How To Get Dental Implants Covered By Insurance?
Although many people neglect dental hygiene and dental health, the importance of healthy teeth cannot be emphasized more. Regular visits to the dentist’s office are required so that you can maintain good oral hygiene, which ultimately benefits your overall health.
Dental treatments can sometimes cost you a fortune. Especially if you consider long and complex procedures like getting dental implants, your bill can come up to a staggering $6000 on average.
The reason why dental implants are so expensive is that they are an investment of a lifetime.
It might be tempting to think that you don’t need the dental implant to avoid paying such high rates, but there’s good news! This is where dental insurance policies come in to save the day.
Not only do they cover basic procedures like regular clean-ups, but they also cover the charges for effective procedures like dental implants.
However, there’s more to it than meets the eye. So this article will dive deep into insurance policies regarding dental implants and how you can get them.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are structures you place inside your mouth where a tooth is missing. The process is done via surgery and is called dental implant surgery; the root of the tooth is replaced by a metal screw set in place by the doctor.
This implant is screwed into the jawbone to replicate the typical root of a tooth. On top of this implant, the doctor will place a crown, the artificial tooth replacing the missing one.
They are great because they work just as well as a natural tooth. Dental implants are also a better and more efficient alternative to bridgework and dentures, which don’t have the exact authenticity of a natural tooth because of the lack of root implants.
The procedure of getting a dental implant:
- Conducting comprehensive dental examinations
- Getting a 3D image of your teeth
- Extracting the tooth if it is deemed necessary for the procedure.
- Installation of the dental implant or implants if you need more than one
- Placing the abutment hardware for the dental implant
- Creating the unique dental crown to fit your mold
- Placing the crown(s) in place.
What Is The Cost Of Dental Implants?
Since the dental records of all humans are unique and different, the cost of getting a dental implant is also carried. Each tooth is specifically made to fit the mold of the owner, so the costs will always be varied and come with multiple factors that determine the total rate.
A dental practice is one of the main factors determining the cost of a dental implant. The protocol can incur different costs depending on whichever clinic you are in.
For example, some practitioners administer a CT scan of their patients for free as part of the consultation, whereas some charge for these examinations.
In other clinics, you might be forced to pay for the 3D imaging, which will put an additional $350 to $515 to your total bill.
As for the actual implantation process, each tooth costs about $3000 and can go up to $4500 on average. This is just for a single tooth.
If you need to implant your entire mouth with dental implants, it will cost you an average of $60,000 – $90,000.
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Other than this, there are more general factors that affect the price of dental implants, such as:
- Location of the clinic
- Reputation, experience, and expertise of the dentist
- Additional examination costs
- Consultation fees
- Different medical procedures include bone graft or a sinus lift for the dental implant.
- Does your insurance cover the charges fully or in part?
What All Are Dental Procedures Covered By Insurance?
Not all insurance companies cover the charges for dental implants. Some companies consider dental implants cosmetic surgery, which is why they do not cover these charges under dental insurance.
But if this is the case, you will end up paying thousands of dollars for a service no one wants.
Luckily, on the other hand, many insurance companies also offer dental insurance as part of their package deals. These policies are not part of your life or medical insurance policies but are separate entities for which you need to pay separately.
Although it might sound like a hassle, medical insurance that covers dental procedures is typically limited to only the basic procedures and does not cover any major surgeries, such as dental implants.
For this purpose, getting a dental insurance plan is a good idea because they cover many options.
Some of them are:
- Endodontics
- Periodontics
- Oral Surgery
- Prosthodontics
- Basic Restorative care
- Orthodontics
- Preventative care
How To Get Dental Implants Covered By Insurance?
Ideally, it would help to have a dental insurance policy under your name instead of collective medical insurance covering dental procedures.
Exclusive dental insurance policies are the ones that typically cover all kinds of procedures and have higher coverage.
The coverage is minimal if you have medical insurance that covers dental procedures. However, you can still get dental coverage to be paid in full or partially for the following reasons:
- If losing your tooth was part of an injury or an accident
- If the tooth loss has led to some medical complications
- If the tooth loss was a result of diseases and illnesses like oral cancer
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What Type Of Insurance Covers Dental Implants?
When looking for dental insurance, you need to consider the type of plan that will give you the preferred results. Under this umbrella, the two most common types of dental plans are:
Dental Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)
- No need for a referral
- Can select a preferred dentist, even a specialist
- Lower costs if you select a practitioner within the network
Dental Maintenance Organization (DMO)
- Cost-effective plan
- Can select a preferred dentist
- For specialists, you need to get a referral
Conclusion:
It’s true what they say; prevention is better than cure!
The more you neglect your dental hygiene, the more likely you will end up with a bigger problem that requires a long treatment time, which means cashing out insane amounts of money.
To avoid causing this hole in your bank, it is best to follow a routine where you visit the dentist at least once every few months and get a complete checkup.
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