Cosmetic dental procedures change how your teeth appear, enhancing your smile and overall appearance. Some improve your oral health and enhance your beauty, smile, and confidence. However, they are costly, making them inaccessible to all people. Fortunately, insurance companies cover some cosmetic dental treatments that improve oral health or overall well-being. Examples include dental crowns and implants. It helps to know which procedures you can pay for with insurance so that you can prepare well before making the final decision.
Talk to an experienced dentist about the cosmetic dental procedure you want and the payment options available. If your insurance can cover part or the entire treatment, you should be able to undergo the procedure that will boost your smile and confidence.
The Importance of Insurance Coverage in Dental Care
Your oral health is essential, as it affects your general well-being. Your general health is impacted if your teeth, gums, and jawbone are not healthy or functional. Thus, you should take good care of your teeth and underlying structures to enjoy a healthy and vibrant life. Dentists offer various oral and dental healthcare services, including preventive, restorative, and cosmetic dental services. There are specialized services, too, such as oral surgery and orthodontics. All these are designed to improve your oral health, give you a better smile, improve how you feel about yourself, and boost your general health.
Generally, dental care requires time and money. You must meet regularly with your dentist to ensure your teeth and gums are consistently strong and healthy. You must visit their office immediately if you notice something unusual or experience a symptom like pain or swelling on your teeth or gums. You must pay for consultations, dental checkups, examinations, and treatments. While you can easily set aside some time to visit the dentist’s office, money usually undermines a person’s ability to enjoy exclusive dental care.
Fortunately, some medical insurance coverages include dental care and treatments. However, they only cover procedures that treat or prevent an oral or dental issue. For example, if you have insurance, your company can pay for regular dental examinations and checkups instead of cosmetic procedures that only improve your appearance. However, some cosmetic dental treatments offer more than beauty; they provide preventive care for severe oral and dental issues like cavities and gum disease. You can demonstrate this to your insurance provider to convince them to pay for a cosmetic dental procedure you need for an enhanced smile and oral and general health.
Cosmetic Dental Procedures Your Insurance Can Pay For
Dentists offer a long list of cosmetic procedures for enhanced beauty, smiles, and confidence. The type of procedure your dentist will recommend will depend on your teeth, gums, and jawbone condition, and the expected results. You should discuss this beforehand to make an informed choice. Here are examples of procedures you can choose for cosmetic purposes:
- Dental implants
- Teeth whitening
- Composite bonding
- Veneers
- Braces
- Delta bridges
- Inlays and onlays
- Bite reclamation
- Dental crown
- Invisalign
Remember that not all these procedures can be paid for by insurance. Insurance companies mainly cover procedures that offer preventive or curative benefits. You have to prove that the procedure you want has some medical benefits for your insurance provider to pay for it.
Here are examples of cosmetic procedures you can pay for with insurance:
Dental Implants
Dental implants are restorations for missing teeth. Your dentist will recommend them if you need a permanent replacement for lost teeth. You can replace one or multiple teeth using an implant. An implant is placed on the jawbone to create a solid support for the artificial tooth that the dentist will place to replace your missing tooth. You can choose an implant after losing one or more teeth in an accident, through gum disease, or due to severe cavities.
An implant placement starts with removing the affected tooth (if it is still there). The dentist will allow you time to heal before placing the implant. The implant is permanently screwed onto the jawbone to form the root on which the artificial tooth will stand. You need a strong and healthy jawbone to receive an implant. If you have lost some bone density, your dentist can recommend bone grafting to build the bone mass before placing the implant.
After receiving the implant, your dentist will give your jawbone time to heal before placing an artificial tooth in the gap left by the missing tooth. Once this is done, you can enjoy improved appearance and functionality of your teeth, just as you would if your teeth were all natural. Dental implants are permanently placed to avoid removing and putting them back when brushing or eating. They are also strong enough to serve you for years.
Here are the various types of implants that you can pay for with your insurance coverage:
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The Endosteal Implants
If your jawbone is healthy, your dentist will recommend an endosteal dental implant. The implant placement involves drilling a hole in the jawbone to attach the implant. With time, the jawbone fuses with the implant to form an even stronger anchor for the artificial tooth.
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The subperiosteal Implants
These are recommended if your jawbone is not healthy and strong enough to receive an implant. Instead of drilling the implant into the weak bone, the placement happens on top of the jawbone.
Dental implants have several benefits to offer for people who have lost teeth or have weak or damaged teeth that need replacement. They are a permanent tooth replacement that will serve you for years. They also function, look, and feel like natural teeth. However, your eligibility depends on the strength of your jawbone. However, implants are costly. You can pay up to $7500 for a dental implant, more than most individuals or families can afford. However, you could be eligible for insurance coverage since dental implants offer more than cosmetic benefits. Implants protect an exposed gum (after tooth loss) from an infection that can spread to the rest of your body.
