Dental Care

[ShelleyW]

I broke my front tooth this evening (on a piece of crusty bread! )
Any advice / experience with dentists in Spain ?
No pain , but not attractive!
No dental insurance
In Palas de Rei

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I broke off a surface chip on bread, and it was 50E for a repair in Santiago; less than the copay at home. Check with your hospitalero for a recommendation.

 

[Albertagirl]

I broke off a tooth on a bocadillo last November, a day short of Santiago. As I was in no pain, I waited to see my own dentist when I got home. I don't have insurance either, except for seniors dental insurance, which covers almost nothing and did not pay for the repair. You might see if you can get an estimate of the cost of the repair before committing yourself. My younger brother got a tooth repaired in Mexico last year. As it was something major and he left it until just before flying home, he had to fly back when there was a problem. I would suggest that you might try to get it done in Santiago if it is minor, but wait until you are home for anything major, as you own dentist will be responsible for complications. Good luck. I know what it is like to break a front tooth and feel self-conscious about your speech and appearance until it is fixed.

 

[C clearly]

I once broke a front tooth while on vacation - no pain but I looked rather funny. I used some dental wax (my daughter had it to protect against irritation from her braces) to stick on my tooth for occasions when I had to meet and talk to strangers. (I figured it was safe if I accidentally swallowed it!) Maybe a local dentist could help you fashion something temporary.

Otherwise, just remember that you will never again meet most of the people you see on the Camino! Embrace your inner pirate, or explore what it is like to go through the world with incomplete teeth. I am half-joking, as I know I would be self-conscious too, and would have trouble doing that! Good luck!

 

[OzAnnie]

Some funny replies above, lol. (.. inner pirate ).
My immediate thought as I read the OP post and responses was the warning it was giving me about eating crusty bread and bocadillos .. especially if your getting a ‘ bit long in the tooth’.

Good luck with the repair @ShelleyW - it must be feeling really awkward in more ways than one.
Annie

 

[patk]

I broke a front canine tooth on theMozarabe a year or so ago. We then moved on to Ourense where I found the BEST dentist! I felt so ashamed that I had doubted the standard of dentistry. The staff were lovely. The equipment was state of the art. The dentist did a sensational job of repairing the tooth and if happened again I would hop on a train to see him again. And it cost me far less than it would in Australia.
Caredent Clinicas
Juan 23, 7 Local
323003 Ourense
Tel 988374650
Ourense@caredent.es
Hope this helps

 

[t2andreo]

I broke my front tooth this evening (on a piece of crusty bread! )
Any advice / experience with dentists in Spain ?
No pain , but not attractive!
No dental insurance
In Palas de Rei

Get to Santiago, ask for recommendations. Try at the Pilgrim Office, or Pilgrim House (Rua Nova #19). Alternatively, ask at the TI for Santiago, Rua do Vilar #63. Someone WILL have the name and phone number of a good dentist who can fit you in today or tomorrow... Ask them to call for you to set up the appointment. The cost will likely be reasonable.

I am thinking either a veneer treatment, or possibly a temporary cap, until you get home. I personally recommend the veneer if you are confident of the dentist's sculpting skills. The results are permanent, but cosmetically superior (IMHO). The cap involves destroying much of the existing tooth. I hesitate to do that, especially if it is not your "home"dentist...

Failing this, contact SYates through this forum using a private conversation. She lives in Santiago, is a former nurse, speaks near perfect Spanish (albeit with a German accent...LOL), and is one of the resident Camino Angels. She is also a friend of mine. Tell her Tom sent you... If it is at all possible, she will help.

Hopefully, this reaches you in time. Let us know how it worked out.

Hope this helps.

 

[ShelleyW]

Thank you so much for this information! I am in MELIDE now and see a lovely dentist office across the street ftom my hotel !! Reopens in an hour . I’ll use my translator app and hope veneer option works out .

 

[Purky]

Ah, memories...

 

[Purky]

And by the way, since I am reading that bocadillos have caused more dental destruction: since my own unfortunate accident I eat them upside down. Less likely to break a tooth and much better for your palate. Buen apetito.

 

[Luther]

Good luck. The dentist should be able to temporize it to last until you get home. It's possible to make a more permanent restoration if the office has a cad/cam machine that can make same-day crowns. Not sure if you'd find one there or not. Glad you found a dentist in Melide right next to you tho! I'd call that another Camino miracle. Mine was finding a small health store in Melide that had stomach antacids/Rolaids that treated my acid-reflux from too much ibuprofin. Porcelain veneers will take time for the lab to make. I'd advise to not try and do anything too drastic, but if it gets really painful may need endo treatment (start of a root canal). Best wishes and buen Camino!

 

[Richard Smith]

I also broke a front tooth on some particularly crusty Spanish bread on the Camino, I love their bread and don't know why this loaf caused it. Luckily the nerve in that tooth had been treated and killed many years ago, so no pain, and probably that tooth was weaker for the treatment.
Anyway, two years later I still have not got the gap fixed, I treat it as a Camino reminder for now. A bit like throwing the stone at the Iron Cross to lose something, a different smile helped me gain something.