Dental Implants in San José, Costa Rica: 2026 Prices and Clinics

Dental implants in San José: what the treatment involves

An implant is a titanium or zirconia post placed in the jawbone that later carries a crown. The bone has to grow onto the post first; the FDA says this healing "may take several months or longer", with a temporary abutment in place meanwhile (FDA). That is why single implants from San José are usually planned as two trips: one to place the post, one for the final crown.

xcuro lists two dental clinics in San José for implants. Neither is an xcuro partner.

• ConfiDental Costa Rica, Torres del Parque, Avenida Las Américas, Sabana Norte, by La Sabana Metropolitan Park, San José's largest urban park (Wikipedia). It says it uses Zimmer Biomet, Nobel Biocare and Straumann implants, offers zirconia implants for metal sensitivity, and splits the work between oral surgeons and a restorative dentist (ConfiDental).
• New Smile Dental Group, Avenida 2 in central San José. It says it has a maxillofacial surgeon on staff and its own digital lab with CBCT scanning, places implants under local anesthesia and lists Dr. Mario Bonilla as lead implantologist (New Smile).

Getting to San José

Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) is in Alajuela province, about 20 km (12 miles) northwest of downtown San José (Wikipedia). Kayak shows daily nonstops from Miami (average 3h 04m), Houston Hobby (3h 31m), Atlanta (4h 02m), Dallas/Fort Worth (4h 11m), New York (5h 27m) and Los Angeles (5h 45m) (Miami, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas, New York, Los Angeles). U.S. citizens need a passport valid for the stay and a return or onward ticket, and no visa for stays under 180 days (State Department).

Both clinics say they arrange transport: ConfiDental offers free private transfers from the airport and to appointments and works with partner hotels (ConfiDental); New Smile meets patients at SJO and recommends hotels near its clinic (New Smile).

Your implant trips, day by day

The gap between trips is the main difference between the two clinics' descriptions. ConfiDental says it often places single-stage implants with a healing cap above the gum, and that at least six weeks of healing are needed before the tooth is attached (ConfiDental). New Smile describes a 6-month healing period and says most cases take two visits, often of 5 to 8 days each (New Smile, New Smile). A British Dental Journal review puts the minimum gap between implant placement and flying at 72 hours, recommends one week, and asks for at least two weeks (six recommended) after a sinus lift (BDJ).

What is included and what to get in writing

• Per finished tooth: ask for one price covering the implant, abutment and crown. New Smile, for example, says its implant price includes the abutment (New Smile); confirm whether scans, grafts and temporary teeth are extra.
• Brand and model: the FDA tells patients to ask which implant system is used and keep it in their records (FDA), so a U.S. dentist can find matching parts later.
• The warranty's fine print: ConfiDental's lifetime implant guarantee covers the implant itself, not the surgery or specialist's fee; it applies only if you return to the clinic, excludes smoking-related failure and uncontrolled diabetes, and never covers flights or hotels (ConfiDental). New Smile also advertises a lifetime warranty on implants (New Smile). Read both in writing before you pay.

Is San José safe?

Costa Rica is State Department Level 2, “Exercise increased caution”, due to crime, in the advisory issued April 2, 2026: “Petty crime is common throughout Costa Rica. Violent crime also affects tourists” (State Department, archived copy). Use the clinic's transfers at night and keep your passport copy on you. Our guide Is It Safe to Get Dental Work in Costa Rica? covers the medical side.

How to check an implant dentist in Costa Rica

• Search the dentist by name, code or specialty in the Colegio de Cirujanos Dentistas register, which also shows whether the dentist is in good standing (Colegio de Cirujanos Dentistas). Check which specialty is listed for the dentist who will place the implant.
• Every dental clinic must have a regente, a licensed dentist responsible for compliance (Colegio de Cirujanos Dentistas). Ask who it is.
• ConfiDental says its lead dentist, Dr. José V. Garita, did advanced studies in implantology and periodontology at NYU (ConfiDental); verify his registration the same way.

Use our list of questions to ask your dentist before implants or veneers at the consultation.

Healing at home

Smoking can slow healing and lower long-term success, and implants can fail early or years later, which may mean another surgery (FDA). Between trips, see a local dentist if the gum swells or the post feels loose, and keep your scans and X-rays. U.S. prices are on how much dental implants cost in the U.S., and the wider picture is in dental implants in Costa Rica.