Question by cowgrl: Dentists/dental assistants- insurance help?
Hello, I am a medical assistant and I know all about navigating through loop holes in medical insurance. However, I am clueless when it comes to dental insurance, although I figure they must be similar.
Anyway, my question is this: Does anyone know how to get around an insurance company to get dental implants covered? I was born with 5 missing adult teeth (the adult teeth just never grew in after I lost my baby teeth). One of my bottom front teeth went unnoticed and is now a lost cause. However, 4 of my molars have been gone since they were surgically removed in 2001 (the bottom two were fused to my jaw and the top two were dead but stuck between two adjacent teeth). I have had to wear retainers since 2001 to keep the spaces between my teeth until I could get implants. When I went for a consult a couple years ago, my insurance told me they would not cover any of it, as it was considered “cosmetic.” Now, I am about to receive dental insurance again, and want to know what I can do/say to get this covered; I cannot wear retainers my whole life, bridges are out of the question, and if I don’t get this taken care of, I have been told my teeth will “fall in, then fall out.”

Help!

Best answer:

Answer by grandpa walleye
There are so many different dental insurances and each have various coverage and regulations. The best way to know for sure is to have your dentist do the exam and give you a treatment plan considering using the implants. Then he should sent it into the insurance company for pre authorization. You will then know what they will pay and what your out of pocket expenses will be. You may be able to arrange appointments working around calendar years to help spread the cost if your insurance has a yearly limit. good luck.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Please read other answers to this question at the very bottom of this page, below you will find a video and related articles that will try to answer the question, if you have a proper answer please post it at the bottom.

What You Need to Do for a Child’s Teeth to Grow Healthy

Just like the average person, babies should be given good dental health care both at home and professionally. The earlier that care is given to a child, the sooner you can make sure that his teeth would grow and develop well. The primary teeth serve as reserved spots for the growth of permanent teeth, which is why this is important. Early loss of baby teeth would result in new teeth coming out crooked since the other teeth may shift to the empty space. Read this site if you want <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link']);” href=’http://www.cosmeticdentistglebe.com.au/cosmetic-dentist-glebe-sydney/services-dental-implants-cosmetic-dentist-glebe/’>tooth implants</a> information.  During teething, a child would have sore gums, and one way to alleviate the pain is by rubbing the gums with a clean finger or a small spoon. By talking to a dentist or pediatrician, you will be able to deal with babies who still feel uncomfortable. Within the first days after birth, an infant’s gums should start being wiped with a damp washcloth or gauze pad.  It is recommended that at the first sign of a tooth, tooth brushing should begin to remove plaque. The toothbrush to be used should be one that is suitable for children. Soft end rounded bristled toothbrushes are recommended so that children’s delicate gums aren’t scratched.  It is not advisable to give infants something with sugar to drink as they go to sleep because they could develop baby bottle tooth decay. The baby teeth would develop cavities and would be lost prematurely. Without proper treatment, permanent teeth would come out looking very crooked. Baby bottle tooth decay is a problem that can be avoided if you put the baby to sleep with a pacifier or a bottle of only water instead. Go to this site for further information on <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link']);” href=’http://www.cosmeticdentistglebe.com.au/cosmetic-dentist-glebe-sydney/services-dental-implants-cosmetic-dentist-glebe/’>sydney dental implants</a>.  You can prevent small problems from worsening by taking the baby to the dentist. While the baby is at the dentist’s office, the dentist will check his mouth for any cavities or other dental problems. At this time, he or she may also advise you on the child’s diet and suggest oral hygiene tips for growing children.  While the child is young is the best time to instruct your child on how to take care of his teeth. By being a good example, you achieve the first step in doing this. When you develop the habit of scheduling regular dental visits and brushing your teeth among others, there’s a big chance that these habits will be practiced by your kids as well.  You should start teaching your child to brush at age two or three. Children should brush their teeth on their own with only a small amount of parental supervision once they hit the age of five. Flossing requires some mastery, and a child may have to practice it first before they can do it right. Be the first one to floss your child’s teeth when he or she is around two or three years old. A child may be able to do the task of flossing by himself at age eight with some close monitoring.  Fluoride is a natural mineral that strengthens tooth enamel and makes it more resistant to decay. It is is essential that children get enough fluoride. While the new teeth are starting to develop, the fluoride begins to mix in with the developing enamel, causing the teeth to be healthier and stronger.  Children are able to get fluoride benefits either internally or topically. Taking in fluoride the internal way includes eating food with fluoride, drinking water with fluoride, and swallowing fluoride tablets. Anti cavity protection may be enjoyed by a child if he gets topical fluorid applied onto his teeth by a dentist.

