Today, the process of fitting my crown was completed. I'll share my experience of how things are done in Buenos Aires by a dentist who works with OSDE.
A friend from Santa Fe, New Mexico had three crowns done here in 2015. She told me that US dentists charge $3,000 per crown, and she paid $300 per crown in Buenos Aires. US dentists do the complete process in one long appointment.
Twelve years ago I had mercury fillings removed from a molar that were holding fine after 50 years. I don't remember it if was my idea or my dentist's. The tooth was fine for a year or two. Then I developed sensitivity problems. Before I knew what was happening, I was under local anesthesia and having a root canal when the nerve is removed. I had no more problems until part of the tooth broke off a few months ago. I went to see the OSDE dentist for consultation.
After taking a bite-wing x-ray in the office, he said that I needed a crown. I no longer have OSDE, so I was paying for the process. He consulted the OSDE price list (the dentist receives 50%) for a porcelain crown and offered to let me pay 7,000AP/$465US in three installments over the course of the seven appointments. Tuesday at 2:30pm was my scheduled appointment every week. An appointment is 15 minutes, but he blocked 30 minutes in case he needed more time.
The work was done slowly over the course of two months. Now that I know what is involved in preparing the old tooth, making the porcelain crown, fitting it correctly, I appreciate his attention to every detail in the slow process. He didn't explain what he was doing, he just did it. This dentist and his son share the same office on Entre Rios. He has done this process many times and knows what he's doing. I have complete trust in him. He's a professional. After so many years away from the USA, I see how it's all about making money = one appointment for a crown that means $3K.
You need to know that temporary fillings will be inserted in the process, so you need to avoid eating for an hour after the appointment. I got used to chewing on the right side, avoiding the left side where the molar got drilled away a little each week.
I have childhood memories of doing to the dentist, even the smell of the office. I hated it. Each visit meant another filling. All my back teeth were filled by the time I was 12. My parents didn't restrict my sugar intake or tell me to brush my teeth after eating.
I never imagined I'd hug my dentist, but that's what I did Tuesday afternoon before leaving his office. My new tooth feels great.
