Cosmetic dental procedures focus on improving the appearance of your smile, facial aesthetics, and teeth. Elective dental procedures enhance the shape, size, color, and visual appeal of the gums and teeth. Generally, dental insurance providers do not cover cosmetic dental procedures because they rely on the concept of medical necessity (procedures considered vital for restoring or maintaining oral health and tooth function). Please read this blog to learn more about cosmetic procedures covered by insurance.
Dental Inlay and Onlay
Your dentist can recommend an inlay if the cavity is in the center of the tooth or in a tooth groove. On the other hand, your dentist might recommend an onlay if you have more extensive tooth decay or a cavity spreading to the tooth’s biting surface or edge.
Inlays and onlays are a perfect alternative to tooth fillings or dental crowns. They are robust, durable, and fit better. Dentists mold dental fillings into place during the dental appointment, whereas inlays and onlays are designed in the dental laboratory and then fit and bonded to the tooth.
It takes two dental appointments to get a dental inlay or onlay. During the first appointment, the dentist will administer anesthesia and use a laser or a drill to remove the decayed area. The dentist will use a digital device or putty material to capture the impression, which will be sent to a dental laboratory. In the meantime, the dentist will put in a temporary filling. During your second appointment, the dentist will remove your temporary filling and bond your permanent filling to the tooth.
The cost of this cosmetic treatment depends on factors like the material used, your dentist’s experience, the size of your inlay or onlay, tooth location, and the dentist’s geographic location.
Most insurers cover part or all of the cost of a dental procedure. Insurers categorize treatment as major or basic, which affects the amount insured. The basic category might cover routine dental fillings and routine care, whereas in the major category, you might be reimbursed for a portion of the treatment cost.
Gum Contouring
Also known as gum reshaping or gum contouring, this dental procedure alters the appearance of the gums. Some patients have a gummy smile that makes their teeth boxy or short. Other patients have uneven gum lines that are too low in some areas and too high in others. The procedure removes excess gum tissue, making the smile look more uniform.
Your dentist can recommend gum contouring if you have an uneven gum line, gum overgrowth from wearing braces, or excess gingival display.
Before performing the surgical procedure, your dentist will administer local anesthesia to numb your gums. They can also offer you sedation options to ensure you are comfortable. Next, they will do the following:
- Mark the location of the new gum line using a special pen
- Remove your excess gum tissues
- Remove a small quantity of bone around every tooth
- Reshape the remaining gum tissue, giving it a more uniform, balanced oo
- Utilize sutures to slow down bleeding.
Typically, health insurance providers do not cover gum contouring unless they consider it medically necessary, like treating gum recession or periodontal disease.
Dental Crowns
A tooth crown is a tooth-shaped cap or cover that your dentist places over a tooth to restore its normal size, function, or shape.
You can use a dental crown to do the following:
- Attach a dental bridge, which fills the gap created by a missing tooth
- Repairing your weak tooth and preventing it from fracturing
- Supporting and covering your tooth
- Restoring your dental implant or replacing your misshapen tooth
- Correcting your misaligned tooth
- Improving the appearance of your existing tooth
Consult your experienced dentist if you require a dental crown. You might require a tooth crown because you have any of the following:
- Fractured or chipped tooth
- Huge cavity with very little of the natural tooth left to hold your filling
- Cracked or worn-down tooth due to bruxism
- Stained or discolored teeth
- Badly shaped teeth that do not match the other teeth
A dental crown placement requires two visits. Here is what to expect during the initial appointment
To prepare the tooth for your dental crown, the dentist will remove some natural enamel. It will create space for the new tooth crown and ensure the crown remains in place after bonding. The dentist can also utilize the filling material to build up specific parts of the tooth.
The dentist will next take impressions of the teeth, either digitally with a scanner or physically with a putty-like material, and send them to a laboratory. A lab technician will use the impressions to create your tooth crown.
While you wait for the technician to create your permanent crown, your dentist will place a temporary crown made of acrylic or resin.
After the technician makes the tooth crown, they will send it to your dentist. During your second appointment, the dentist will remove your temporary dental crown, check its fit, color, and shape, and bond your new crown to the tooth with dental cement.
The average tooth crown price ranges from $697 to $1,399. The type of your tooth crown determines the cost.
Depending on your dental insurance coverage, the reason for the crown, your oral health, and your overall health, insurers may cover part of the treatment. The insurance amount could vary significantly between insurance plans; therefore, check with your insurer before scheduling a dental visit.
You might have a deductible and copay to satisfy. Additionally, some plans have time limits.
Dental Implants
Dental implants replace tooth roots with screwlike, metallic posts, replacing missing or damaged teeth with artificial teeth that function and look like natural teeth. The treatment option is also ideal if you do not have adequate natural tooth roots to support your dentures or build bridgework tooth replacements.
The type of your implant and jawbone condition guide your dentist on how they will perform the implant surgical procedure. The most significant advantage of a dental implant is robust support for your new teeth, a process that requires your jawbone to heal tightly around the implant. Since osseointegration (the recovery process) takes time, the treatment can be lengthy.