Replacing your teeth after loss also keeps your remaining natural teeth in place. This prevents malocclusion, which is the leading cause of many dental issues, including overbites and underbites that cause speech and eating issues. Providing this information to your insurance provider can convince it to pay for part of your dental implant procedure, making it more affordable.
Dental Fillings
When a tooth develops a cavity, dentists use fillings to fill it up once more to restore its shape, strength, and functionality. Fillings are usually recommended to prevent further damage to the tooth and restore the tooth to its original form. However, only minor and moderate damage to a tooth can be filled. If the cavity is severe or you have lost a larger part of the tooth to decay, the dentist can recommend a different type of restoration, like placing a dental crown.
Before you receive a dental filling on a damaged tooth, the dentist must assess the extent of the damage to determine your suitability for this treatment. Then, they must clean out the decayed part of the tooth to prevent further decay after treatment. The dentist will also assess the tooth's underlying structures to ensure that harmful bacteria have not penetrated the roots and pulp.
Placing a dental filling on a cavity is an invasive procedure that can be uncomfortable and painful. Cleaning the tooth and removing the decayed parts can also be painful. Your dentist will put you under anesthesia to protect you from pain and keep you calm throughout the procedure. The treatment process is fast, so you do not need hospitalization to fill your tooth. The dentist will prescribe some pain medication to use for a few days to manage the pain once the anesthesia wears off. You should be able to resume your daily activities after a day or two. However, start eating light foods before introducing your regular ones as the tooth recovers.
Here are some of the types of fillings your insurance coverage can pay for:
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The Amalgam Fillings
This is the most popular type because it uses a strong and durable material that can protect your tooth from further damage for years. Amalgam fillings work best for the back teeth because they use a colorful, noticeable filling material. However, this filing is more affordable than other dental fillings.
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A Composite Filling
The material used in composite fillings is usually a combination of fine glass particles and plastic resin. They can match your natural teeth's appearance, making them suitable even for the front teeth. You can comfortably smile after using a composite filling on one or multiple front teeth. However, composite fillings are not as strong as amalgam fillings. You can use them for canines and incisors instead of teeth that experience more pressure, like molars and premolars.
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Ceramic Fillings
These are made from porcelain, which looks and feels like natural teeth. Although they do not easily stain, ceramics are expensive.
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Gold Fillings
They are made from gold alloy and are mainly used for their expensive look and feel. They are also strong and long-lasting. However, they are more expensive than amalgam fillings.
Glass Ionomer Fillings
They are made from a mixture of acrylic and glass and release fluorine, which is beneficial for your teeth. These types are recommended for children or people with cavities along the gumline. The fluorine prevents further decay.
The cost of dental fillings depends on how many teeth you need and the type of filling you choose. A gold-cast or porcelain filling can cost up to $4,500 per tooth, while an amalgam filling can go for as low as $50 per tooth. Your insurance can cover part of the payment if your treatment is expensive. However, you have to prove that the treatment will prevent further decay on your teeth and protect adjacent teeth from cavities or infection.
Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are tooth-like caps that dentists place on a severely damaged tooth to restore its shape, size, and functionality. The crown also protects the tooth from further damage. It is a permanent restoration since the cap is cemented to minimize shifting when you chew or bite. It can remain intact for years, protecting your tooth and ensuring you enjoy the same functionality and smile as you would with your natural tooth.
There are five main types of dental crowns to choose from:
- Porcelain or all-ceramic crowns are the most beautiful crowns that match the natural color and appearance of your teeth. They are also strong and durable.
- Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns have a metal base and a porcelain cover. They offer an excellent balance of durability and aesthetics. They are also stronger and last longer than all-ceramic crowns.
- Metal crowns are mainly made from gold alloys and have a metal base. They are metallic in color and are mostly preferred for the back teeth. However, they are strong and durable, which makes them the best choice for chewing teeth.
- Zirconia dental crowns are beautiful and strong. They are resistant to fracture and are perfect for biting teeth.
- Resin dental crowns can be customized to match your teeth’s color and structure. However, they are less durable and are mainly recommended for temporary restorations.
Although dental crowns improve the appearance of your teeth and enhance your smile and confidence, they prevent further damage to an already-damaged tooth. Thus, your insurance coverage can pay part of the cost for your treatment. The average cost mainly depends on the type of crown you choose. A metal crown can cost up to $776, and a porcelain-fused one can cost about $821 for a single tooth.
Find Competent Cosmetic Dental Services Near Me
If your teeth are not perfect and affect your smile and confidence, you should consider undergoing a cosmetic dental procedure. Although these procedures are costly in Santa Clarita, your insurance company can cover part of the payment if the procedure falls under the category of those covered by insurance. You should speak to your dentist about your options and preferences to make the right decision.
At Valencia Advanced Dentistry at Copperhill Smiles, we know how important your smile and oral health are to your general well-being. Call us at 661-775-7717 and let us examine your teeth, gums, and jawbone to recommend the best procedure for your issue. We will also help you find out whether your insurance covers the procedure you prefer.
