How I Saved $5,000 on Dental Work in Puerto Vallarta

I recently returned from a trip to Puerto Vallarta, where I ended up having pretty significant dental work.  A crown had been bugging me, & when I went to my dentist in Oregon: he quoted me $3,500 to fix ONE crown!  I almost passed out.  There was also an issue with the tooth next to the crown, in that the space between the teeth was too large, so a ton of food was getting stuck up there.  I was flossing up to 10X per day, & the area felt really inflamed, nearly all the time.  So in this post, I’m going to walk you step-by-step through how I saved $5,000 on dental work in Puerto Vallarta!

About My Dental Work in Puerto Vallarta

When I got the $3,500 estimate from my Oregon dentist to essentially fix ONE crown: I immediately called other dentists in my area to see if they could offer better pricing.  Another issue: my dentist didn’t have the ability to make crowns in his office ~ so I would have to wait THREE WEEKS with a temporary crown (which I hate!) while the crown was made elsewhere. 

So when I called other dentists, I specifically called ones who were able to make crowns in-office. 

And here’s the data: the average price to get a crown in Bend, Oregon ~ from FIVE different dentists: the average price = $1,800 – $2,200.  OUCH.  But the other issue?  Many of them couldn’t fit me in their schedule for months. 

Only ONE dentist had an opening the following week.  But I still had the issue of the bothersome tooth next to the crown, where there was essentially a large “shelf” where food was getting trapped.  The tooth had already been filled twice by another dentist; but that solution didn’t seem to be working long-term; the gap between those teeth was just too big, allowing too much food in & creating constant irritation.

So really: getting another crown was a better, more long-term solution. 

But this could cost me upwards of $4,500!!! 

What to do….??!

Enter: Puerto Vallarta Dentists

I already had a trip planned to Puerto Vallarta, so I decided to go out on a limb & call some top-rated Puerto Vallarta dentists.  I’ve had dental work done previously in Latin America (which I discuss here): which for the most part, I was very happy with.  So getting dental work abroad wasn’t an entirely new concept to me.

The very first dental team I spoke with in Puerto Vallarta ended up being the ones I went with: they were 100% responsive via WhatsApp, asking to see X-rays from my current dentist, to verify that they agreed with the work to be done.  I had a great feeling about working with them, & they had over 200+ 5-star reviews on Google, with many of their patients being American & Canadian (some even coming in from cruise ships to get dental work done)! 

And the best part: they had the ability to make crowns in-office, the same day ~ AND they could fit me in their schedule during my trip.  WIN-WIN!!  And the best part: the cost for a crown was $540 US.  No charge for x-rays (which they did both before & after my crowns were put in), no charge for the tooth “build-up” ~ which was an extra charge from most of the dentists I spoke with in Oregon. 

Their pricing was very straight-forward, & their clients raved about them. 

So I took the leap & made the appointment! 

I also scheduled a teeth cleaning, as the cost was only $40 US. 

 

Getting the Work Done

I arrived in Puerto Vallarta on Sunday, March 1st ~ & scheduled my first dental appointment (which would be a long one) for Tuesday, March 3rd.  I took an Uber from my hotel to the Marina district (by the airport) to their office, which was about a 20-minute ride.  Cost: $14.  When I arrived at their office, we discussed my X-rays, the dentist took more x-rays (his English was very good), & we ultimately decided to put in THREE crowns.  Two for my bothersome upper teeth, & one on a bottom tooth where there were three old fillings kind of patch-worked together: that tooth had an actual cavity between two old fillings.

I could have chosen to just get a traditional filling on that tooth (which would’ve cost $100 US), but seeing the three old fillings on the x-ray looked problematic, & I felt that just getting a filling could lead to more problems in the future. 

A crown seemed like a better, long-term solution ~ & we would be getting rid of all those old fillings (which were all different colors by now…kind of weird)!? 

So the dentist immediately got to work!  Removing my old crown, shaving down teeth, removing old fillings, etc.  And then taking the impressions to make the new crowns. 

This morning appointment took about 3.5 hours. 

They put temporary crowns on the three teeth, & then told me to come back in a few hours: & my new crowns would be ready.  As they were located in a mall, I simply stayed at the mall, had a great organic lunch + a smoothie, & visited the Holistic Bio Spa that was virtually next door to them (I did an Ionic Foot Bath + Glutathione Infusion to help pull out any toxins)!  

