While you may want dental insurance to make dental implants cheaper, the truth is that it typically can’t. Most dental plans don’t offer coverage for the placement of implant posts. That said, it’s only natural to ask: Could medical insurance cover dental implants instead? Your Cleveland dentist is here to settle that question, so there’s no need to mull things endlessly. Just keep reading to learn whether medical insurance covers implants, as well as other ways to make dental care affordable.
Remind Me: What’s Medical Insurance?
Before getting into the nitty-gritty, you should review the basics of medical insurance. You’ll then have a better context for understanding the implant matter.
Medical (or health) insurance is a type of insurance coverage that helps you pay medical expenses. By reimbursing you for incurred costs (or paying medical providers directly), it ensures your health care remains relatively affordable. The plan participant only has to pay a monthly premium and annual deductible to enjoy coverage for a wide range of health treatments.
In the US, health insurance is often bought through one’s employer or a state or federal marketplace. One can also receive a plan from government-sponsored programs like Medicare or Medicaid.
Will It Cover Dental Implants?
Given the facts above, medical insurance will sometimes cover dental implants. Whether it does or doesn’t ultimately depends on the patient’s situation.
Medical plans usually only cover implants when they’re “medically necessary.” As such, the patient will often have to be suffering from a severe injury or accident for coverage to apply. Examples of these would be a car accident that knocks out teeth, a steep fall, or a blow to the face, etc. In instances like those, dental implants would be deemed crucial to restoring your smile’s health.
Ultimately, only your dentist and plan provider will know whether medical insurance could cover your implants. Make sure to consult both before you commit to the treatment process.
How Else Can You Make Implants Affordable?
If you lack medical insurance, don’t worry or panic. Other methods exist that can make dental implants affordable, including:
- Dental Membership Plans – If you pay a monthly or annual fee, you can join a dental practice’s dental membership plan. This arrangement (among other things) can give you a discount on implant treatment.
- 3rd Party Financing – Many dentists now partner with 3rd party financiers like Cherry or CareCredit. Through one of the latter, you could pay for dental implants in monthly installments that don’t strain your budget.
Medical insurance can cover dental implants, so what are you waiting for? Talk to your dentist to see if your plan offers suitable coverage!
About the Practice
Kirlough Family Dentistry is based in Middleburg Heights, OH. Led by Dr. Jon Kirlough, our practice aims to provide every patient with attentive, tailored, and high-quality dental care. We thus offer a great many treatments, from preventive and cosmetic options to restorative work and emergency care. Our office also accepts a wide variety of insurance plans from in-network providers! For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (440)-234-2445.