#mumbaidental

So here’s the deal on why I’m getting ready to depart for Mumbai this coming Wednesday with my daughter Arjana, for a 3 week stay:

For the last decade, I’ve been dealing with steadily accelerating dental costs,  Some of this is probably normal for a 66 year-old guy, but I have an additional factor that is bringing things to a head: I grind my teeth.  Or so the dentist has kept nagging me.  Yes, I’ve worn a nightguard faithfully for the last decade, even though part of it broke off a couple of years ago (I’m just too cheap to spend $300-400 for a new one, and heck, it still works).  Still, my top front teeth have gotten shorter and thinner at the bottom edges, and they’ve started to get little chipped sections.  Until now I’ve managed to convince myself that because my teeth have always been short and not that visible, I could care less about “how they look” because this is me, and I’m 66, and ... (blah blah).  

But now, crunch time has come.  Last summer, my dentist told me I need 6 crowns ... no, make that 8 ... in the top front.  They had all worn down so much, and developed some dark spots by the gums, that something had to be done before costs increased dramatically more because of additional problems.  Sounded bad.  Having had 3 crowns already at about $1800 each, all I could think about was the dollar signs, so I pushed all thoughts of this to the back of my brain, as I can do so well when it suits me.  Besides, my wife had finally gotten me to be excited about a new kitchen earlier in the year, and I was in the midst of writing giant contractor checks.  Noooo room for the crowns problem!  So when I showed up for my January checkup, and the dentist asked “So Andy, are we going to start on those crowns soon?”, my brain was desperately scrambling for a way out, much like a cornered cat.

I found myself asking the dentist, “So ... what would you say if I said I was considering having this work done abroad, like in Hungary or India or somewhere like that, to save a good deal of cash?”  I admit I half dreaded her probable response.  But it was an incredibly cool one:  “You know, I’ve seen work that my friends have had done abroad and it’s been first class.  It’s certainly an option.” (or something like that).  My question had been somewhat rehearsed beforehand, because when told about the situation, my 31-year old daughter Arjana had responded with “Pop, you’ve gotta be nuts if you spend $2000 apiece for crowns here when you can do it so much cheaper abroad, and have a great trip to boot!”

In fact, having been in Budapest a number of years ago, I had seen one of the main streets lined with 24/7 dental offices serving tourists.  It was evidently a huge and profitable business.  I had also heard somewhere (no doubt the internet) that Mumbai offered world-class dental services as well, largely due to the demand from Bollywood (which makes Hollywood pale by comparison).  So for the last couple of months, I’ve done lots of research into the best places to have this work done.  At the same time, I’ve gotten estimates from my dentist’s office for the total “expected” expenditures:  $15000 for 8 crowns, excluding any root canals and other unexpected costs.

By far, the best deal of all seems to be India, and Mumbai in particular.  I’ve found what seems to be a high quality clinic, Dentzz Dental, and have been in constant touch with them for a few weeks now.  My initial quotes, based on sending them my x-rays, a few selfies, some phone calls and lots of emails/texts, are about $370 each for top-of-the-line zirconia crowns, computer generated, with the best materials, and around $130 for root canals where needed.  The cost difference would be immense.  Let’s say $500/tooth in the worst case, times 8.  That’s $4000.  At home it would be $15,000 without root canals, maybe $20,000 with, and for lesser quality materials (non-zirconia).  At Dentzz, all work can be done within a couple of weeks since everything is done in-house.  Also, the place is ISO certified, meaning that it conforms to European standards for quality control.  

I made my decision to move forward quite easily.   Did I drink the Kool-Aid too readily?  Perhaps.  But somehow, I don’t think so.

As soon as she found out Mumbai was in the cards, my word-traveler daughter Arjana made it clear that I wasn’t going without her, and that therefore, I had to plan it for April, when she was in town (Newton MA) for a couple of months break from her Carnival Cruise Lines singer-with-a-band job.   My wife Becky is green with envy because she has to work (teacher).  Couldn’t we do it in the summer, with her?  No ... it gets too hot and rainy then ... she admits it wouldn’t be a pleasant time.  So April it is, with Arjana at my side as my cosmetic consultant and traveling buddy.  Nice!

And April is now here, with departure from Boston only a few days away.  We almost snagged round-trip tickets to Mumbai, via Istanbul, for only $750 ... but still paid only $900 each.  Cheap enough to be a drop in the bucket.  This is gonna be fun!