Dental Implant Insurance

What you need to know about dental insurance, surgery and oral health.

If you are having oral problems, then your dentist may actually recommend that you get dental implants because he sees this as a long-term solution for you.  This is especially true if you have grown tired of having numerous procedures done on your teeth only to have your teeth go right back to their painful ways.  As you grow older you may also come to the realization that time is not on your side here.

So, why have you not thought about getting dental implants before now?  Could it be because you do not have dental implant insurance coverage?  Is it because you know that you are not able to pay between $1,000 and $2,500 for each implant?  Of course, this price does depend upon what your dentist discovers when he proceeds to measure the density of your jawbone.

While you may think that dental implant insurance would save you some money, truth be told, dental implant insurance is also expensive.  You may even find it difficult to find an insurance plan that actually covers dental implantology.  This is because most dental insurance coverage dates back to the days before dental implants were so readily available and so they may only offer you a very limited amount of coverage.  Usually this coverage is only for teeth that have been lost in an accident.  So, if you want dental implants just to replace your teeth that are seriously aging, you may be out of luck with your dental insurance provider.

There is an alternative here though.  You could try seeing if your medical insurance will pay for your dental implants.  This may be possible if you need to have multiple dental implants done because this procedure may cause you to need to have your jawbone reconstructed and your bite realigned so that you will be able to chew.  Herein it is a good idea to consult with your insurance provider about your situation.  Of course, you never want to commit to anything until you know for sure exactly where you stand.  For those who have Medicare, you should know that they will only cover essential dental procedures that are necessary because you either have a disease or have had an accident and thus are in need of reconstruction.

You will find that a lot of dental insurance providers actually consider dental implantology to be a form of cosmetic surgery.  However, you will also find some insurance companies that will offer you dental implant insurance if you are willing to pay a sizable premium.  For this type of dental insurance there is also a waiting period in excess of a year before you will even qualify for the coverage.  Then you will find that this insurance will not cover implants that are necessary because of pre-existing conditions.

It is important to keep all of this in mind before agreeing to dental implant surgery.  This is also when you should very closely review your dental implant insurance policy.  Doing so may cause you to be surprised to discover that your insurance carrier has wiggle room so that the implant that you though you could afford is actually out of reach.   There is good news here though: your dentist may have a financing plan to help you out.

Posted in Dental Implants