Dental Brokers

Mertens was told that to treat his gum disease, replace bridgework, plus add a few new crowns and fillings, the cost would be $38,000. My enterprising editor then went surfing on the Internet and found another surprise. He Googled his way to a list of what were called "Dental Vacations". How you can have your teeth fixed in Costa Rica, Mexico and other locations for a fraction of the price and also take a vacation at the same time.

An abscessed tooth is a tooth that has a pocket of pus in the tissues around or beneath it. A bacterial infection or gum disease (gingivitis or periodontitis) may cause the bone surrounding the tooth to dissolve and an abscess to form. Not surprisingly, abscessed teeth are usually very painful. You may feel a shooting or throbbing pain every time you bite or chew.

According to the Korean National Health Insurance Corporation, about 20 percent of the subscribers have visited dentists over gum disorders. Experts assume the number of those who have periodontitis, but do not have medical treatment could be up to 50 percent of the population. Moreover, Prof. Park Sung-hee of Hallym University said that people over 35 years old have 75 percent more chance to have gum disease.

Many people are now flying halfway around the world to seek health and dental treatments. A report out Tuesday from a business consulting company estimated $700,000 Americans a year could go abroad for health care, saving an average of $15,000. Two local patients said they saved more going to countries where they didn't speak the language but trusted the doctors.