Root Canal Circus

[Cali vet]

Got to apologise right off the bat. This hasn't got a thing to do with finding a wife in Latin America.

I just got back from my first root canal in Cali and it was a trip. I mean first of all I'm no veteren of the procedure and was plenty anxious to begin with. The dentist came highly reccomended to me by friends I trust so I took my place in the dentists chair and did my best to adopt a positive attitude. First thing, he squirts a numbing liquid over on the lower left in preparation for injecting the anesthetic. Mouth open and all cooperative like I casually remind him that the tooth in question is over on the lower right. "Ah, ha ha" he says and squirts again on the other side. So there we are waiting for the anesthetic to take effect and he starts bantering about how he can barely use his left arm having fallen down the stairs a month ago and fractured it. He lamented greatly not being able to play golf, his favorite pastime. Then he says "Wait I'll show you", ducks out for a minute and comes back with four big x-rays of his broken arm which he sticks up on the light panel normally used for reviewing x-rays of his patients' teeth. Then he proceeds to show and explain all the details of the x-rays as though we were discussing some comlex problem with my tooth. At this point I'm putting two and two together and wondering if he has the strength to do what he has to regarding my root canal. I was also expecting someone to throw open the door and say "Candid Camera!" By then I was numb so he starts drilling away. Meanwhile his assistent launches into a long storey about some inane domestic situation and he keeps looking up to respond but with out pausing the drilling process. The drilling completed he asks her for number eighteen and twenty one files. Now I have had one other root canal but I don't remember this part. These things are like the tip cleaners you use to clean a welding torch. He just sticks it down in the hole he's made and starts filing away, really vigorously. I just kept thinking of all the Colombians I see who still have teeth and waited to see what's next. Finally he finnished reaming out the holes and started to plug them when the phone rang. There was a phone right behind the dentists chair. It was a friend from Miami so he told the assistent to take over and finish plugging the hole. She did and then sort of dissapeared. I waited and finally decided it was ok for me to get up and...you know go...So I did and waved to him and he waved back still prattling on the phone and out I went. Monday I return for more of the "root canal circus".

[pablo]

... in response to Root Canal Circus, posted by Cali vet on Feb 7, 2003

Latin Women Connection offers a dental vacation package plan but the info is somewhat dated.  The link below shows a photo of the Cali dentist and his prices but the agency will not disclose the doc's name until they receive a $100 referral fee.  You might do a little detective work on your own and track down this dentist. The agency owner (laywer) trusted him to do his own teeth.  The one you have sounds flakey.

http://www.latinwomenconnection.com/AS-Dental-Vacation.html

[Cali vet]

... in response to Re: Root Canal Circus, posted by pablo on Feb 8, 2003

Thanks Pablo, Actually what I have to do is find one who is accepts Coomeva, my insurence plan.

Cali-vet

[Pete E]

... in response to Root Canal Circus, posted by Cali vet on Feb 7, 2003

There are supposed to be some good dentists in Cali but your story makes me wonder if you found one of them.My wife says the dentists are good but they tend not to have the best latest equipment as in the US.The cost is right though.A friend had dental work estimated to cost $4000 here.He got it done for $400 in Cali and was very happy with the work.If a person does not have dental insurance it could be worth a trip to Colombia once a year just for dental work.The savings on one crown would probably pay your airfare.
Also,another friend had Laser surjury there.Not only did he save thousands but the doctor is a world recognized expert and used a techniques not available in the states at the time(FDA thing I believe)that is available now.Something about a machine that moves with the eyeball insted of being rigid.This guy is a purest and went not to save money but because he thought the doctor and equipment were superior.
He didn't go to meet women but met his wife by chance there.

Pete

[Andean Condor]

... in response to Re: Root Canal Circus, posted by Pete E on Feb 8, 2003

Do you remember the name of that eye doctor, Pete?  I've been tossing around the idea of having it done for a while now.

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Re: Root Canal Circus, posted by Andean Condor on Feb 9, 2003

I will get it for you.The doctor is in Bucaramanga as I remember.I think it was like $1200 but there were extra charges to stay at a residence facility while recovering.Prices could have changed.I think it got down to like $3500 here when I checked 2 years ago,so the savings were not that much after air fare ect.But if you were there or wanted to go anyway you could put the 2 together.Also the new technology is now available here I believe.
I looked in to it myself but was inclined to do it here,just to be here for recovery.Then I found out I would need reading glasses anyway if I did it and decided it wasn't worthwhile to trade one set of glasses for another,plus there is some risk.Plus I think it would be much more frustrating to not be able to see up close without glasses.
I have a back up solution.I have very early stage cataracs.One  solution for cataracs is a contact lens implant.You can implant a bifocal lens.Your vision will be better than its ever been.The operation is even cheaper than laser surjury.But since it involves actual eye surjury its not usually done to correct vision.I will probably do that if the cataracs ever start to become a problem.I'm told 5 to 10 years I could be there.

Pete

[Cali vet]

... in response to Laser eye surjury, posted by Pete E on Feb 9, 2003

An American friend living here is considering it. He found an apparently well credentialled clinic that offers the procedure for something like a million three hundred thousand pesos per eye. I'll let him try it first.

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Laser eye surjury, posted by Cali vet on Feb 9, 2003

Yeah,a F--k  up in your eyes is a little more important than your teeth.You wouldn't want some clown Bullsh!ting on the phone in the middle of that one.

Pete

[Red Clay]

... in response to Root Canal Circus, posted by Cali vet on Feb 7, 2003

Afraid you might be "getting what you pay for" this time. Just ask him, "can you drill, fill, etc. and talk to others at the same time?"