The ultimate guide to Root Canal in San Jose

Root canal treatment may be necessary to save a tooth which is damaged or infected. A specialist procedure it is often costly inNorth America, possibly running into thousands of dollars if a crown is also needed. In San Jose root canals are a fraction of the cost, and offer an affordable means of saving a tooth that may otherwise need extracting.

Taking up to a couple of weeks to complete, traveling to San Jose will allow you to have a well earned holiday while your dentist attends to your root canal treatment.

 San Jose is a reasonably small city and easy to get around - but there is lots to keep you entertained as well as all the modern-day facilities one would expect to find. Costa Rica’s compact size means that travel to pretty much anywhere else in the country is only half a day’s drive away at most. With plenty of time on your hands in between visits to the dentist you will have ample time to explore.

Why have Root Canals in San Jose? 

Traveling long distances is off-putting to some people but San Jose is only a few hours away from some UScities. A few hours takes you to another world with Costa Rica’s diverse terrain, flora and fauna – although, culturally, the Latin-American vibe is not so unfamiliar.

Root canal treatment is a specialist procedure and one that should be carried out by an endodontist. With Dental Departures you can find exactly the right specialist for your dental care in a matter of clicks. Our website reveals dentist qualifications and where they have trained, as well as their areas of expertise, so you can choose your endodontist inSan Josewith confidence.

One of the myths about dental treatment abroad is that the dentists do not have the same experience, qualifications or training that dentists in theUS andCanada do. In our experience this is plainly not true, especially in the case of dentists who regularly treat patients from abroad.

In these instances clinics strive to offer the best service they can to their patients – and in order to put patients at their ease this means obtaining qualifications and affiliations that clinics in North America do. So, you will find we have dentists in San Jose who have memberships of professional organizations in Americaand clinics who are affiliated with the prestigious Joint Commission International, hopefully giving you peace of mind that our dentists are as professional and committed to delivering exceptional patient care as their counterparts in North America are.

How long do Root Canals take in San Jose?

The procedure usually involves two appointments at your dentist over the course of one or two weeks. However, if you have an infection this will have to be treated before root canal treatment can start. We recommend if you are traveling from overseas that you commence antibiotics 10 days before your appointment in San Jose. You can arrange this with your dentist at home before you travel.

Once you arrive at your first dentist appointment in San Jose you will probably have x-rays taken so that your dentist can get a clear picture of the situation. Once the dentist is ready to start your mouth will be prepared. A rubber dam will be placed around the infected tooth to protect it from infection and to keep it dry, and you will be given a local anesthetic to numb the area. 

Using a drill, the dentist will drill down into the soft tissue of the tooth (the pulp) and remove it before continuing down each root canal to remove dead roots and to ensure each canal is clear of infection. Depending on the size of the tooth there are between 1 and 3 roots, each with 1 or 2 canals, so it may take some time to access and clear each one. When all the tissue and debris has been removed the ensuing chambers are all thoroughly cleaned and packed with a temporary filling. The temporary filling is left in situ for a few days to ensure there is no infection present before the permanent filling or restoration (crown) is fixed. You may need a crown to strengthen the tooth if the dentist has had to remove a large portion of it.

On your next visit, if the dentist is satisfied everything is as it should be the tooth will be permanently filled or the permanent restoration fitted.

Altogether, the process may take up to 2 weeks to complete if you have had an infection and require a post-core and crown.

What is the cost comparison of Root Canals in the United States and Canada to San Jose? 

A simple root canal in the US starts from around $1,280, but is only $250 in San Jose.

However, it is when your root canal treatment also necessitates a crown that the savings in San Jose are really significant. Costing more than a couple of thousand dollars in the US, the price in San Jose is around $700 – a much more affordable sum to save your tooth.

How do I book?

Book your appointment for root canals in San Jose online or via our Toll-Free number. We can get you a great, quality-checked dentist - just browse our website to find your dentist, check-out their credentials and read patient reviews. Get free quotes from Dental Departures and book with us for guaranteed best prices.

(Image by: Mike Baird)