Medical Dental implant in CABA

[Jakoval]

Has anyone had experience getting dental implants in CABA? I might need one soon and I went to Swiss Medical today for a check-up and asked the dentist how much an implant here might cost. He said that an "implante nacional" should cost around USD500 and it's good. Any thoughts?

 

[Uncle Wong]

I was looking into doing some dental work here. I need an implant and it is about $3,500 in the USA and my insurance won't pay for it. Here I asked around and it seems like it's about $900 to $1,200 USD or so at some bigger places.

Does your medical policy pay for dental work??

Here are some places I inquired at:

Cosmetic Dentist Buenos Aires - General Dentistry Argentina

Cosmetic dentistry in Buenos Aires providing top-quality dental care. Drs. Pelcman are experienced dentists offering a range of restorative dental services.

www.drspelcman.com

Cost of Dental Work in Buenos Aires, Argentina Clinica Dr. Etbul

Clinica Dr. Etbul in Buenos Aires, Argentina provides dental implants, veneers, crowns from best dentists in low cost. Save over 60% on dental work.

www.placidway.com

 

[Jakoval]

I was looking into doing some dental work here. I need an implant and it is about $3,500 in the USA and my insurance won't pay for it. Here I asked around and it seems like it's about $900 to $1,200 USD or so at some bigger places.

Does your medical policy pay for dental work??

Here are some places I inquired at:

Cosmetic Dentist Buenos Aires - General Dentistry Argentina

Cosmetic dentistry in Buenos Aires providing top-quality dental care. Drs. Pelcman are experienced dentists offering a range of restorative dental services.

www.drspelcman.com

Cost of Dental Work in Buenos Aires, Argentina Clinica Dr. Etbul

Clinica Dr. Etbul in Buenos Aires, Argentina provides dental implants, veneers, crowns from best dentists in low cost. Save over 60% on dental work.

www.placidway.com

I think my medical policy pays for some general work but most likely not for the implant itself. I'll need to find out if it pays partially. I have a turno with a dental surgeon to consult the case in Feb (yes, turnos are very hard to schedule nowadays and this was scheduled since Nov) so we shall see.

Seems like here they don't have that many choices when it comes to the types/brands of implant. It's either EU, US and AR implants. EU/US are of course a lot more expensive. I have no idea how good AR or implante nacional is. In some countries especially in Asia, different brands of implants from South Korea have entered the market as a more reasonably priced option (almost half the price compared to EU/US implants and the dentists say that the quality is also great). But it seems like the Korean implants haven't made it here, otherwise I would have heard about it.

 

[Spend Thrift]

I was thinking of getting one as I have a problematic tooth and I got a quote for almost $4,000 in Seattle. I have had 2 of them before and paid around that in the USA. I asked my assistant to check and he said here they were less than $1,300 USD or so. Some cheaper for lower quality materials but I'm not sure which materials they use.
@Jakoval I went to this really nice dentist recommended by a local friend and she was amazing. They have a website. She was very very good. Dra. Clara Majdalani.

Consultorio Odontológico

 

[earlyretirement]

Has anyone had experience getting dental implants in CABA? I might need one soon and I went to Swiss Medical today for a check-up and asked the dentist how much an implant here might cost. He said that an "implante nacional" should cost around USD500 and it's good. Any thoughts?

I haven't had an implant there in Buenos Aires. When I lived there I tried going to a few dentists but I wasn't too happy with them compared to the USA. With regular physicians and medical care I was MUCH happier in Buenos Aires vs. the USA. I know quite a bit about the healthcare system as I formally owned a healthcare company in the USA and I was working with some of the wealthiest families and businessmen in the USA. I think overall Argentina's system is much better if you have a good private plan.

I had 2 kids that were born in Argentina and I thought it was amazing. But I was never impressed with the dentists there. Maybe it has changed over the past many years. I haven't been there to a dentist in a long time.

I just noticed that in Argentina they don't have obsession with good teeth that we do in the USA. We get our teeth cleaned twice a year in the USA and always focusing on our teeth. I don't see the same in Argentina. The times I went there for dental work I was never really happy with it. I got a crown there once and it never fit right. I got a custom night guard and the mold was off.

I just gave up. I'm sure there are good dentists there. I did get 2 dental implants in the USA but it was crazy expensive. About $5,000 per tooth.

 

[Jakoval]

I haven't had an implant there in Buenos Aires. When I lived there I tried going to a few dentists but I wasn't too happy with them compared to the USA. With regular physicians and medical care I was MUCH happier in Buenos Aires vs. the USA. I know quite a bit about the healthcare system as I formally owned a healthcare company in the USA and I was working with some of the wealthiest families and businessmen in the USA. I think overall Argentina's system is much better if you have a good private plan.

