The quality of your smile is one of the first things people see when they meet you. Healthy teeth impact your ability to eat, speak and increase your confidence. Your dental health can be affected by several factors, including genetics, a lack of regular dental care and lifestyle choices that are detrimental to healthy teeth.
If you need restorative dentistry to improve your smile or if you need to replace some missing teeth, there are options available to help you achieve these goals while also saving money on dental implants and dentures.
Not only will you have to consider the costs of your implants, but other dental procedures are necessary, including tooth extraction and oral surgery, to ensure your oral health and the long-term stability of your implants.
How to Pay for Dental Implants With Your Insurance
The first option in making dental implants a more affordable investment for your quality of life is to maximize your dental insurance benefits. You may be able to claim some of the cost of dental implants, but only if you know what your policy covers. Most dental insurance policies offer options to help with the cost of full or partial dental implants.
It’s important to note that some insurance policies only cover dental implants after you’ve had the insurance for a specific amount of time (usually between six months and three years). If you plan to enroll in dental insurance, review the details of your plan in full and ask about dental implant and denture coverage to get the best plan for your needs.
If you already have dental insurance, implants are rarely considered cosmetic dentistry and are considered a medical necessity by most healthcare providers and dental insurance companies.
If you need implants because of a health issue like oral cancer, your health insurance may cover some of the costs associated with your dental implants.
Paying for Dentures with Insurance
Dentures are an effective solution for dealing with missing or unhealthy teeth that should be extracted for your health. Whether you've lost all of your teeth or just a few, dentures can give you back the confidence to smile and speak freely. Being able to afford dentures is often a barrier that keeps people from getting the treatment and dental appliances they need.
But there's good news: If you have a dental insurance plan, your insurance company should cover dentures at least in part and often entirely. Many insurance companies pay at least a portion of the total cost of dentures, and some pay the full cost, depending on your plan.
Use Your HSA or FSA for Dental Implants and Dentures
If you've been researching dental implants and dentures, you may have heard that they're not covered by health insurance or that they're so expensive that you can't afford to get them.
You might be surprised to learn that restorative dentistry patients can use a Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to pay for medically necessary dental procedures like these.
Whether removables like traditional dentures, a more permanent solution like a single-tooth implant or a full arch All-On-Four implant, replacing missing teeth are an investment in your future health. They can help you avoid serious oral health issues like tooth decay, bone loss around the teeth, gum disease, and even heart disease. Because of the health benefits of any of these procedures, putting your FSA or HSA funds towards your restorative dental procedure can bring enormous returns for your mental and physical health.
Financing Options for Dental Implants
If you need dental treatment, but it seems far outside your budget, you might be surprised to learn that you could still qualify for several medical and dental financing options.
There are several financing options available - whether you choose the traditional route and get a personal loan through your bank or consider some options more specifically designed for dental and medical procedures.
Financing options for your implants or dentures include a healthcare credit card like CareCredit, which offers a designated period of interest-free payments. You can also consider lending options like Compassionate Finance, which approves 99% of medical and dental treatment financing applications.
Because full-mouth dental implants can be expensive, you can combine financing with your insurance, FSA/HSA and out-of-pocket payment to get the most affordable dental implant procedure.
The first step in securing financing is to talk with your dentist about how much your procedure will cost. Implant treatment costs can vary widely depending on your unique situation.
Deciding How to Pay for Dental Implants
The price of implant dentistry, dentures, and other restorative dental procedures can be managed with research and planning. Your dentist can help you decide the best route for you, and a caring and qualified dentist will usually help you review the options that best suit your budget and needs.
If you’d like to learn more about dental insurance for dentures and dental implants and financing options for restorative dental work or procedures, contact Restore Dentures & Implants of Tulsa today for a free consultation so we can help guide you toward the best solution for your smile.