexico City, Monterrey or Guadalajara.

The borders are the most horrible places that i have ever been (yes im a mexican). Go to the big cities, there will be no comparision between a big city and a border city.

[bzImage]

Originally posted by Vi0:
Mexico is awful because of the culture there. If Americans lived in Mexico, it'd be a great place. I think the mexicans who come to America are ridiculous. Basically it all comes down to greed and laziness. Mexicans will not work to build up their own free country with a good economy like Europeans and Americans will. Their culture isn't complex and evolving. But they sure do scrub a toilet like nobody else.

What can i say.. you really dont deserve to live in america.

[Vi0]

Originally posted by bzImage:
What can i say.. you really dont deserve to live in america.

Neither do illegal mexicans or any decendents of illegal mexicans. In fact, all illegals as well!

[deej5871]

Originally posted by bzImage:
She studied for 7 years and has a speciality on dental and maxillofacila surgery, she earns about 200 us dollars per month.

She makes $2,400 a year...as a dentist? What am I missing here? Shouldn't she be making more than that?

[VoicesInMyHead]

ViO, or whatever your nickname is:

Unless you are a native american (which I seriously doubt), your ancestors were also immigrants. They came to the US for the same reason all the illegal immigrants come to this country. And, if you bothered to ask around, your immigrant ancestors were also discriminated in their time by racist people like you.

Several areas of the US economy depend heavily on migrant workers, and if the jobs weren't there, well, there wouldn't be any immigration. It's a demand/supply thing, and in spite of this and their importance for the economy, it's easy for politicians and bosses not to recognize their rights as human beings and blame them of everything.

And, by the way: it's spelled 'descendents'.

People like you really give the US and americans a bad name.

[Big Mac]

Originally posted by VoicesInMyHead:
Big Mac, you (and your spanish professor or whatever) are one of the self-centered, ignorant and prejudiced people I am so tired of. I do take offense from your comments, and if YOU haven't gone to Mexico City, well, then just shut up and speak from your experience, and not from someone else's.

That's pretty damn hilarious. Vi0 just openly expressed sentiments about Mexico far harsher than anything I wrote, yet you jump down my throat. Note that I only spoke to some of the environmental and economic conditions of Mexico, and I did not articulate any beliefs about immigration policy or the Mexican work ethic, as opposed to Vi0. Perhaps, just possibly, your harsh response is due to the fact that I hit much closer to home with my comments than he did, so you felt it necessary to go ballistic on me while being comparatively cordial to him. You sanctimoniously tell me to shut up, which only suggests you cannot stomach diversity of opinion. For a person who purports to be so accomplished intellectually, you certainly have a lot of maturing to do, buddy.

[SpaceMonkey]

Uh oh, someone call Lou Dobbs.

[awaspaas]

maaan, this thread boring, it make me so sleepy...

[Turias]

Originally posted by Big Mac:
That's pretty damn hilarious. Vi0 just openly expressed sentiments about Mexico far harsher than anything I wrote, yet you jump down my throat. Note that I only spoke to some of the environmental and economic conditions of Mexico, and I did not articulate any beliefs about immigration policy or the Mexican work ethic, as opposed to Vi0. Perhaps, just possibly, your harsh response is due to the fact that I hit much closer to home with my comments than he did, so you felt it necessary to go ballistic on me while being comparatively cordial to him. You sanctimoniously tell me to shut up, which only suggests you cannot stomach diversity of opinion. For a person who purports to be so accomplished intellectually, you certainly have a lot of maturing to do, buddy.

Actually, if you take a look at Vi0's posting history, all he does is post flame bait. It probably would have been better if we had all ignored his comments. Yours, on the other hand, were posted out of ignorance.

[andi*pandi]

don't know about Mexico... but a friend's mother is going to Russia to get her bridgework done. (She is native Russian.)

What scares me, is how expensive dental work must be, that flying to RUSSIA, plus getting the work done, is cheaper than here?

::clutches her Delta Dental insurance card::

[MacLone]

Look, I am from Monterrey, Mexico an i would like to clear some stupid stuff i was reading here.
First, Mexico City is the bigest city on earth, and yes, because it's size is terribly poluted and insecure but that's it...i mean Mexico is a whole country, not just the capital, and there are real big, working and rich cities like mine. Don't think of mexico like you use to see the frontiers or the poor people trying to pass the border.
I can assure you there are Very qualified and excelent Hospitals, Doctors and dentists among other good working people.

[Vi0]

Originally posted by VoicesInMyHead:
ViO, or whatever your nickname is:

Unless you are a native american (which I seriously doubt), your ancestors were also immigrants. They came to the US for the same reason all the illegal immigrants come to this country. And, if you bothered to ask around, your immigrant ancestors were also discriminated in their time by racist people like you.

Several areas of the US economy depend heavily on migrant workers, and if the jobs weren't there, well, there wouldn't be any immigration. It's a demand/supply thing, and in spite of this and their importance for the economy, it's easy for politicians and bosses not to recognize their rights as human beings and blame them of everything.

And, by the way: it's spelled 'descendents'.

People like you really give the US and americans a bad name.

Hey guess what dipstick, even "native americans" are immigrants. You sure do look stupid now!

How am I racist? Mexicans aren't a race. Boring name calling.

The US economy on depends on migrant workers because it has been redesigned to do so by exploitative businesses and the corrupt government which does not treat illegal immigration as the serious criminal offense that it is. There are plenty of Americans willing to do every job under the right conditions.

Who cares how I spell? this is just a forum.

Oh and guess what? All my ancestors applied to gain entry to the United States. And they worked hard and are decent modest people who do not drain the economy, attempt to change the culture of America, try to institute unconstitutional policies that give them ethnic preference or try to destroy opposition to their criminal presence by introducing "hate laws" and banning free speech. That's exactly what these illegal mexicans and many other illegal foreigners try to do with the help of sympathetic liberal traitors.

[malvolio]

Originally posted by Vi0:
Oh and guess what? All my ancestors applied to gain entry to the United States. And they worked hard and are decent modest people who do not drain the economy, attempt to change the culture of America, try to institute unconstitutional policies that give them ethnic preference or try to destroy opposition to their criminal presence by introducing "hate laws" and banning free speech. .

I wonder how the genetic heritage of those wonderful ancestors of yours produced such an ignorant piece of cr@p.