another dental work question

[laurapasinifan]

I remember reading about some post that had dental questions. I have a question that deals with quality of work over all. We all know the US and the DR are two different places in more ways than one.
In america there are tons of rules and regulations, some good some indifferent, and some bad. We know that doctors and dentists charge a lot of money in the US. Now it seems that the fees are much cheaper in the DR. With that fact and the fact the DR doesnt have the regulations the us may have, how safe do you feel getting major dental work in the DR!

I question the quality of work and it longevity, and the sanitary-safeness of the proceedures. I know that there is a glut of dentist in the DR, My friend having gone to school for that only to find there were too many dentists to make any money. Lets throw out the worst butcher and the super fantastic guy and concentrate on the average dentists.

I need to get a root and canal... dont know whats really involved as I have never had major dental work in my life. I have been going to a dentist here for the last 3 weeks to get a major cavity filled with a porceline filling, and with the xrays and cleaning, may use up most of my dental coverage, as there is an annual limit . So i am contemplating getting the root and canal done down there one trip.

is this a proceedure I should be concerned with getting done outside of the US where I have little standing if somethuing goes wrong, and is it a serious, difficult proceedure? i think the dentist says they kill the nerve, and put a crown on the tooth, because with out the nerve the tooth will become brittle.

howm many visits does it take to get this work done?

I dont want to try to save $500 only to get myself deep in misery and eventually pay anyway

thanks for the replys

bob

 

[Ken]

My wife and I go to Wendy Juma in Sosua, and each of us has had several root canals done by her. If she feels the situation is so complex that it needs a specialist, she send her patients to one in Santiago. Otherwise she does them herself, and in a very satisfactory way.

She is clean and so is her office. The tools she puts in your mouth have been sterilized. We have had crowns replaced, but so far, only crowns that were put on in the US. No matter who the dentist is, crowns don't last forever.

There have been dr1ers who have gone to her for extensive work because the cost in the US was very high. They have been well satisfied with her work and have saved significant money.

If you check the archives, you will also find dentists in Puerto Plata highly recommended who do root canals.

If you prefer a dentist who specializes only in root canals, I can recommend one in Santiago and in Santo Domingo.

 

[HOWMAR]

Bob,
I can give you a comparison, as I have had a root canal done in the US by an endodontist, and one done in the DR by a dentist who said he has a certificate in endodontics. In the US, the actual root canal work was done by the specialist (endodontist) and then I was referred back to my regular dentist for the porcelin crown to finish it off. In the DR the dentist did the complete job. It appears that all the instruments were coming directly from sterilized packs, just as in the US. There was no pain involved, as the dentist had very good technique administering the local anesthesia. The cost in the DR is about 25% of what it is in the US, and 80% of that was covered by my Dominican Health Insurance Plan. The only criticism I have about Dominican dentistry is that they practice less preventitive dentistry, they seem to only want to treat a problem after it happens.
BTW, the dentist I use is Dr. Santos, who is affiliated with Dr. Freddie Lepe, in Puerto Plata.

 

[Hillbilly]

I think that you need to visit more dentists that I can recommend including Wendy!--
My dentist has done root canals, crowns, extractions of wisdom teeth...never a problem. She has worked on several people I have recommended her to and they all have nice things to say about the work done.

Let's be frank here: We will go to a doctor for the slightest pain in the belly but unless we are wracked with a toothache, we never go to dentists. FACT!!

Now, one of the central themes of the Estomatology Dentist graduated from PUCMM is to do preventive care. Just ask Wendy...

If you need care, give me a PM or an email....

HB (Smiling with most of his teeth)

 

[laurapasinifan]

I would only be interested in see one in the santiago area. Then i would have to know the time frame needed to do a root and canal and crown. If I can get some recomendations in the santiago area, Ill go talk with them.

bob

 

[Ken]

Now, one of the central themes of the Estomatology Dentist graduated from PUCMM is to do preventive care. Just ask Wendy...

Very true, Hillbilly.

 

[Hillbilly]

Bob: Go to the Centro Dental Cibao on Sabana Larga Street, between Beller and Restauraci?n-next to a small parking lot.
Time frame for a root canal and crown:
1) Xrays have to be taken-can be done early at Plaza Cristal (near the Monument) Third floor. Dirt cheap.
2) Take the xrays to Dr. Rita Mu?oz at Centro Dental Cibao
3) About an hour for the root canal--nearly painless (at least it was for me)
4) Installation of a resin cap, re-bar for crown and cast for the crown: 45 minutes
5) Installation of crown-about a week later- 10 minutes

Call me if you want.

HB been there, done that.