Affordable Dental Crowns in Costa Rica

Are you uninsured and want to improve your teeth’s strength and appearance?

Then you should get dental crowns in Costa Rica!

Costa Rican dentists can give you a natural smile at an affordable price with high-quality material.

Sounds interesting? Keep reading to learn more.

Affordable Dental Caps in Costa Rica

Dental treatment prices have increased recently, prompting patients to consider dental tourism abroad.

With its booming tourism industry, Costa Rica is one of the most sought-after locations for this purpose.
And 42% of patients travel here for dental procedures.[1]MENAFN
42% Of Medical Tourism In Costa Rica Is For Dental Treatment
“The most sought-after services are… Dental treatments : 42%”
View in Article

See the price table below to get an idea of how much you can save.

How Much Do Dental Crowns Cost in Costa Rica?

The cost of dental crowns in Costa Rica starts from $370.

While a porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crown costs $370, a full porcelain crown costs $400.

Compared to the US, these prices are about 70% cheaper. 

On average, a PFM crown in the US costs $1,210.

The following table shows the dental crown prices in Costa Rica compared to those in the US and Canada.

Teeth Caps Cost in Costa Rica Vs. US Vs. Canada
Type of Crown Costa Rica  US Canada
Porcelain Noble Metal Crown $370 $1,210 $1,100
Porcelain Zirconium Crown $400 $1,590 $1,500
Full Porcelain Crown $400 $1,480 $1,700
Implant + Crown – Porcelain Fused to Metal $1,212 $4,000 $3,093
Implant + Crown – Porcelain Fused to Zirconium $1,386 $4,380 $3,430
*Costs are subject to change. Contact us for the latest prices.

Do these prices sound good to you?

Then read the next section to see which clinics offer them.

Top Dental Clinics in Costa Rica for Crowns

We work with the best dental clinics in Costa Rica that offer top-notch dental services.

Here are some of their highlights:

  • 1-7 year guarantees on dental crowns.
  • Advanced sterilization methods like autoclaves & ultrasonic cleanings.
  • In-house labs with state-of-the-art technology, such as CAD/CAM.
  • English-speaking staff and dentists.
  • They get continuous training to stay up to date with the latest techniques.
  • Additional amenities like free Wi-Fi & phone calls to the US & Canada.
  • Shuttle service and dedicated parking lots are also available.

Here is the list of clinics that offer premium-quality dental crowns in Costa Rica.

Best Destinations and Clinics for Crowns in Costa Rica
Top Destination Top Clinic Google Rating
San José Flikier Dental Institute

New Smile Dental Group

5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

4.3 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Playa Jacó Premier Dental Care 4.9 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Liberia Arte Dental 4.9 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

You can meet the highly-qualified dentists at these clinics in the next part.

Best Cosmetic Dentists in Costa Rica

You will receive your dental crowns in Costa Rica from expert dentists who graduated from top dental schools. Here are some of them:

Dentist Credentials
Dr. Simon Flikier | Dentist in Costa Rica

Dr. Simon Flikier

  • Prosthodontist
  • Experience: 20+ years
  • Registered as Specialist in Prosthodontics
  • Associate Fellowship World Clinical Laser Institute
  • Member of the American College of Prosthodontics
Dr. Dashiel Carr | Dentist in Costa Rica

Dr. Dashiel Carr

  • Implantologist
  • Experience: 15+ years
  • Skilled in digital dentistry and full mouth rehabilitation
  • BLS certified
  • Member of the America Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID)
Dr. Daniel Alvarado | Dentist in Costa Rica

Dr. Daniel Alvarado

  • Prosthodontist
  • Experience: 8+ years
  • Externship in Oral Implantology, Stony Brook University, NY
  • Professor at the Latin American University of Science & Technology
Dr. Natalia Arguedas | Dentist in Costa Rica

Dr. Natalia Arguedas

  • Prosthodontist
  • Experience: 12+ years
  • Advanced Training on Cosmetic Dentistry
  • Board Member of Costa Rican Dental Surgeons

You know about the clinics & dentists, but why get your dental crowns in Costa Rica?

5 Reasons to Choose Costa Rica for Dental Crowns

Costa Rica is one of the best countries for crown treatments for the following reasons:


1️⃣ Affordable Dental Treatments

  • The quality of care and technology used in our dental clinics are comparable to those in the US.
  • However, the cost of dental crowns in Costa Rica is drastically lower.


