¡Hola! Welcome to the world of "Turismo Dental." Many people travel to Spanish-speaking countries for high-quality, affordable dental care. This chapter will prepare you for your trip, giving you the vocabulary to discuss treatments, symptoms, costs, and appointments confidently with dental professionals.
Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
Identify common dental procedures and anatomy in Spanish.
Describe dental symptoms like pain or sensitivity.
Make appointments and ask about treatment plans and costs.
Understand the dentist's instructions and recommendations.
Discuss the logistics of dental tourism (duration, recovery).
Introduction/Warm-up
Visiting a dentist in another country can be a great way to combine a vacation with essential care. However, communicating medical needs requires precision. Imagine you need a root canal or crown—knowing the exact words prevents confusion and ensures you get the right care. Let's learn to smile with confidence!
(Think): Have you ever had a toothache while traveling? What words would you use to describe the pain? (e.g., "throbbing," "sharp," "sensitive").
Presentation of New Material: At the Dentist's Office
1. Vocabulario Clave: La Clínica Dental (Key Vocabulary: The Dental Clinic)
Anatomía y Problemas (Anatomy & Problems):
el diente / la muela (tooth / molar)
la encía (gum)
la mandíbula (jaw)
la caries (cavity)
el dolor de muelas (toothache)
la sensibilidad (sensitivity)
el sarro (tartar)
la infección (infection)
el absceso (abscess)
Profesionales y Lugares (Professionals & Places):
el dentista / la dentista (dentist)
el/la higienista dental (dental hygienist)
el cirujano oral (oral surgeon)
la clínica dental (dental clinic)
el consultorio (doctor's/dentist's office)
Procedimientos y Tratamientos (Procedures & Treatments):
la limpieza dental (dental cleaning)
el empaste (filling)
la calza (LatAm) (filling)
la corona (crown)
el implante dental (dental implant)
el tratamiento de conducto / la endodoncia (root canal)
la extracción (sacar una muela) (extraction / pulling a tooth)
el blanqueamiento (whitening)
la radiografía / los rayos X (X-ray)
la anestesia (anesthesia)
los frenos / brackets (braces)
2. Frases y Preguntas Clave (Key Phrases & Questions)
Describing Symptoms:
Tengo un dolor muy fuerte en esta muela. (I have a very strong pain in this molar.)
Me duele cuando como cosas frías o calientes. (It hurts when I eat cold or hot things.)
Se me rompió un diente. (I broke a tooth.)
Tengo las encías inflamadas/sangrando. (My gums are swollen/bleeding.)
Se me cayó un empaste. (A filling fell out.)
Appointments and Costs:
Quisiera hacer una cita para una limpieza. (I'd like to make an appointment for a cleaning.)
¿Cuánto cuesta un implante dental? (How much does a dental implant cost?)
¿Me puede dar un presupuesto por escrito? (Can you give me a written quote/estimate?)
¿Aceptan seguro dental de los Estados Unidos? (Do you accept dental insurance from the US?)
¿Cuánto tiempo dura el tratamiento? (How long does the treatment take?)
During the Procedure:
¿Me va a doler? (Is it going to hurt?)
Por favor, póngame más anestesia. (Please, give me more anesthesia.)
Me siento un poco mareado/a. (I feel a bit dizzy.)
Instructions: Match the Spanish term with its English meaning.
la caries
el tratamiento de conducto
la encía
el presupuesto
la limpieza
A. gum
B. root canal
C. cleaning
D. cavity
E. quote/estimate
Answer Key:
1. la caries - cavity
2. el tratamiento de conducto - root canal
3. la encía - gum
4. el presupuesto - quote/estimate
5. la limpieza - cleaning
Sentence Completion:
Exercise 2: At the Clinic
Instructions: Complete the sentences with an appropriate word.
Necesito ir al dentista porque tengo un _____________ de muelas terrible.
El dentista dijo que tengo una pequeña _____________ en el molar.
Quiero hacerme un _____________ para tener los dientes más blancos.
Después de la cirugía, debes evitar comer cosas _____________ o muy calientes.
¿Aceptan tarjeta de _____________?
Answer Key (Examples):
dolor
caries
blanqueamiento
duras / picantes
crédito
Cultural Insight: Dental Tourism in Latin America
Dental tourism is a booming industry in countries like Mexico, Costa Rica, and Colombia. Patients from the US and Canada travel south to save significantly on dental work—often 50% to 70% less than prices at home—without engaging in a compromise on quality. Many dentists in these major hubs are trained internationally and speak excellent English.
Popular destinations often have entire towns or districts catering to international patients, nicknamed "Molar Cities." When planning such a trip, it is customary to request a presupuesto preliminar (preliminary estimate) via email based on your local X-rays before you travel.
Language Nuances: "Diente" vs. "Muela"
1. Specificity matters:
El diente: Often refers generically to any tooth, but specifically to the front teeth (incisors and canines).
La muela: Specifically refers to the back teeth (molars and premolars) used for grinding.
Key takeaway: If your back tooth hurts, saying "me duele una muela" is more natural than "me duele un diente".
La Consulta Dental (The Dental Consultation)
Dentista: Buenos días, Sr. Smith. ¿Cuál es el motivo de su visita hoy?
Sr. Smith: Buenos días, doctora. Vengo porque se me rompió una muela comiendo ayer y me duele un poco.
Dentista: Entiendo. Vamos a tomar una radiografía para ver el daño. Abra la boca, por favor.
(Después de la radiografía)
Dentista: Bien, veo que la fractura es profunda. Necesitaremos hacer una corona para salvar la muela. También hay una pequeña caries en el diente de al lado.
Sr. Smith: ¿Podemos hacer todo en este viaje? Solo estoy aquí por una semana.
Dentista: Sí, claro. Podemos preparar la muela hoy y colocar la corona definitiva en tres días. Mientras tanto, le pondré una corona temporal.
Sr. Smith: Perfecto. ¿Podría darme el presupuesto total antes de empezar?
Dentista: Por supuesto. Pase a la recepción y le darán todos los detalles del costo.
The Dental Consultation (Translation)
Dentist: Good morning, Mr. Smith. What is the reason for your visit today?
Mr. Smith: Good morning, doctor. I'm here because I broke a molar eating yesterday and it hurts a little.
Dentist: I understand. We are going to take an X-ray to see the damage. Open your mouth, please.
(After the X-ray)
Dentist: Okay, I see the fracture is deep. We will need to make a crown to save the molar. There is also a small cavity in the tooth next to it.
Mr. Smith: Can we do everything on this trip? I'm only here for a week.
Dentist: Yes, of course. We can prepare the molar today and place the permanent crown in three days. In the meantime, I'll put on a temporary crown.
Mr. Smith: Perfect. Could you give me the total quote before starting?
Dentist: Of course. Go to the reception and they will give you all the cost details.
Review and Consolidation
Key Vocabulary for Dental Visits:
el dentista, la muela, la caries, el dolor, la corona, el implante, el presupuesto, la limpieza, la radiografía, la anestesia.
Key Phrases:
Tengo dolor de muelas. Quiero un presupuesto. ¿Cuánto dura el tratamiento? Se me rompió un diente. Necesito una limpieza.
Self-Assessment:
How do you say "root canal" in Spanish?
What is the difference between "diente" and "muela"?
How would you ask for a written estimate?
How do you describe "swollen gums"?
Looking Ahead
¡Buen trabajo! You are now ready to take care of your smile while traveling. This concludes our special chapter on Dental Tourism. Continue reviewing previous chapters to keep your Spanish sharp for all your adventures!