I had 2 kids that were born in Argentina and I thought it was amazing. But I was never impressed with the dentists there. Maybe it has changed over the past many years. I haven't been there to a dentist in a long time.

I just noticed that in Argentina they don't have obsession with good teeth that we do in the USA. We get our teeth cleaned twice a year in the USA and always focusing on our teeth. I don't see the same in Argentina. The times I went there for dental work I was never really happy with it. I got a crown there once and it never fit right. I got a custom night guard and the mold was off.

I just gave up. I'm sure there are good dentists there. I did get 2 dental implants in the USA but it was crazy expensive. About $5,000 per tooth.

Yeah I hope it's getting better here because I might need the implant while living here because it's not a process where you can just fly back home and get it done on one short trip. But from my experience going for a check-up and consultation here in CABA, I felt it was just average. It wasn't so bad but I was nowhere near impressed. What kind of clinic/dentist asked you to use your own finger to push down the x-ray film in your mouth? (And this was at a Swiss Medical clinic) When I told some of my friends here about this, they told me they had to hold the suction themselves too. I was kinda shocked to be honest. Back at home, every dentist has an assistant and there're dental clinics on almost every corner of the street. You can walk in to get your teeth cleaned.

 

[Avocado]

Yeah I hope it's getting better here because I might need the implant while living here because it's not a process where you can just fly back home and get it done on one short trip. But from my experience going for a check-up and consultation here in CABA, I felt it was just average. It wasn't so bad but I was nowhere near impressed. What kind of clinic/dentist asked you to use your own finger to push down the x-ray film in your mouth? (And this was at a Swiss Medical clinic) When I told some of my friends here about this, they told me they had to hold the suction themselves too. I was kinda shocked to be honest. Back at home, every dentist has an assistant and there're dental clinics on almost every corner of the street. You can walk in to get your teeth cleaned.

Yes here in Argentina we don't have very high standards of dental care like USA. That's true. We also don't have the money to hire many staff like USA or other first world countries.

 

[earlyretirement]

Yeah I hope it's getting better here because I might need the implant while living here because it's not a process where you can just fly back home and get it done on one short trip. But from my experience going for a check-up and consultation here in CABA, I felt it was just average. It wasn't so bad but I was nowhere near impressed. What kind of clinic/dentist asked you to use your own finger to push down the x-ray film in your mouth? (And this was at a Swiss Medical clinic) When I told some of my friends here about this, they told me they had to hold the suction themselves too. I was kinda shocked to be honest. Back at home, every dentist has an assistant and there're dental clinics on almost every corner of the street. You can walk in to get your teeth cleaned.

Yes, exactly. Just average. Back in the USA, my dentists have always been pretty good. It was very expensive but eveything was very organized, I didn't have to wait long if at all for my appointment. They have more staff to assist, etc. Yes @Jakoval! What you mentioned about having to push down the x-ray or hold your own suction. That happened to me many years ago. I was like "huh, WTH"? I've always had professional dentists with several dental assistants, etc in the USA. That's the kind of thing that I mean in Buenos Aires that you mentioned.

When they said I needed a night guard at night from grinding my teeth they made one and it was WAY off in Buenos Aires. I went back and rather than refit it, they tried grinding down the bad one they made. I was like, NO you have to refit it. They made another one and it was off too. I never ended up using the night guard! When I moved to the USA, I had one done and it fit like a glove. Granted maybe the technology had improved In the years since I had it redone but it seemed like they couldn't be bothered. And I went to a fairly nice clinic too in BA but I don't think it mattered how nice the place looked. Moreso the mentality.

When I did my dental implant in the USA I didn't know what to expect as it was the first time I did it. It was very expensive (I think I paid around $4,000 in total) as I live in San Diego and this is the most expensive city in the USA where everything is much more expensive. It's a long process for an implant. I had to go back several times. And I actually had a complication during it. I had to do bone grafting where they had to grow bones and it took forever. Then during it, there was an infection and they had to redo the implant! The doctor couldn't have been nicer and it wasn't his fault. He said that only happens rarely. My first implant took many years by the time the bone grafting took effect and they had to redo the bone grafting!

I tried to imagine what that would have been like in Argentina! My dentist was awesome and he didn't charge me extra. He redid the entire thing. Like I said, it took 2 years I think from start to finish. My 2nd one he did and it didn't have complications but I think I still had to go back 3 times with check-ups, and x-rays. As you noted, it's not a one and done. It takes a while with multiple visits if they do it properly.

