THIS PERSON NEEDS A DENTIST !!

We can thank modern dentistry for protecting us from bridge-work like the one shown above on someone’s ancestor from past years! 

Some 50 years ago dental care in the US, and around the world, just hadn’t advanced a lot since the Dark Ages.  I started going to the dentist in a 2^nd story walkup over a store in a small agricultural town of 600 people in Central Iowa.  His office & equipment looked similar, no more advanced, and the walls were not as clean as the photo above. But he had no over-head light. The chair was by the window to catch the natural light. But you know what, the fillings I got in that upstairs walkup have lasted, some of them, for 50 years.

So, we are now in year 2009 and I have one of the “best” dentists in Austin, Texas, and his office looks very much like the one above, digital x-ray, all the latest technology, and I like him just fine. I go for my regular annual cleanings and checkups every year and they can’t find any problems. Teeth are all healthy.  But! This year the dentist examines me and says, “These 2 fillings that you got 50 years ago, something might go wrong with them, especially the one with a hairline fracture on the surface. We better take them both out and give you dental crowns.” So I ask, “What would that cost?” Dentist: “Each crown is only $1,100.” (That is after charging me $220 to not find any problems and recommend the 2 crowns.) So I say, “I will get back to you.”

Placing a Crown

A month later we are driving from Austin, TX, to Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, and my wife unfortunately had a dental crown slip off when we were still 2 days from Pátzcuaro. What to do? Of course, call our friend, Georgia Conti on Lake Pátzcuaro.  We knew Georgia had been seeing a dentist in Morelia who she found very professional. Sure enough, my wife made a call and arranged for an appointment the day we arrived in Morelia.

 We drove to the office in a residential area of southeast Morelia near the largest & nicest shopping center. The whole house is dedicated to dentistry. Nice office with 5 or 6 employees, all dressed professionally, and I am thinking this is pretty nice. My wife gets a new crown: fitted on the first visit and installed a week later on the second visit.  She is very impressed and satisfied. Total cost with all x-rays, consultations, 2 visits, etc. was US$266.00! Now I understand why Americans are traveling all over the world for medical & dental treatment!

So, a few days later I am thinking, since my wife checked it out and it turned out so well, maybe I will have the tooth with the hairline fracture crowned.  Made the call, got an appointment, and I am getting a new crown.  Savings between the two of us, a little over $2,000. MY DENTIST IS NOW IN MEXICO! But there are still savings to be found in Mexio, I just had Sunday Comida today with an Expat in Patzcuaro and she is getting a new dental crown in Patzcuaro this week-Costs complete are Pesos $1,800.00, approximately US$135.00. So I guess I am paying top Peso!

“IS THIS SO I WON’T FALL OUT

OR SO I WONT ESCAPE ?!”

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Glen Novinger from Pátzcuaro