2️⃣ One of the Top Healthcare Systems

  • With 96 points, Costa Rica has one of the best healthcare systems in the world, with excellent patient reviews.
  • It ranked third in the Healthcare category of International Living’s Annual Global Retirement Index in 2020.[2]PRWEB
    The 5 Countries with the Best Healthcare in the World 2020
    “ Costa Rica takes third place in the Healthcare category of International Living’s Annual Global Retirement Index 2020.”
    View in Article


3️⃣ Suitable Location

  • The proximity of Costa Rica to the US and Canada makes it an even more favorable option.
  • US and Canadian citizens can travel without a visa[3]International Living
    Obtaining Your Visa or Residence in Costa Rica
    “Reference Text U.S. and Canadian citizens do not require a visa to enter Costa Rica as a tourist.”
    View in Article
    to get dental crowns in Costa Rica.
  • They can stay for up to three months. However, they must have a return ticket.
  • Frequent flights are available from important cities in both of these countries.

See their flight durations to San José in the table below:

City of Origin Flight Duration
California 6.5h
New York 6.5h
Ontario 6h
British Columbia 8h


4️⃣ Safe Destination

  • Costa Rica is a relatively safe country in Central America.
  • A ‘Tourist Police Force’ is deployed all across the country to assist and protect tourists.[4]Costa Rica Tourism Board
    Tips for travellers
    “The Costa Rican Tourism Board, in conjunction with the police, have created a subdivision titled tourist police…”
    View in Article
  • As with any other country, tourists should exercise a minimum level of caution. However, most of the travelers who’ve visited have come back satisfied.


5️⃣ An Unforgettable Holiday

  • Apart from receiving high-quality dental work in Costa Rica, you can enjoy an unforgettable vacation.
  • Due to Costa Rica’s unique geographical location, its scenic beauty is breathtaking.
  • It borders the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean.[5]Britannica
    Costa Rica
    “Extending from northwest to southeast, Costa Rica is bounded by Nicaragua to the north, by the Caribbean Sea…”
    View in Article



Before embarking on this journey, you should learn more about dental crowns in the section below.

Dental Crowns in Costa Rica – Everything You Need to Know

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap placed over a natural tooth to restore its function, aesthetics, and strength.[6]Healthdirect
Dental crown procedure
“A dental crown is a covering for an existing tooth. It can improve the way a decayed or broken tooth looks and make it stronger and longer lasting.”
View in Article

Eligible candidates for dental crowns are those who want to:[7]Healthline
Everything You Need to Know About Getting a Dental Crown
“If you have a large cavity that’s too big for a filling, it may be time for a crown. You may also need a crown if your tooth is: severely worn down…”
View in Article

  • Cover an implant.
  • Enhance the look of their teeth.
  • Support and retain a dental bridge.
  • Protect a weak, decayed, or cracked tooth.
  • Repair severely damaged teeth with little remaining structure.
  • Protect teeth that have undergone severe grinding due to bruxism.

Dental Crown

Dental Crown

  • Strengthen a tooth with a large damaged filling that needs to be replaced.
  • Strengthen a tooth that has undergone root canal treatment.

Types of Dental Crowns in Costa Rica

Various high-quality materials can be used, depending on the case.

Here are the most popular types of crowns:


Ceramic

All Ceramic Crowns

These are tooth-colored crowns. Usually, their usage is limited to the front teeth.

On the posterior teeth, there is a high chance that these will fracture due to the high force.

The color matching is almost perfect with ceramic crowns.[8]Animated-teeth.com
Source Heading Types of dental crowns
“Due to the life-like translucency of the materials from which they’re made, all-ceramics can be the most aesthetically pleasing…excellent choice for restoring front teeth.”
View in Article


PFM

Porcelain Fused to Metal Crowns (PFM)

These provide the best of both worlds. The inner core is metal, while the external layer is porcelain.[9]Animated-teeth.com
Types of dental crowns
“Due to their great strength, PFM dental crowns can make a good choice for either front or back teeth”
View in Article

The only disadvantage is that a significant amount of tooth structure is trimmed. This is to make space for the bulky crown.


Alloy

Gold Alloy Crowns

Gold crowns have excellent durability and strength. However, their color is a significant drawback.[10]Healthline
How Does a Gold Crown Stack Up to Porcelain?
“These crowns rarely chip or break. They don’t wear down easily and require minimal tooth removal to be applied. These crowns are very durable and can last for decades.”
View in Article

They appear bright yellow in contrast to the white color of the enamel.