Then I returned at 5PM for my second appointment, which took about 2.5 hours.  This is when they put in ALL THREE crowns.  A female dentist handled this part, & she was excellent.  I really appreciated the fact that they were willing to work until 7:30PM that night (something my own dentist would NEVER do).  They said it’s pretty typical for them, as many of their patients work during the day, & must have evening hours available for appointments. 

With a sore mouth, they gave me some pain medication, & I headed outside to grab an Uber back to my hotel in the Zona Romantica.  I laid in the sun the next day, swam in the ocean, had a couple pina coladas, & got a massage that evening: frankly, a GREAT way to spend the day after a dental procedure!

Then on Friday, I returned for a “bite check” for all three crowns (it can be hard to determine your bite accurately when your mouth is so numb).  With a few quick alterations, I told them that my bite felt pretty much perfect.  And then I got a dental cleaning, which took about 30 minutes & cost $40 US. 

My mouth already felt SO much better than it had for months prior, when it had felt almost constantly inflamed. 

And that was it! 

The dentist told me that if I have ANY issue at all with any of the three crowns: his work is guaranteed for 5 years.  My own dentist doesn’t offer this same kind of guarantee: for any of his work. 

So this made me feel even better about the decision. 

 

The Connection Between the Mouth + Gut Health 

It’s now three weeks since I’ve had this dental work done in Puerto Vallarta: & I am thrilled with the outcome.  Sometimes, you don’t realize how much something is bothering you until it’s NOT bothering you anymore! 

And further, I believe that this constant inflammation in my mouth, which had been going on for at least six months, was also affecting chronic inflammation in my gut.  Why do I think this…??  Because ever since the new crowns were put in, the inflammation in my gut has decreased by about 85%. 

I feel SO MUCH BETTER!!

My gut had been bothering me for so long, & I kept cutting out foods that seemed to irritate it (like apples, onions, garlic, etc.) ~ but nothing really helped in a long-term way.  I think that, because I was experiencing near-chronic inflammation in my mouth: I truly think it affected my gut health.  This is of course anecdotal, & simply my opinion: but for me, the difference is DRAMATIC. 

My stomach feels flatter & is much less “bothered” all the time. 

And it kind of makes sense: if you’re constantly swallowing bad bacteria, or if there’s a chronic infection in your mouth leading to chronic inflammation in the gums or the teeth themselves ~ how could it NOT affect your gut? 

The two are intimately & inextricably connected. 

Bottom line: I could not be HAPPIER that I got this dental work done in Puerto Vallarta!!!  My whole body, mouth, & gut are ALL feeling better.  And I got a great little vacation out of it…

The Popularity of Dental Work in Puerto Vallarta

While I was in Puerto Vallarta, I realized just how many people come down ~ not just for a vacation, but for dental work!  I spoke with many Canadians in particular at my hotel (Hotel Tropicana in the Zona Romantica), who religiously get dental work in Puerto Vallarta.  They said that prices in Canada are outrageously expensive, & that it can take MONTHS to get an appointment with a good dentist. 

So I got recommendations for other great dentists in Puerto Vallarta, that many have been going to for years ~ with only positive things to say.

For those of us who don’t have dental insurance: the cost of extensive dental work can be prohibitive.  But as we know: there are many dental problems that just can’t be ignored.  My friend’s fiancee needs TWO root canals right now, & THREE crowns; she said he’s in so much pain that he’s constantly on pain meds.  In the States, this could cost him around $12,000.  In Mexico, these same procedures would likely cost him around $2,500-$3,000. 

The general rule of thumb is: in Mexico, dentistry typically costs 50-75% less than it does in the United States. 

Which is why I’m writing this article: I really want to let people know that there are solid, out-of-the-box solutions for what might seem like dire problems.  If this article is popular (which I have a feeling it will be), I will probably write a “Guide to Getting Dental Work in Puerto Vallarta,” with overviews of the top dentists in Puerto Vallarta, what each office specializes in (i.e. if they do same-day crowns, etc.), & where to stay nearby each office.  I may charge a nominal fee for this guide, which would be a printable PDF. 

If you’re interested in something like this, let me know in the comments below!

xoxo Noelia

Read Next: Where to Find Great Weather in Mexico Year-Round

Pin It!