Los Angeles, California to Tijuana
Tijuana dentists, coming from Los Angeles
Most patients from LA drive down, park in San Ysidro and walk across. For surgery under sedation, plan an overnight rather than driving back the same day.
Distance
About 140 miles to San Ysidro
Travel time
2.5 to 3.5 hours, longer in peak traffic
Coming back
Add the northbound pedestrian wait on top of the drive home.
Distances and times are approximate and change with traffic and with the wait at the crossing. Check the CBP border wait times page on the morning you travel.
Planning the trip
The thing that decides whether this is worth it is not the price of the procedure, it is how many trips the treatment needs. An implant is normally two visits several months apart. Orthodontics can be many more. Ask for the number of in-person visits in writing before you commit, and read how the crossing works before your first one.
Questions patients actually ask
How long does it take to get to a dentist in Tijuana from Los Angeles?
About 140 miles to San Ysidro. 2.5 to 3.5 hours, longer in peak traffic. Most patients from LA drive down, park in San Ysidro and walk across. For surgery under sedation, plan an overnight rather than driving back the same day.
Do I need a passport?
To come back into the United States, yes. A US passport, passport card, or an enhanced driver's licence from a state that issues them. Walking into Mexico is easy; the document you need is for the return leg.
How long is the wait coming back?
Add the northbound pedestrian wait on top of the drive home. Pedestrian and vehicle lanes move at completely different speeds, which is why most patients park on the US side and walk.
Can I drive home the same day after treatment?
After a cleaning or a filling, yes. After surgery with sedation, no: you need someone else to drive, and for anything involving the upper jaw ask the dentist about flying before you book a flight home.