I'm not sure if I'd honestly try to save money there doing it unless you have a 5 star rock solid testimonial from someone that actually did it there. My experiences with dentists in Buenos Aires were as you described. For other medical matters, I'd highly recommend Buenos Aires but dental care is just not something I would recommend based on my experiences there. But of course YMMV.

 

[Jakoval]

Yes here in Argentina we don't have very high standards of dental care like USA. That's true. We also don't have the money to hire many staff like USA or other first world countries.

Let me rephrase it. Every dentist will be assisted by an assistant no matter where they work. And I'm neither from the USA nor a first world country. But having to hold my own suction and suction it myself just isn't it. 🤣 🤣 🤣

 

[Bharat]

Let me rephrase it. Every dentist will be assisted by an assistant no matter where they work. And I'm neither from the USA nor a first world country. But having to hold my own suction and suction it myself just isn't it. 🤣 🤣 🤣

Crazy to hear any dental office in the world having to hold your own suction for a cleaning! I would think the opposite if it's a poorer country that labor would be very cheap but what do I know. Even in India we never have to do this. Crazy.

 

[earlyretirement]

Let me rephrase it. Every dentist will be assisted by an assistant no matter where they work. And I'm neither from the USA nor a first world country. But having to hold my own suction and suction it myself just isn't it. 🤣 🤣 🤣

Yes! That is my attitude as well. Salaries here are VERY low. There is no excuse anywhere in the world for this sort of thing, especially in Argentina. Poor economy is no excuse at all.

 

[Bill]

Let me rephrase it. Every dentist will be assisted by an assistant no matter where they work. And I'm neither from the USA nor a first world country. But having to hold my own suction and suction it myself just isn't it. 🤣 🤣 🤣

Funny about the holding your own suction! This sounds like my last experience at the dentist! Never again! I go to Mexico now for dental work. Far closer to the USA quality at fraction of the costs.

 

[Jeb Spencer]

I think my medical policy pays for some general work but most likely not for the implant itself. I'll need to find out if it pays partially. I have a turno with a dental surgeon to consult the case in Feb (yes, turnos are very hard to schedule nowadays and this was scheduled since Nov) so we shall see.

Seems like here they don't have that many choices when it comes to the types/brands of implant. It's either EU, US and AR implants. EU/US are of course a lot more expensive. I have no idea how good AR or implante nacional is. In some countries especially in Asia, different brands of implants from South Korea have entered the market as a more reasonably priced option (almost half the price compared to EU/US implants and the dentists say that the quality is also great). But it seems like the Korean implants haven't made it here, otherwise I would have heard about it.

Just maybe make sure you get a referral from someone that went through it. Don't just take one opinion. I would not use locals opinions only either because I don't think they know good dental care as you mentioned there are many offices that "cheap out". What you mentioned about limited brands.

My girlfriend had breast implants and she wanted a certain brand and the doctor told her no problem and then the day before the scheduled surgery, he told her it never arrived and talked her into another cheaper brand. Don't settle on the brands. Make sure they are using good quality. Often times the Argentine version is far inferior to latest version they are using in USA, Europe or even Asia.

 

[Che Vos]

Let me rephrase it. Every dentist will be assisted by an assistant no matter where they work. And I'm neither from the USA nor a first world country. But having to hold my own suction and suction it myself just isn't it. 🤣 🤣 🤣

This sound very crazy! Most times when I get my teeth cleaned they have assistant to help but my friend also have this happen to hold their own suction. I tell her this never happen to anyone else. Now you make me liar!

 

[Jakoval]

This sound very crazy! Most times when I get my teeth cleaned they have assistant to help but my friend also have this happen to hold their own suction. I tell her this never happen to anyone else. Now you make me liar!

The suction holding happened to a couple of my friends but it didn't happen to me personally cuz when I went to the dentist, it was only for a consultation on the problematic root canal. When the dentist put the x-ray camera on my cheek (by the way, back at home dentists never do their own x-ray but here I was surprised my dentist did her own x-ray), she then proceeded to put a small x-ray film inside my mouth against the camera on my cheek and told me to put my finger in my mouth to push down the film and also told me not to move. As if I wasn't kinda freaked out enough at this point, when it was time to snap the shutter, she ran out of the room. At first I thought she ran to the other room to hit the button or something but it seemed like she just ran away from the radiation. And I was lying down on the chair without any protective gear like what they normally give you when doing x-ray. At this point, I was like...WTH? in my head but oh well. It is what it is.

