Dental Insurance Covers Implants

What dental implants cost depends on the materials used to build the implant and the dentist who does the building. Different types of material can be used to make the prosthetic tooth, ranging from titanium to wood. A dentist can decide the best option for you and explain the pros and cons of each type of material before proceeding. For instance, when a tooth is made from titanium, there are fewer complications with broken filling or the jaw being deformed in the area as it is visible after the filling is removed.

When a tooth has to be extracted because of the lack of teeth, the patient often has to have some amount of post-operative oral surgery in order to recover. Many cosmetic dentists offer this service and will even bill the patient for it. What about dental implants? Are they covered by dental insurance? The answer depends on what the provider offers.

Some dental implants are covered by your health insurance. However, many of them are not, especially if you choose to use a non-traditional provider, such as a cosmetic dentist. One reason is that these types of providers are not regulated the same way as traditional providers and there is very little standardization. For instance, what works for one patient may not work for another. This can mean a lot of different things, but the most common concern is that certain treatments can cause further problems than they fix.

Another thing to consider is whether the treatment will be covered by your dental plan. If you go to an in-network provider, most plans will cover at least some of the cost of the implant, up to a point. Some plans will not cover all of the expense, while others will cover all of it. Your dentist will be able to give you a more accurate estimate of what dental implants will cost you, but in general most procedures will be considered cosmetic and will not be covered unless you have a pre-existing condition.

Dental insurance companies provide preventive care as well, but they vary greatly in what they cover. Again, this is determined by the type of provider you choose. Most insurance companies do cover some basic dental care, such as routine cleaning and x-rays. Of course, anything after that requires a referral from your primary care physician. Typically, most patients receive preventative care through their dental care provider anyway, so most insurance companies will choose a provider that offers that service as well.

If you choose to pay for the entire dental implant procedure out of pocket, you need to decide what type of coverage you want first. Will you pay the bill yourself, or does the dental company providing the procedure provide payment? Once you've decided what is covered, you can then begin to compare what the various insurance companies have to offer, what types of procedures are available, and how much you'll have to pay.