You might be an ideal candidate for the procedure if any of the following apply:
- You have at least one missing tooth
- Your jawbone has not reached full growth
- You have adequate bone to secure your implant, or you can consider having a bone graft
- You do not suffer from a health condition that can impact bone recovery
- You are not willing or cannot wear dentures
- You want to improve your speech and appearance
- Do not smoke tobacco
There are different factors that affect the cost of dental implants
- Geographic location —Dental practices situated in cities are more expensive than in smaller towns. It is because the cost of living in urban centers is higher.
- Type of your implant
- Materials used —High-quality materials like titanium can be costly because they are more durable.
- Additional procedures—Some patients might require additional dental procedures before they can undergo the treatment. For example, a sinus lift or bone graft might be essential if you have bone loss. The procedures can increase the overall implant cost.
So, does full coverage insurance cover implants? It depends. Insurance benefits are not standard in full-coverage dental plans, so you should find a plan that covers you by shopping carefully and reading your plan details. Plan summary benefits also include what the health insurance covers and what it does not.
When you find a plan that covers your dental implants, the odds are that it will cover a portion of the total cost. Additionally, there may be other requirements you need to satisfy, including a waiting period, a lifetime maximum, and a dental deductible.
There are fully covered dental plans with no waiting period. The waiting period is the period between the plan start date and the date you are insured to receive specific dental care.
You can also obtain full-coverage insurance without a maximum limit. It is because most dental plans have an annual maximum, which is the most the plan will cover for your dental treatment over the year.
Teeth Bonding
Also called cosmetic bonding, composite bonding or dental bonding, teeth bonding is tailored to address minor dental health issues.
The treatment involves the dentist doing the following:
- Preparing the composite resin using a shade guide to choose a composite that suits the color of your natural teeth.
- Preparing your tooth by roughening its surface and then applying a conditioning liquid to assist the bonding material in adhering to the tooth
- Applying a composite resin to your tooth, molding and smoothing it to your desired shape
- Curing the composite resin with ultraviolet light,
- Shaping your tooth and ensuring the bond bends with nearby teeth and does not impact your bite
- Polishing your tooth to a natural-looking shine and a smooth texture
You might qualify for tooth bonding if you want to:
- Hide cracks or chips in the teeth
- Close gaps between the teeth
- Camouflage tooth discoloration
- Alter the shape of the teeth
- Make the teeth look longer
Additionally, tooth bonding can be beneficial for those at risk of tooth decay. It is because composite resin used in cosmetic bonding creates a smooth tooth surface, eliminating tiny crevices where bacteria would accumulate and later cause tooth decay.
Numerous factors, including the number of teeth requiring bonding, the complexity of the procedure, your dentist’s geographic location, and your dentist’s experience, affect the cost of the treatment.
Depending on your deductible, your insurer might cover tooth bonding fully or partially if you require the treatment to address structural issues like cracked or chipped teeth. Most dental health insurance providers will not cover the treatment if you are undergoing the treatment for purely cosmetic purposes, like closing gaps between your teeth.
Dental Veneers
Veneers cover the front surfaces of the teeth, enhancing the smile. Typically, dental veneers hide the following:
- Fractured or broken teeth
- Spaces or gaps in the teeth
- Stubborn stains that fail to improve with teeth whitening
- Tiny teeth
- Misshapen teeth
Please note that veneers are only viable if you do not have severe gum disease or cavities. If you have severe oral health challenges, you should address them before exploring veneers.
The answer to the question of whether dental insurance covers veneers depends. Many insurers consider veneers a cosmetic treatment and do not cover them if you want to improve the appearance of your smile or teeth.
Nevertheless, there are a few exemptions. If you require veneers to fix a structural issue with your tooth, the insurance company might cover part of the total cost. Your insurance provider has guidelines for what it considers medically essential. Therefore, it is recommended that you check your policy details.
Root Canal Therapy
Root canal therapy involves removing damaged or infected pulp tissues from the teeth. Your dentist might recommend root canal treatment if you experience pain from an infected tooth. Your tooth pulp (soft part in the tooth) can be infected due to gum disease, tooth decay, a dental abscess, or a chipped tooth.
The treatment takes two appointments.
During the first visit, your dentist will do the following:
- Administer local anesthesia to numb your mouth.
- Drill a hole in your tooth.
- Remove the infected pup. If you have a dental abscess, they will drain it
- Clean the tooth inside and shape it for a filling.
- Place a temporary filling in your tooth, sealing it
During your second appointment, the dentist will replace the temporary filling with a permanent filling. You might need a dental crown that completely covers your tooth if it is severely infected.
Most insurance providers cover root canal therapy at about fifty to eighty percent after you have satisfied your deductible. The health coverage is subject to your policy’s annual maximum. The precise percentage depends on your plan.
Contact a Qualified Dental Practice Near Me
Dental insurance does not cover cosmetic dental procedures that are not medically necessary. However, some situations blur the line between purely cosmetic dentistry and medically necessary dentistry.
At SoCal Dental Care, we believe you deserve a beautiful, functional smile, and we can guide you toward it. And if your insurance policy does not cover you, we can work with you to develop a treatment plan that fits your budget. We can also review your oral health and determine the most effective treatment option. Please contact our North Hollywood office at 818-821-8308 to schedule your initial dental consultation.
