How Do Dental Implants Work

• An implant is an artificial metal tooth root that is placed in the jawbone.
• In about 3 to 6 months, the implant fuses with the bone, acting like a tooth anchor.
• It provides a solid and stable support for a crown, or “false tooth,” to be attached.
• Dental implants are light, strong, compatible with living tissue and are made from titanium, the safest material for oral implants.

Which Dental Implant Is Right for You

Whether you are missing a single tooth, multiple teeth, or are edentulous (all teeth missing), dental implants can be the next best thig to having natural teeth.

Single Tooth Implants:

A single dental implant replaces an individual tooth that has been lost. It functions like a natural tooth and usually has a dental crown on top.

Multiple Teeth Implants:

All-on-4 Implants: This procedure uses four dental implants and is done on patients who may have less available jawbone. It is a technique where a whole arch of the teeth can be supported by only 4 implants.

Read more on All-on-Four implants in Costa Rica.

All-on-6 Implants: This procedure uses six dental implants and is used on patients who don’t have perfect jawbones but have enough bone to support multiple implants. A bridge in the form of an arch is used to support the artificial teeth.

All-on-8 Implants: This procedure uses eight dental implants and is one of the most stable options. Since it involves the highest number of dental implants, it has the strongest grip on the jaw. The patient’s jaw needs to have enough bone to sustain these eight implants.

Compare Dentures and Dental Implants

Dental Clinic in Costa Rica

Accreditation

• At New Smile Dental Group in San Jose, we have a solid track record of over 18 years. We are members of the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID).
• In 2009, New Smile Dental was the first dental clinic in Costa Rica to be internationally accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, Inc. (AAAASF).
• In 2010, PROMED honored it with the Seal of Quality.
• All of our dentists are associated with the Association of Dental Surgeons of Costa Rica, which is the highest authority that monitors the dental industry in the country.

Specialized Treatment and Care

The main focus is on restorative and cosmetic dental treatments and procedures, and our in-demand specialists are experts in endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, and oral surgery.

In-House Lab

The clinic has an on-site dental lab which gives it complete control over the design, fabrication, and quick delivery of dental restorations.

At our modern clinic and laboratory, we have the finest equipment and tools available, as well as state-of-the-art technology such as CAD/CAM, providing our patients with world-class service.

A team of two doctors is assigned to every dental case treated at the clinic and two assistants for each doctor. The dental assistants help the dentists during the performance of every dental procedure and also provide support in office and lab duties.

Find out more about our on-site dental lab here:

Guarantees:

The dental clinic stands behind its work and offers guarantees on its workmanship. The clinic is devoted to providing patients with an environment which makes them feel confident and secure when visiting a foreign country for dental care.

We offer a lifetime guarantee on dental implants and a 7-year guarantee on crowns and veneers.

Watch our lead dental surgeon in Costa Rica talk about the guarantees and the aftercare policy followed at the dental clinic:

Dental Implants Costa Rica Reviews

Debbie reviews her experience of getting implant supported dentures at our clinic:

Must-Knows for Dental Trip to Costa Rica

Reaching San Jose, Costa Rica

• All major American and Canadian airlines fly to San Jose.
• The average flight duration from most of the places in the USA to Costa Rica is between 4 and 7 hours. It can be reached via direct flight from nearly 10 major airports in North America.
• Prices of air tickets cost under USD 500 if you book a few weeks in advance. Prices are slightly higher in the offseason which lasts between May and November. The on-season is from December to March.

Must-Carry Essentials for your trip

• On entry, Americans and Canadians should present a valid passport and a return ticket.
• Currency restrictions for entry and exit stand at USD 10,000. Limit the amount of cash you carry.
• Costa Rica’s national currency is the colón (plural: colones). American dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas across the country.

Dental Implants Costa Rica FAQ

1. Is the dental implant procedure painful?

Proper measures are taken to ensure you don’t feel the pain. Anesthesia is given to the patient so they do not feel the pain during the procedure. Post-surgery, antibiotics, and painkillers are given to ease the pain.

2. What type of anesthesia do you use?

We use local anesthetics, such as Novacaine.

3. Can I take I.V. Sedation during my dental implant treatment?

Yes. We offer the option of full sedation during your procedure.

4. What brand of implants do you work with?

We work with Zimmer Dental, Oco Biomedical, and S.I.N. Implante.

5. Is CT scan a pre-requisite for dental implant surgery?

A CT scan is a must to figure out how much bone is left in your jaw and whether you are the right candidate for the implant surgery. Our dental implantologist in San Jose explains the importance of the scans in the following video:

6. Will my existing implants (1 to 2) be used if I opt for All on 4 implants?

Yes, existing implants can be used in most of the cases. Your dentist will have to determine their viability by evaluation of your 3D tomography, which will also tell us the brand, type, and size of the existing implants.

7. How many days do I have to stay in Costa Rica for getting implants?

This depends on the amount of work you are having done. Here are some general time frames:

If you need implant placement /surgical phase, you will have to stay for four business days (plus arrival and departure).

For 1-5 units, you need to stay for five business days along with arrival and departure.

And for 6 or more units, you need to stay for nine business days along with arrival and departure.

8. How long do implants take to heal?

Healing may take up to 3-6 months but may vary depending on the quality of the patient’s bone. Proper care in the initial few weeks post-surgery is important for uneventful healing.

9. What payment modes do you accept?

We accept cash, wire transfers, credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), and PayPal.

10. Do you offer free ground transfers in San Jose?

Yes! We offer free ground transfers to and from the airport. To make your trip comfortable, we provide complimentary pick-up for all of your appointments as long the hotel is within the clinic’s pick-up zone.