Legislative
foe delays tax
that would affect health care
By the Medical Vacation staff
Tourists coming to Costa Rica for medical treatment
received a break this month when the Sala IV constitutional court
agreed to hear an appeal of the way a proposed new tax is making its
way through the legislature.
The details are technical, but the net result is that it may be a year
or more before lawmakers get to vote on the proposed 14 percent
value-added tax. The proposal would cover for the first time
professional services like medical procedures.
A lawmaker who opposes the tax filed the court appeal. Under a
fast-track method for considering the bill, discussion would be
limited. The lawmaker objects to this, and this is the basis of his
appeal to the judicial authorities.
Medical services are not now taxed in Costa Rica. This is one of the
advantages for medical tourists who come here seeking lower-cost
treatments. Some dental and cosmetic surgery procedures can be 50
percent lower than North American prices and just as good.
President Laura Chinchilla Miranda is targeting professional services
to raise more money for the financially troubled government. So far
there have been no suggestions of exemptions for medical procedures
performed on tourists, although this still is a possibility. There have
been nearly 4,000 amendments filed on the massive tax bill, and each
amendment will be discussed separately.
The difference is that the legislative leadership wants to restrict
discussion of any amendment to 10 minutes each. Some lawmakers want an
open discussion without limits before they vote on each amendment
separately.
—
Dec. 28, 2011
New
procedure allows same-day implants
By Dr. Telma Rubinstein of Prisma Dental
The traditional method of placing a dental implant is a process that
takes approximately six months to complete. Now, there is a new way to
complete the entire process in one appointment: Immediate load
implants. The implants and the associated process was developed to
reduce the time required to place dental implants. Immediate load
implants, also known as same day implants, are the most modern and
advanced approach to implant placement.
To understand and appreciate the benefits of this new method, it is
important to understand how traditional implants are placed.
In the past, when a patient lost a tooth and opted for a dental implant
and a crown, he or she would have to go through a two-step process.
First, the patient would go to an oral surgeon to have a dental implant
placed into his or her jawbone. After approximately six months, the
implant would become a permanent part of the jawbone. This process is
known as osseo-integration.
Once this process is complete, a crown could be placed on the implant,
and the crown serves as the new chewing service. A crown is basically a
man-made tooth.
Immediate load implants, tooth restoration, can be performed on the
implant in the same day, under a single-stage surgery, eliminating the
time of the osseo-integration and eliminating the need for the second
surgery.
The principal difference between regular implants and immediate load
implants is the shape of the implant. A traditional implant looks like
a screw, but the immediate load implant has an angled design. It is
this design which enables the immediate load implant to support a
reasonable amount of pressure immediately.
Immediate load implants can help many patients who have lost a tooth in
the front or visible part of the mouth. And the patient won’t have to
wait several months after the implant is placed until the restoration
is completed, as has been the case with traditional implants.
It is important to consider the location within the mouth where the
implant will be placed and how much time has passed since the natural
tooth has been lost. Immediate load implants, like normal implants, are
only possible when the jawbone is healthy and there is no infection or
inflammation in the area where the implant is to be placed.
Additionally, it is important to consider some other restrictions.
People with certain medical conditions, low jaw bone density, smokers,
heavy drinkers, and people who suffer from bruxism (teeth grinding or
clenching) are not ideal candidates for immediate load implants, as
there is a great risk the implant will fail.
Anyone who would like to learn more about implants or who is in need of
any cosmetic dental surgery, can contact clinic@prismadental.com.
This Web site is owned by Consultantes Río
Colorado S.A., the parent company of A.M.
Costa Rica, the nation's leading daily English language news
source. Copyrighted 2011 by Consultantes Río Colorado S.A.