 

[fetch rover]

The suction holding happened to a couple of my friends but it didn't happen to me personally cuz when I went to the dentist, it was only for a consultation on the problematic root canal. When the dentist put the x-ray camera on my cheek (by the way, back at home dentists never do their own x-ray but here I was surprised my dentist did her own x-ray), she then proceeded to put a small x-ray film inside my mouth against the camera on my cheek and told me to put my finger in my mouth to push down the film and also told me not to move. As if I wasn't kinda freaked out enough at this point, when it was time to snap the shutter, she ran out of the room. At first I thought she ran to the other room to hit the button or something but it seemed like she just ran away from the radiation. And I was lying down on the chair without any protective gear like what they normally give you when doing x-ray. At this point, I was like...WTH? in my head but oh well. It is what it is.

Wow! Did the dentist put on the protective vest for the radiation? I've never had an X-ray from a dental office that I didn't have to put on the radiation vest. I'm not sure if I should laugh or cry when the dentist left to be away from the radiation and left you there with your finger in your mouth! I agree with you. When I have this x-ray it is usually a low level detail assistant that is doing the x-ray and I never have to put my finger in my mouth!

I don't know what to expect now in thinking about a move to BA for 18-24 months with my kids. It is helpful reading posts like these to get an idea that this is not what my husband sold me!

@Jakoval would you really consider using this dentist for your implant if this was the first impression? I have had a dental implant before and I think if I had your experience I would have RAN out of there!

 

[Jakoval]

Wow! Did the dentist put on the protective vest for the radiation? I've never had an X-ray from a dental office that I didn't have to put on the radiation vest. I'm not sure if I should laugh or cry when the dentist left to be away from the radiation and left you there with your finger in your mouth! I agree with you. When I have this x-ray it is usually a low level detail assistant that is doing the x-ray and I never have to put my finger in my mouth!

I don't know what to expect now in thinking about a move to BA for 18-24 months with my kids. It is helpful reading posts like these to get an idea that this is not what my husband sold me!

@Jakoval would you really consider using this dentist for your implant if this was the first impression? I have had a dental implant before and I think if I had your experience I would have RAN out of there!

The dentist didn't wear anything. She just ran away to the other room and walked back when it was done 🤣. Luckily, if I did my implant, it'd be with another dentist, an implant specialist let's say. The runaway dentist was just a GP.

 

[Bobbie Burgers]

The dentist didn't wear anything. She just ran away to the other room and walked back when it was done 🤣. Luckily, if I did my implant, it'd be with another dentist, an implant specialist let's say. The runaway dentist was just a GP.

You are starting my 2024 off well. I was never thrilled with my dental visits. But at least they use protection from radiation from x-rays! I have something to be thankful with. I admit I don't do dental cleanings as much here as back home. Some years I don't do them here which probably isn't good. But last time a few years ago I didn't have to hold the suction. Ha!

@Jakoval - I hope the implant specialist has higher standards than this GP!

 

[Esposas]

The suction holding happened to a couple of my friends but it didn't happen to me personally cuz when I went to the dentist, it was only for a consultation on the problematic root canal. When the dentist put the x-ray camera on my cheek (by the way, back at home dentists never do their own x-ray but here I was surprised my dentist did her own x-ray), she then proceeded to put a small x-ray film inside my mouth against the camera on my cheek and told me to put my finger in my mouth to push down the film and also told me not to move. As if I wasn't kinda freaked out enough at this point, when it was time to snap the shutter, she ran out of the room. At first I thought she ran to the other room to hit the button or something but it seemed like she just ran away from the radiation. And I was lying down on the chair without any protective gear like what they normally give you when doing x-ray. At this point, I was like...WTH? in my head but oh well. It is what it is.

You laugh @Jakoval but the same exact thing happened to me on my last cleaning! That wasn't normal. I go once per year for cleaning of my teeth and never before but last time 2 months ago they have me hold the piece for suction. I asked them and they say the girl out sick. Very strange for me. I didn't know this happen more people.

Very bad about radiation! They always use protective cover to take x-ray. This not normal!

 

[Avocado]

The suction holding happened to a couple of my friends but it didn't happen to me personally cuz when I went to the dentist, it was only for a consultation on the problematic root canal. When the dentist put the x-ray camera on my cheek (by the way, back at home dentists never do their own x-ray but here I was surprised my dentist did her own x-ray), she then proceeded to put a small x-ray film inside my mouth against the camera on my cheek and told me to put my finger in my mouth to push down the film and also told me not to move. As if I wasn't kinda freaked out enough at this point, when it was time to snap the shutter, she ran out of the room. At first I thought she ran to the other room to hit the button or something but it seemed like she just ran away from the radiation. And I was lying down on the chair without any protective gear like what they normally give you when doing x-ray. At this point, I was like...WTH? in my head but oh well. It is what it is.

This NOT normal to not put X-ray protection on patient. Even the doctor didn't want to be close to x-ray. This is horrible they do X-ray without protecting you. Don't go back to this dentist.