A perfect smile requires a good set of teeth that is in harmony with the face, the lips, the shape of the mouth, and other facial features. Getting a smile makeover in Costa Rica can help you achieve that, minus the financial burdens that accompany the procedure in the United States and Canada.
Cost of Smile Designing in Costa Rica
In the United States, the average cost for a smile makeover is $20,000. However, the prices are much more affordable here. The exact cost of smile designing depends on how many procedures are required to be executed. On an average, the price for Smile Designing starts at $8,999. The total cost, however, varies from person to person.
Please fill the estimate form to get FREE Pricing.
Is it safe to have dental surgery in Costa Rica? As it is considered the safest country in Central America, the number of medical tourists visiting it has drastically increased in the past year.1 Many testimonials are available, like Selena and Jo’s review on their dental work experience in Costa Rica.
Why Us for Smile Designing?
Our clinic in San Jose offers quality smile design treatment at affordable prices. What makes our dental clinic unique is the fact that it is well equipped with all the latest dental technologies and has experienced dental surgeons to carry out even the most complex dental procedures.
For the dental tourists, there is a parking lot available, unlimited access to Wi-Fi and also unlimited phone calls to Canada/USA for free, to make their stay as comfortable as possible.
Our dental clinic offers pick and drop services to and from the airport. If the patient’s hotel is within the clinic’s pick up zone, they are picked up from the hotel as well.
The dental clinic has been internationally and locally accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery (AAAASF) and Promotion of Costa Rica Medicine (PROMED).
The doctors are affiliated to American Dental Association (ADA), American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID), International Congress of Oral Implantologists (ICOI) and Colegio de Cirujanos Dentistas de Costa Rica (CCDCR) as well.
Another advantage is the proximity of the United States to Costa Rica. San Jose, the national capital is just a couple of hours away by air from Miami, Florida.
Documents Required for Traveling to Costa Rica
| From | Passport Validity | Blank Passport Pages | Tourist Visa Required |
| United Stated | Length of Stay | 1 page per entry stamp | Required if stay exceeds 90 days. Otherwise, only the return ticket is required. |
| Canada | Length of stay and at least one month beyond your date of departure. | At least 1 blank page | Required if stay exceeds 90 days. Otherwise, only the return ticket is required. |
What’s Included in the Smile Designing Package?
Our full mouth smile makeover packages include:
- Evaluation
- Panoramic X-rays
- 3D Dental Tomography
- Medication
- Night Guard
- Temporaries
- Bridge (12-14 units either porcelain noble metal or porcelain zirconium)
Porcelain Veneers for Smile Makeover
Thin pieces of porcelain are used to recreate natural-looking teeth that are as aesthetically pleasing. They provide strength just like the natural enamel.
In the case of people who are looking to make only slight adjustments or alterations in the position or shape of their teeth, porcelain veneers are a good option. They can last up to 20 years.
Where the cost of porcelain veneers in the United States starts at $925, they start at approximately $390* in Costa Rica. Please fill out the contact form for a FREE quote.
You may also want to know about any alternate options that might be available. A porcelain veneer is made by compiling several thin ceramic layers into shell-like structures that are used to replace the natural enamel of the tooth.
For its application, a small chunk of the natural tooth needs to be removed as that helps create space to fit the veneer. The properties of ceramic indicate that they can mimic enamel tendencies and that is why they are used for improving one’s dental appearance.
Advantages
- They are hard to differentiate from natural teeth.
- Porcelain veneers do not get coffee and tea stains.
- Only a small portion of the tooth is altered to accommodate the veneer.
- With the help of veneers, even the darkest tooth responds to teeth whitening.
- Porcelain veneers are often used as a quick fix to dental problems like small gaps between teeth, overlaps and minor twists.
Disadvantages
- A small portion of the enamel is permanently reduced and hence, it is viewed as a permanent procedure.
- It takes about a week to create a porcelain veneer.
- After the veneers have been positioned on the teeth, one may have sensitivity issues with hot and cold temperatures because a thin layer of tooth enamel is reduced to fit the veneer.
- The candidate has to be careful with habits like grinding or clenching their teeth because such pressure may damage the porcelain veneer.
- People with porcelain veneers need to be regular with their visits to the dentist because the veneers require regular maintenance. Veneers need to be polished with a non-abrasive paste.
Dental implants
An artificial tooth is placed on an implant that is inserted into the jawbone. The artificial root or implant is used to support a tooth or a dental bridge. To be an ideal candidate for dental implants, good dental and oral health is required. This means having gums and tissues that do not have periodontal disease.
Advantages
- They are very comfortable and feel just like natural teeth.
- If properly taken care of, dental implants can last a long time.
- Implants also help retain the shape of the face and prevent the sagging of facial muscles.
- Dental implants don’t fall out like dentures. They are fitted permanently.
- They cannot suffer from cavities or tooth decay.
Disadvantages
- Dental implants require a small surgery and just like all other surgeries, this one also carries a slight risk of infection and the like.
- They are expensive. Though dental implants are considered to be a one-time investment, they can be too expensive for many people. However, the cost of dental implants in Costa Rica is much lower than in the United States and Canada.
- Generally, dental insurance does not cover the cost of getting dental implants.
Dental Crowns and Bridges
Dental crowns and bridges are prosthetic devices that are fixed by cementing them onto the already existing teeth. They can only be fixed and removed by a dentist.
Dental Crowns: They can be used for various reasons like protecting a weak tooth from breaking, attaching bridge, covering a dental implant and to cover a tooth that has been subject to root canal.
Dental Bridges: These come in handy when one is missing more than one tooth. The gaps between teeth can be filled with the help of dental bridges.
Dental crowns and bridges can be of made from different materials and they are priced accordingly in Costa Rica.
| Material | High noble metal porcelain | Porcelain-zirconium | Full porcelain |
| Cost From | US$350 | US$425 | US$425 |
*Prices are subject to change without prior notice
An Overview of Smile Designing
There are certain factors your dentist will consider prior to your teeth makeover, which are as follows:
- Shape of your face
- How you want your smile to appear (sophisticated, sexy, etc.)
- Does it fulfill the functional requirement
Benefits of Smile Design
- Enhances your facial appearance
- Single solution to get different flaws in the teeth corrected
- Promotes the health of the gums and teeth
- Removes embarrassment associated with bad teeth and hence, boosts self-confidence
- Along with aesthetic aspects it also has functional aspects—enables one to chew all types of food and speak without pain or discomfort
Costa Rica boasts of the lowest crime rate in Latin America, and is visited by tens of thousands of tourists every year, some of whom are now beginning to take advantage of the country’s affordably priced medical and dental treatments, and converting their trips into medical and dental holidays here.
As may involve a combination of procedures, only a detailed discussion with the dentist will be able to reveal how many days will be needed in your case. If you are keen on changing the imperfections in your teeth that mar your smile’s radiance and also cause discomfort while eating, start packing your bags for smile designing in Costa Rica.
For more information on smile makeover in San Jose, CR, contact us now!
References
- Patients beyond Border Published November, 2017 “Medical Tourism Costa Rice Registers 34% Growth”
- Pini, Núbia Pavesi et al. “Advances in Dental Veneers: Materials, Applications, and Techniques.” Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dentistry4 (2012): 9–16. PMC. Web. 7 Dec. 2017.
