# Dentistry in Mexico



## DebInFL (Dec 1, 2016)

I am in need of some rather expensive dental work if I am to save the teeth I have left, and I cannot afford it here in the states. Since I was planning on a visit to MX anyway, I thought I might be able to include some dental work while I was there. 

I'll probably be going to Guadalajara first, so if anyone knows about dentists in the area who do decent work, i.e. crowns, bridges, implants, etc., please let me know who they are so I can check them out once I'm there. 

It doesn't have to be there, though. I would be willing to start of in any major city in MX to get the work done first.

One concern I have is pain medication, though. Did I hear there are no opiod pain meds in MX? If not, can I bring a legitimate U.S. prescription into the country?


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

DebInFL said:


> I am in need of some rather expensive dental work if I am to save the teeth I have left, and I cannot afford it here in the states. Since I was planning on a visit to MX anyway, I thought I might be able to include some dental work while I was there.
> 
> I'll probably be going to Guadalajara first, so if anyone knows about dentists in the area who do decent work, i.e. crowns, bridges, implants, etc., please let me know who they are so I can check them out once I'm there.
> 
> ...


 The dentist I use is: Miriam Iñiguez Barajas. She works in a group with other specialists. I had a root canal done recently by one of the other dentists in the group.

N:Iñiguez Barajas;Miriam;;;
FN:Miriam Iñiguez Barajas
ORGentista;
TEL;type=WORK;type=VOICE;type=pref:+523336458540
TEL;type=WORK;type=VOICE:+523333436945
TEL;type=WORK;type=VOICE:+52 (133) 3115 0987
ADR;type=WORK;type=pref:;;Concepción 3516\nCol. Lomas de Polanco;Guadalajara;Jalisco;;México


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

An Implant is not a quick procedure and probably bridges also. Healing time and construction of the replacement

A couple great dentists here in Melaque but it's a very non-major town. One even teaches implants


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## DebInFL (Dec 1, 2016)

TundraGreen said:


> The dentist I use is: Miriam Iñiguez Barajas. She works in a group with other specialists. I had a root canal done recently by one of the other dentists in the group.
> 
> N:Iñiguez Barajas;Miriam;;;
> FN:Miriam Iñiguez Barajas
> ...


Do they have any English speaking staff, or do I need to take a translator? I have adequate travel Spanish, but not that great for other things.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

DebInFL said:


> Do they have any English speaking staff, or do I need to take a translator? I have adequate travel Spanish, but not that great for other things.


I don't know. I think the woman that did the root canal might have spoken English. I have never heard the Miriam speak English. She is the one who does my checkups and cleaning.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

There are opiates in Mexico but you need to go to a doctor who can prescribe them and they do not prescribe them freely like in the States. I do not know anything about bringing them in the country ..


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

citlali said:


> There are opiates in Mexico but you need to go to a doctor who can prescribe them and they do not prescribe them freely like in the States. I do not know anything about bringing them in the country ..


And after getting a prescription from a doctor, you have fun running around to find a pharmacy that sells opiates and will honor the prescription without giving you a hard time.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

My husband took some morphine after his back surgery but it was very little and he got it from the pharmacy the pain doctor sent us too but then we did not need to get more so I have no experience past the initial prescription. The side effects of morphine are nasty so my husband discontinued it as soon as he could.


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## izzenhood (Jun 8, 2013)

On another forum someone recommended a Dr Aguilar in Guanajuato, who speaks english. The only number they listed was 731-0476.

The other posters have said that opoids are hard to get in Mexico. What about after a surgery, for instance a total knee replacement, what would they prescribe for pain if not opoids?


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

izzenhood said:


> On another forum someone recommended a Dr Aguilar in Guanajuato, who speaks english. The only number they listed was 731-0476.
> 
> The other posters have said that opoids are hard to get in Mexico. What about after a surgery, for instance a total knee replacement, what would they prescribe for pain if not opoids?


A couple of years ago (more or less), Mexican government regulations regarding the filling of prescriptions for "controlled substances" (including opiates) and antibiotics were stiffened. The result is that many pharmacies have stopped carrying one or both of these classes of drugs, and those that still do carry them often have rigid requirements about how the prescriptions must be written.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

You get opiates under the supervision of a pain doctor in the hospital after that it gets tougher especially if you do not live close to where that doctor is. You can get opiates but it is not made easy.
I never had problems getting antibiotics but again you must have a prescription and the farmacy I have been to keep the original prescription so you need another one for refill if you need refill.


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## horseshoe846 (Feb 8, 2017)

We have a bathroom closet which is a virtual farmacia. Every now and then I check the expiration dates on stuff and toss it (or bring it to the local farmacia for them to do with what they will) - even though I realize that doesn't mean the medicine has lost potency. Most of our drugs come from IMSS and they can be drug crazy. I had a surgery recently and they prescribed perhaps as many as 6 different drugs. From time to time I run out of antibiotics and it might cost 200 pesos to get a new prescription at a farmacia's clinic. Antibiotics are not very expensive. On the other had - I went through a period of insomnia at one point and went to a nearby clinic for a prescription - not only was there a hefty charge for the medic to write the prescription but there was a very high cost to fill the prescription. If there were 10 pills the cost was perhaps 1000 pesos. 

Regarding dentistry - we went to the world's most expensive dentist back in the States. He felt - hey I have customers who pay for dental insurance - it is not fair for me to offer you a cheaper price. His answer to everything was crown, crown, crown. I must have a dozen in my mouth. In Mexico we have a great dentist who charges 350 pesos for a very good cleaning. My wife had a crown replaced and although I can't quote the exact cost - I do know that she sent at least one crown back to the lab because it wasn't done right. In the States the dentist kind of produced a very rough crown and after putting it in my mouth would start to chisel here and chisel there and ask ' how does that feel' ?


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I have had several crowns done here and they fit great and yes they were adjusted after they were put in.


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## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

Very close to Guadalajara is Lake Chapla, where there is a congregation of gringos, there are several very good dentists. I have used two of them for crowns and am considering doing a 3-tooth bridge 'soon'.
Below are 4 of them in no particular order:

Dr. Barragan who does crowns and bridges and has a Guadalajara associate who comes down for implants
Dr. Haro, same as above
Dra. Candy who does the above plus implants. Has inhouse lab 
Dental Express/Dr. Marcias solely... same as Dra. Candy inducing lab.

They all, of course, do regular dentistry. They all, in high season, will be busy and may require appointments several weeks out. You can Google each to get more information. Mention Ajijic in the search.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

DEntal express has the equipment to do the crowns in their office.. they take all the xrays /photos of the space and then print the tooth. Pretty amazing. I had a crown done thre in an emergency and I had the crown the same day. That was 4000 and some pesos


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## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

Another Guadalajara dentist, of whom I have no personal experience, is said to be good. She is 
Dra. Hilda Tavizon. Her website is: Doctora Tavizon


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

For implants look for a specialist regular dentists do not do implants but they will refer you to a specialist.


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