19

Dec

Undoubtedly, your smile is one of the most critical aspects of your aesthetic appearance. In addition to being a booster of your confidence, a great smile can improve your moods and immune system. However, several people are unhappy with their smile appearance, and some will even forgo smiling or talking in public out of embarrassment that people will see their discolored, crooked, or otherwise disfigured teeth.

While these dental issues are unpainful in most cases, you do not have to live with them if you are unhappy with your smile's aesthetic appearance whenever you smile in front of your mirror. With the help of cosmetic dental procedures, a dentist can help you fix these problems to give you the attractive smile you deserve.

However, if you are considering undergoing a cosmetic dental procedure to improve your smile appearance, you could wonder whether your dental insurance plan will cover your cost. While the cost of some cosmetic dentistry procedures is payable by dental insurance, most are not.

Understanding which cosmetic dental procedures your dental insurance will cover or pay is key to enjoying the most benefits from your plan. Read on to understand what cosmetic dentistry is, what dental procedures your insurance plan could cover, and what it will not.

Cosmetic Dentistry at a Glance

In today's quest for beauty and that youthful appearance, cosmetic dentistry is emerging at the forefront due to its outstanding benefits. However, what is cosmetic dentistry? Cosmetic dentistry is a common and famous branch of dentistry that mainly deals with the aesthetic appearance of your face and smile.

While cosmetic dentistry does not prevent or fix dental issues like cavities and gum diseases, it can help keep your mouth healthy to keep these oral issues at bay. Some of the common dental problems that a dentist can fix with cosmetic dentistry include (but are not limited to):

  • Chipped teeth.
  • Discolored or stained teeth.
  • Missing teeth.
  • Gapped teeth.
  • Crooked teeth.
  • Uneven teeth.

Since every patient's problem is unique, the specific cosmetic dentistry procedures your dentist will use or recommend to solve your problem are different. Some of these procedures include (but are not limited to):

  • Teeth whitening.
  • Gum contouring.
  • Dental bonding.
  • Tooth contouring.
  • Braces placement.
  • Implant and dental crown placement.

Since not every person is an excellent candidate for the above cosmetic dentistry procedures, it is wise to consult a dentist to know the remedy options for your unique cosmetic dental issue. A thorough examination of your dental and oral health by a skilled dentist will be necessary to help determine which cosmetic dental procedure will give you the smile makeover you need.

Will My Dental Insurance Plan Cover the Above Cosmetic Procedures?

Unfortunately, it could be surprising to hear that your dental insurance plan will not cover every cosmetic dental procedure you desire or want to improve your smile appearance. While some dental insurance plans will not cover the above vital procedures, others can cover your total costs partially, reducing your out-pocket expenses.

Whether or not your dental insurance will cover your cosmetic dentistry costs will depend on your unique premium or package and the underlying issue which makes the recommended procedure necessary. Typically, most traditional insurance plans offer coverage on dental procedures they deem essential for the benefit of your long-term dental and oral health, for example:

  • Protective dental procedures – These are procedures a dentist performs to help keep dental issues like cavity and periodontal diseases at bay, including regular oral examination.
  • Restorative dental procedures – As the names suggest, these are the procedures a dentist performs to help restore your dental health, for example root canal.

Since cosmetic procedures focus on improving your smile appearance and are not medically necessary for your oral and dental health, most dental insurance providers deem these procedures as elective. That means you can do away with them, and your dental health will remain unaffected.

For instance, if your teeth are free from diseases and decay but you are unhappy with their aesthetic appearance, undergoing a cosmetic procedure to enhance their appearance is an elective procedure. While it is true most dental insurance plans will not cover cosmetic dental problems, there are exceptions to this rule.

For instance, when a patient needs dental work after suffering a tooth breakage or crack in a traffic accident. If he/she wants the final results of the dental work to be aesthetically attractive and catchy, will that qualify as cosmetic or restorative dentistry? We say both!

Since the person had a medical reason for seeking teeth replacement or repair, the dental work qualifies as a restorative procedure. However, that does not mean you cannot have an aesthetic cosmetic result to restore or improve your smile appearance after the recommended restorative procedure.

If your dentist recommends a particular cosmetic procedure because it is medically necessary for your long-term oral and dental health, your insurance provider could cover your costs. Another scenario when dental insurance would cover your treatment costs is when you need a dental implant to enhance your smile and prevent possible future teeth problems like misaligned bites.

