Dental Tourism is one of the more common forms of Medical Tourism and often has one destination from the US: Mexico! As with most medical tourism, Dental Tourism is driven by affordability from Southern California, Mexico is one of the closer locations to reach.

Dental treatments in Mexico may produce adequate results, but we have seen a number of patients that have experienced many problems with dental implants, bridges, crowns and even dentures. Patients who require significant dental restoration and tooth replacement are attracted to international destinations to save money. Unfortunately, these patients do not realize that their dental treatment requires precise and detailed planning by a specialist to create an esthetic and long-lasting result. Without adequate planning, large dental reconstructions can significant problem with Dental Tourism is that you don’t know if the procedure will cause any issues before you get it done. Some of the problems occurred quickly after a patient returned from a visit to a dental practice abroad, some dental treatment problems surfaced after a year or more, and sometimes procedures required extensive immediate help in a hospital while the patient was still abroad.

So the question really is, “Why take the risk?”

Dental Tourism Cost

The reason to travel abroad to complete dental work is always the same: Initially lower cost for dental procedures. When considering dental treatments, the savings can seem substantial at first. Of course there is a reason that dental procedures in the US are more expensive. Some cost is based on location, as rent, dental assistants and practice support staff are available at a lower cost. But some of the cost differential is based on the qualification and expertise of the dentist: Dentists graduating from the best Dental Schools in America invest more into an advanced education. As an example, a Prosthodontist who specializes in planning and placing dental implants trains 3 additional years.

And unfortunately, if advanced dental procedures are not planned accurately, the cost and side effects to restore a patients health and dental function far exceed any initial cost savings.

Common Dental Tourism Problems

At Geach Dental, we have helped a number of patients that encountered problems with dental procedures after trying out a dentist abroad. Dr. Geach is an experienced Prosthodontist, and one of the few dentists in Los Angeles who is qualified to help restore dental health and function if something went wrong.

Here is an overview of dental procedures that are sometimes completed outside of the US, and common problems that we correct:

Dental Implants

To make sure an implant functions properly and lasts, it requires accurate planning. A badly placed implant can lead to severe problems. Since an implant is placed into your bone, it is important that the right implant and implant location are selected, and the implant site is properly prepared. A prosthodontist like Dr. Geach makes sure your implant functions properly and lasts.

Learn more about Dental Implants