Cosmetic Dentures or Dental Implants

Just like the average person, babies should be given good dental health care both at home and professionally. The earlier that care is given to a child, the sooner you can make sure that his teeth would grow and develop well. The primary teeth serve as reserved spots for the growth of permanent teeth, which is why this is important. Early loss of baby teeth would result in new teeth coming out crooked since the other teeth may shift to the empty space. Read this site if you want <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link']);” href=’http://www.cosmeticdentistglebe.com.au/cosmetic-dentist-glebe-sydney/services-dental-implants-cosmetic-dentist-glebe/’>tooth implants</a> information.  During teething, a child would have sore gums, and one way to alleviate the pain is by rubbing the gums with a clean finger or a small spoon. By talking to a dentist or pediatrician, you will be able to deal with babies who still feel uncomfortable. Within the first days after birth, an infant’s gums should start being wiped with a damp washcloth or gauze pad.  It is recommended that at the first sign of a tooth, tooth brushing should begin to remove plaque. The toothbrush to be used should be one that is suitable for children. Soft end rounded bristled toothbrushes are recommended so that children’s delicate gums aren’t scratched.  It is not advisable to give infants something with sugar to drink as they go to sleep because they could develop baby bottle tooth decay. The baby teeth would develop cavities and would be lost prematurely. Without proper treatment, permanent teeth would come out looking very crooked. Baby bottle tooth decay is a problem that can be avoided if you put the baby to sleep with a pacifier or a bottle of only water instead. Go to this site for further information on <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link']);” href=’http://www.cosmeticdentistglebe.com.au/cosmetic-dentist-glebe-sydney/services-dental-implants-cosmetic-dentist-glebe/’>sydney dental implants</a>.  You can prevent small problems from worsening by taking the baby to the dentist. While the baby is at the dentist’s office, the dentist will check his mouth for any cavities or other dental problems. At this time, he or she may also advise you on the child’s diet and suggest oral hygiene tips for growing children.  While the child is young is the best time to instruct your child on how to take care of his teeth. By being a good example, you achieve the first step in doing this. When you develop the habit of scheduling regular dental visits and brushing your teeth among others, there’s a big chance that these habits will be practiced by your kids as well.  You should start teaching your child to brush at age two or three. Children should brush their teeth on their own with only a small amount of parental supervision once they hit the age of five. Flossing requires some mastery, and a child may have to practice it first before they can do it right. Be the first one to floss your child’s teeth when he or she is around two or three years old. A child may be able to do the task of flossing by himself at age eight with some close monitoring.  Fluoride is a natural mineral that strengthens tooth enamel and makes it more resistant to decay. It is is essential that children get enough fluoride. While the new teeth are starting to develop, the fluoride begins to mix in with the developing enamel, causing the teeth to be healthier and stronger.  Children are able to get fluoride benefits either internally or topically. Taking in fluoride the internal way includes eating food with fluoride, drinking water with fluoride, and swallowing fluoride tablets. Anti cavity protection may be enjoyed by a child if he gets topical fluorid applied onto his teeth by a dentist.

Cosmetic Dentures

Cosmetic dentures are simply replacements of missing teeth. The false teeth can replace all the upper teeth or all the lower teeth (known as full dentures), or parts where groups of teeth are missing (called partials). The prosthetic teeth can be made from plastic or even porcelain. Today’s cosmetic dentures not only function, but also look aesthetically pleasing.

Cosmetic dentures are removable, nonpermanent structures which use denture adhesive to keep them in place during the day. You remove them and clean them at night.

Dental Implants

By contrast, dental implants are a permanent solution to the problem of missing teeth. They are attached to the jawbone by the use of implanted anchors. The anchor sits below the gum line.

Titanium posts are attached to the anchors. These posts function like the teeth roots. They sit above the gum line.

Finally, a prosthetic tooth crown is attached on top of the post.

Because the implant is made of titanium, it integrates with the jawbone (called osseointegration), forming a functional and structural bond that can withstand the high-stress force that chewing creates.

Advantages of Dental Implants over Cosmetic Dentures

When comparing cosmetic dentures and dental implants, dental implants are the preferred solution because they have several advantages:

· Aesthetics – dental implants are the closest thing to your natural teeth because they are anchored in your mouth in a duplication of the way your natural teeth are anchored in, so they look, act, and feel like the real thing.

· Confidence – dental implants look and feel like your natural teeth so they make you feel confident because you feel natural. They also don’t impede speech because they fit in your mouth the same as your natural teeth do.

· Facial stability – because dental implants provide the same support for your face as natural teeth, they can reduce or eliminate wrinkles that you may have gotten when teeth were missing. Also, they stabilize the face by holding it up so it doesn’t appear sunken. It’s almost like a face lift because sunken faces make people look much older then they actually are.

· Functionality – dental implants improve your ability to chew food because they can withstand almost as much biting and chewing force as natural teeth

· No teeth are sacrificed – dentures may require some teeth to be pulled, and partial dentures may use neighboring teeth as anchors, thus necessitating that some of those teeth be altered to support the partial denture

· Reliability – since dental implants look and function just like natural teeth, they offer you the ability to relax and feel more confident without worrying whether they will fall out. You just care for them like your natural teeth. You don’t need special cleaners or adhesives.

When looking into dental implants or cosmetic dentures, look for a cosmetic dentist that offers both accuracy and precision in both the diagnosis of missing teeth as well as the treatment solution. Dr. Djawdan in the Baltimore area is the first and only cosmetic dentist who offers I-CAT dental CT scan and 3-D imaging software in his office. The combination of these tools allows him to completely envision the placement of your implants in a realistic, three-dimensional setting and create a surgical map which guides him in placing the dental implants.

Cosmetic dentures can look very good when they are designed correctly. However, when looking at the big picture, you can see that dental implants are the preferred treatment because of their advantages over cosmetic dentures.

Related Dental Implants Cosmetic Articles