In that situation, your insurance provider could partially or fully cover your dental work costs. Your dentist can submit your dental case's notes, photographs, and x-rays to your dental insurer to convince them to pay for your treatment costs.

The monetary amount your dental insurance provider will cover will depend on your unique policy and the specific dental work or procedure that your dentist recommends to improve your dental health and smile.

Common Cosmetic Procedures Typically Covered by Dental Insurance

As previously mentioned, whether your dental insurance provider will cover your unique cosmetic dental needs will depend on your unique policy. The best and most reliable way to determine what dental procedures have coverage on your policy or plan is to contact your insurance provider. Before committing to any dental procedure, knowing what is covered by your policy is important.

Generally speaking, below are some of the most common cosmetic procedures typically covered by insurance:

Dental Braces

While dental braces are more commonly associated with teenagers, even adults could benefit from wearing braces. Whether you have a long-standing dental concern like occlusion or want to improve the appearance of your teeth, there are several advancements and improvements in orthodontics and dentistry today, making braces a reliable option for any person who needs them.

In addition to improving your teeth alignment and the aesthetic appearance of your smile, wearing braces can also help prevent other dental and oral problems like tooth decay and periodontal diseases. Dental braces work by exerting steady pressure on your teeth and jaws to reposition them gradually into proper alignment for an improved bite and smile appearance.

Thanks to advancements in technology, dental braces come with different designs, which provide you with more options. Depending on your unique dental condition, budget, and cosmetic goals, your dentist could recommend any of the following types of dental braces:

  • Clear or ceramic braces.
  • Self-ligating braces.
  • Lingual braces.
  • Invisible braces.
  • Metallic braces.
  • Invisalign braces.

Regardless of the type of braces you want, your dentist or orthodontist will create a custom plan to help produce the desired results safely and quickly. The average period you will have to wear your braces can range from eighteen (18) to twenty-four (24) months.

Whether your insurance provider will cover the cost of your braces will depend on your unique plan. However, most insurance providers will cover the cost of this cosmetic procedure, especially if the cause of the teeth misalignment was an injury or accident, necessitating wearing braces to protect your dental and oral health.

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is another common cosmetic procedure that can help enhance your smile and your appearance. Typically, dental bonding is a procedure that involves the application of a white composite resin to the enamel surface of your teeth to make them look as natural and uniform as possible for an improved smile.

Some of the dental issues that dental bonding can fix include:

  • Chipped teeth.
  • Cracked teeth.
  • Broken teeth.
  • Small cavities.
  • Gapped teeth.

Since the resin material that your dentist will use to “bond” the affected teeth matches and blends naturally with the color and texture of your surrounding natural teeth, the outcome of this procedure is visually appealing. Unlike wearing braces, dental bonding can give you the desired results with just one dental visit to walk home with the smile you deserve.

Fortunately, any person could make an excellent candidate for this procedure as long as his/her gums and teeth are healthy. Hence, if you have tooth decay or periodontal disease, your dentist will recommend treatment of these issues before proceeding with the bonding procedure. Here is what to expect during the dental bonding procedure:

  • Shade selection – Since the goal is to have your teeth looking natural as possible, your dentist will use a shade guide to select a composite resin material that matches best with the color of your teeth.
  • Tooth preparation – At this stage, the dentist will roughen the affected tooth or teeth enamel surface using a special gel to make the bonding material adhere and stick to your teeth.
  • Composite resin application – Once the targeted tooth surface is etched and ready, the dentist will apply the selected shade of white composite resin and mold it to the desired shape.
  • Material curing or hardening – The dentist will use ultra-violet (UV) radiation to harden or bond the applied composite resin to the surface of your teeth.
  • Teeth polishing – Finally, the dentist will make the necessary adjustments and polish the bonded sections of your teeth to leave them as smooth and natural-looking as possible.

While dental bonding is typically a cosmetic procedure, modern dentists can use this procedure as an alternative or replacement for an amalgam or silver filling, which is a restorative procedure. That is true, especially if you have small cavities in your teeth which can create a conducive environment for bacteria to thrive, leading to more severe issues like pulp infection or gum diseases.

For that reason, your dental insurance provider can cover your dental bonding costs because it will help keep these costly and severe dental and oral health issues at bay.

Dental Veneers

Mainly porcelain or ceramic-made, a dental veneer is a popular choice for people who are unhappy with the aesthetic appearance of their teeth. A dental veneer is typically a thin, strong shell specifically designed to mask or camouflage flaws or imperfections on the front surface of your affected teeth to give you an appealing smile.