Base Metal Alloys

Base metals have a distinct unaesthetic appearance, due to which they are not used on the front teeth.

The advantage is that they have very high compressive strength.

Thus, they can withstand the forces acting on the molar teeth.[11]Wiley Online Library
Wear and marginal quality of aesthetic crowns for primary molars
“ The results show that SSC is still the gold standard to restore deep decayed primary molars.”
View in Article


Zirconia

Zirconia Crowns

The main advantages of zirconium crowns are their durability, strength, biocompatibility, and aesthetic appearance.

They also need less tooth removal and will not cause allergic reactions like base metals.[12]Healthline
What You Need to Know About Dental Crowns Made from Zirconia
“One of the biggest advantages of zirconia is its strength and durability..biocompatibility…”
View in Article


Ceramic crowns in Costa Rica

Ceramic

PFM crowns in Costa Rica

PFM

All metal crowns in Costa Rica

Metal

Zirconia crowns in Costa Rica

Zirconia

Now that you know everything about crowns, you can learn more about their procedure in the next section.

Procedure for Dental Crowns in Costa Rica

The procedure, which will be performed by the best cosmetic dentists in Costa Rica, goes as below:[13]Healthdirect
Dental crown procedure
“The dentist will usually prepare the tooth by removing a layer of its outer surface. The crown will be the same thickness as the thickness of this removed layer….”
View in Article

Examination

On your first visit, the dentist will examine your tooth, determine the type of crown, and create a treatment plan.

Tooth Preparation

Next, the dentist will trim your tooth from all sides.

This is to make room for the crown. You might need a root canal treatment first.

In any case, you will be given local anesthetics and won’t feel a thing.

Crown procedure in Costa Rica

Crown preparation

Crown Preparation

The dentist will send an impression of your tooth to the lab to fabricate a permanent crown.

A temporary crown may be placed until the next appointment. Temporary crowns are provided for free in our network clinics.

Crown Placement

On the second visit, the fit of the crown is checked. The dentist will then apply dental cement to glue the crown to your tooth.

At first, it may feel a little foreign, but you will get used to it in a few days.

If crowns are ideal for you, keep reading to learn why MTC is the perfect medical tourism assistant.

Why Medical Tourism Corporation (MTC)?

Wondering why you should get your dental crowns in Costa Rica with MTC?

The following reasons might help you decide.

✅ Partnerships With Top Dental Clinics in Costa Rica

  • We work with certified dentists who have an excellent reputation.
  • We are also partnered with some of the best clinics that offer top-notch cosmetic dentistry in Costa Rica.

✅ World-Renowned Services

  • We are ranked A+ by the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
  • We have an impeccable track record with thousands of happy patients.

✅ Affordable Dental Packages

  • At MTC, we believe in providing the best care at the lowest possible price.
  • We provide all-inclusive low-cost dental packages along with pick-up and lodging arrangements.
  • We also offer convenient payment options. Our clinics accept cash, wire transfers, credit cards, and PayPal.

✅ Thorough Assistance

  • We assist in procuring visas and passports while planning your whole trip for you to eliminate the uncertainty.
  • We offer pre-trip consultations with our dentists. Each patient will also get a bilingual case manager who takes care of their requirements.

Are you ready to make the trip? Learn more about Costa Rica’s travel information in the next section.

Costa Rica Travel Information

The following tips will help you have a smoother trip as you travel for dental work in Costa Rica.


Required Documents

  • Make sure you have a passport valid for at least six months.
  • US and Canadian citizens with valid passports do not need a visa to enter Costa Rica for a stay shorter than three months.


Language and Currency

  • The native currency of Costa Rica is the Colon.
  • However, the American dollar is widely accepted almost everywhere in the country.
  • Spanish is the local language here. It’s best to be familiar with the basics of the native language.


Climate

The climate in Costa Rica can be divided into two broad categories:

  • The dry season (summer or ‘Verano’) – from December to April
  • The rainy season (winter or ‘Inverno’) – from May to November

The dry season is the best time to visit and get dental crowns in Costa Rica.[14]U.S. News
Best Times to Visit Costa Rica
“The best time to visit Costa Rica is from mid-December to April (the dry season)”
View in Article


SIM Card

  • Cell phones registered in the US are not functional here.
  • Contact your cell phone company before you leave to inquire about the reception and call rates.


