David from Illinois Chooses Dental Implants in Costa Rica for Affordable Care

Hey there, my name is David. For the better part of three decades, I’ve been teaching teenagers in Peoria how to build things with their hands. There’s a simple joy in taking a piece of wood and shaping it into something useful, something beautiful. I’ve always been a man who believes in fixing what’s broken.

But a few years back, I had a problem I couldn’t fix on my own. It started subtly. A dull ache here, a tooth that felt a little loose there. I ignored it and chalked it up to getting older. Then one day, I was eating a simple apple and felt a sickening crack.

That was the beginning of the end for my smile, and honestly, a big piece of my confidence. My local dentist laid it out for me. Years of grinding my teeth at night, combined with some bad genetics, had led to advanced periodontal disease. My gums were in rough shape.

Several of my teeth were, in his words, “unsalvageable.” The solution? A full mouth restoration. We’re talking extractions, bone grafts, and a full set of dental implants. Then he gave me the price tag—over $60,000. I almost fell out of the chair.

My wife, Sarah, is the researcher in our family. She refused to let me give up. One night, she came to me with her laptop open. "David," she said, "have you ever heard of medical tourism?" I hadn’t. The idea of traveling to another country for a major dental procedure sounded terrifying. Was it safe? Were the dentists any good?

That’s when we found PlacidWay. It wasn't just a website with a list of clinics; it was a resource. We spent hours reading patient stories, looking at destinations known for affordable dental care. Costa Rica kept popping up. The clinics looked modern, the dentists had impressive credentials, and the prices were a fraction of what I was quoted at home.

Feeling a glimmer of hope, I reached out to PlacidWay. I was connected with a patient coordinator named Maria. She was incredible. She really listened to my fears and my story. She wasn’t a salesperson; she was a guide. She answered every single one of my questions about the process, the clinic, the travel, everything. She made the overwhelming idea feel manageable.

Flying to Costa Rica was a mix of nerves and excitement. Stepping off the plane, we were greeted by a driver holding a sign with my name on it, arranged by PlacidWay. The clinic itself was modern and state-of-the-art. The team walked me through the entire procedure using 3D scans of my jaw, which put me at ease. The treatment was intense but manageable, and in between visits, Sarah and I explored volcanoes and coffee plantations. It felt less like a medical trip and more like a healing vacation.

I returned home to heal for a few months before going back for my permanent crowns. When it was all done, the transformation was staggering. I had a full, beautiful, and perfectly functional set of teeth. I could eat anything I wanted. I could laugh without covering my mouth.

Coming back to Illinois, people were stunned. My students, my colleagues, my family—they all said I looked ten years younger. But the change was so much more than cosmetic. My confidence was back. I felt whole again.

I also took the money I saved—tens of thousands of dollars—and we put it towards our retirement. What could have been a crushing financial burden turned into an investment in our future.

My journey to dental implants in Costa Rica wasn't just about fixing my teeth; it was about reclaiming my life. And I couldn’t have done it without PlacidWay holding my hand every step of the way. If you’re feeling hopeless like I was, buried under an impossible medical bill, know there are other options. Don’t be afraid to look beyond your borders. It was the best decision I ever made.