Like dental bonding, your dentist can recommend dental veneers to cover or conceal a variety of cosmetic dental imperfections, including:

  • Discolorations.
  • Chips.
  • Stains.
  • Minor cracks or breakages.

As with all other dental care issues, you should discuss your treatment options and expectations with your dentist to know the suitable solution for your cosmetic dental problem. Since there are a variety of dental veneers to choose from, the specific veneer your dentist will recommend will depend on the unique cosmetic issue you want to fix and your cosmetic goals.

Below are different types of dental veneers your dentist could recommend for the appealing and charming smile that you deserve:

  • Porcelain veneers.
  • Composite veneers.
  • Removable veneers.
  • No-prep veneers.

Unlike dental bonding, dental veneer placement on your teeth could require at least two dental visits. However, once your dental veneers are in place, they can last for fifteen (15) to twenty (20) years, depending on how you care for them.

It is worth noting dental veneers are only an option if you do not have underlying dental or oral health issues like cavities. If you have severe dental health issues, you should address them before considering this cosmetic procedure to improve your smile.

Since most insurers rarely consider dental veneers a medical necessity for oral and dental health, you should speak with your dental insurance provider to know if your plan or package will cover this procedure's costs.

A reliable dentist can consult your insurance provider to learn details of your coverage and give you the information you need to make an informed decision regarding your makeover options.

Dental Implants

Undoubtedly, a loss of a tooth or set of teeth can significantly affect your smile appearance and quality of life. In the past years, people with missing teeth had no choice but to live with their flawed smile for their entire lifetime. However, today dental care and various technological improvements in dentistry allow us to keep and fix gaps in our teeth to have the smile we deserve for a lifetime.

Apart from improving your smile appearance, having your missing teeth replaced can also help restore the normal functions of your teeth, which play a vital role in digestion. One modern long-term solution your dentist could recommend to fix your missing tooth or teeth problem is the placement of dental implants.

Whether the loss of your teeth was due to an untreated cavity, accident, or injury, dental implants can fix this problem to give you a "brand" new smile. A dental implant is a titanium or ceramic-made tooth root replacement that your dentist will insert in your jawbone around the affected tooth to support artificial dental prostheses like crowns or dentures.

In addition to acting as an anchorage for an artificial tooth or set of teeth, dental implants are also helpful in preventing jaw bone deterioration after losing a tooth or set of teeth. Unfortunately, not every person is an ideal candidate for dental implants. If you have significant bone loss due to a long-term absence of the tooth, there could be insufficient bone to support your implant (s) firmly.

In that case, your dentist could recommend a different procedure to improve your smile, for example, bridgework. However, if you have sufficient jaw bone and your gums are healthy, dental implants could be the best permanent remedy for your missing tooth or teeth problem for the appealing smile you deserve.

Unlike most cosmetic dental procedures, placing a dental implant on your jawbone will require minor surgery. However, this procedure is painless because your dentist will numb the incision or surgery area with anesthesia.

Since an implant only replaces your tooth roots, your dentist will recommend having a crown "artificial tooth" to replace the missing tooth once the incision site heals to give you a more natural-looking and attractive smile.

Unfortunately, despite its several health and cosmetic benefits, most dental insurance providers will consider the placement of the dental implant (s) a luxury and will not cover much of the procedure's costs. However, that does not make this procedure unhelpful and unnecessary for your dental health and quality of life.

It is worth noting the above-explained cosmetic procedures are not the only ones that you could receive coverage if you have a dental insurance plan. Other treatment procedures typically covered by insurance include:

  • Teeth contouring.
  • Gum contouring.
  • Tooth caps or crowns.

Find a Whittier Cosmetic Dentist Near Me

Here at The Whittier Dentist, our highly trained and experienced dentists can help you maximize your insurance coverage and reduce your out-pocket expenses for the cosmetic dentistry procedure you desire or want.

Our well-informed and knowledgeable dentist can work with your insurance provider to determine which cosmetic procedures they will cover under your plan for optimal oral and dental health. Do you have a cosmetic dental flaw that you want to fix, but you are unsure about its coverage under your dental insurance plan?

Call us at 562-632-1223, and we will help you figure out the cheapest way to have the procedure you desire, even if you do not have insurance or your insurance plan does not cover it. Our understanding dentists will work with you to design a cosmetic treatment plan that will best suit your lifestyle and budget.