Safety Tips

  • It’s a good idea to get a lock and lock up the zippers on your backpack.
  • Trust your instincts. If you feel that a situation is unsafe or something is off, but you can’t quite put your finger on it, listen to your gut!
  • Do not carry large sums of money. Split your cash into piles and hide each one in different locations, especially when you are on the move.
  • Travelers should use licensed taxis, which are red, with yellow medallions painted on the side. Licensed taxis at the airport are orange-colored.

Source: My Costa Rica[16]My Costa Rica
Is it Safe to Travel in Costa Rica?
“Take the following safety measures to avoid being targeted:…Don’t carry valuables…”
View in Article


Are you still unsure about choosing Costa Rica for crowns?

Maybe hearing about other patients’ experiences can help you decide.

Dental Crowns in Costa Rica Patient Reviews

Here are some testimonials from happy patients who had dental crowns in Costa Rica:

Dental crowns & bridge in Costa Rica

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 Stars (Google Reviews)

“Great dentist office. The implant work and crown work are both perfect!! Wonderful, friendly staff. No problems.”

-Cathe Karner

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 Stars (Google Reviews)

“I experienced no pain. Had over 7 crowns & 1 Implant placed without any issues. They treat you like VIP from start to finish.”

-John Baker

Do you have more questions about Costa Rica’s dental tourism? Get your answer in the FAQs section below.

FAQs


Are dental crowns cheaper in Costa Rica?

Dental crowns in Costa Rica are 70% cheaper than in the US and Canada.

You can get a full porcelain crown in Costa Rica for $400. While you have to pay $1,480 in the US.

Implant and PFM crowns cost $1,386 per unit here, while in the US, they cost $4,380.


How much are porcelain crowns in Costa Rica?

Porcelain dental crowns cost 70% less in Costa Rica compared to the US.

Full porcelain crowns are about $400 in Costa Rica. While porcelain noble metal crowns cost $370.

The same treatments start at $1,480 and $1,210 in the US.


How much are zirconium crowns in Costa Rica?

The cost of zirconium dental crowns in Costa Rica is $400 per unit.

Compared to $1,590 in the US and Canada, you can save up to 70% by getting your crowns in this country.

An implant plus a zirconium crown in Costa Rica costs $1,386 vs. $4,380 in the US.


Is it safe to get dental crowns in Costa Rica?

You may hear people’s negative experiences with dental treatments abroad.

However, the case is different in Costa Rica.

Getting dental crowns in Costa Rica is entirely safe if you research the clinics and find one with expert dentists.

The country itself is also a safe destination and popular among tourists.


How long will I have to stay in Costa Rica for dental crowns?

You may have to stay in the country for up to seven business days.

This depends on the dental crown you get in Costa Rica and your oral status.

This stay might be longer if you need additional restorative treatments and dental services.


How long do dental crowns from Costa Rica last?

The longevity of a crown depends on factors like oral health status, cleaning practices, and material used.

A well-maintained dental crown from Costa Rica typically lasts 5-15 years.[16]Animated Teeth
How long do crowns last?
“It can be expected that a crown should provide service for somewhere between five and fifteen years”
View in Article

Metal crowns are said to last even longer.

Our clinics in Costa Rica provide patients with guarantees for all types of crowns.


Conclusion

Are you ready to regain your smile and confidence?

Then contact MTC today. Let us help restore your teeth by planning your trip for affordable dental crowns in Costa Rica.

We will assist you at every step. You can relax and enjoy a wonderful dental vacation.

So take the first step and fill out our form now.

References

  1. MENAFN: 42% Of Medical Tourism In Costa Rica Is For Dental Treatment
  2. PRWEB: The 5 Countries with the Best Healthcare in the World 2020
  3. International Living: Obtaining Your Visa or Residence in Costa Rica
  4. Costa Rica Tourism Board: Tips for travelers
  5. Britannica: Costa Rica
  6. Healthdirect: Dental crown procedure
  7. Healthline: Everything You Need to Know About Getting a Dental Crown
  8. Animated Teeth: Types of dental crowns
  9. Healthline: How Does a Gold Crown Stack Up to Porcelain?
  10. Wiley Online Library: Wear & marginal quality of aesthetic crowns for molars
  11. Healthline: What You Need to Know About Crowns Made from Zirconia
  12. US News: Best Times to Visit Costa Rica
  13. My Costa Rica: Is it Safe to Travel in Costa Rica?
  14. Animated Teeth: How long do crowns last?