Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
Dental disease can ruin your smile, damage your health, and
even cost you your life. If you're experiencing the signs of infection (fever,
facial swelling, persistent toothache) don’t wait for your next check to arrive – go
to the dentist now. You may say you can't pay the bill, but the truth is that you
can't afford to wait. Thankfully, cheap dental care options are available; your
options include dental savings plans, community clinics, dental schools, and help
through Dental Care Accessibility Organizations.
And you need cheap dental care now. That's where a dental savings plan becomes a
great option for you, with no waiting!
How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?
There are several types of dental implants, but the most commonly used are:
Endosteal
These are most common type of implants. The complete restoration requires three parts – the implant itself - a titanium post which is placed into your jaw under the gum line, the abutment which is visible above your gum, and a dental crown that fits on top of the abutment and replaces the natural tooth.
Subperiosteal
These are placed just above or onto the jawbone, and are used only in cases where people don’t have sufficient bone structure to support an endosteal implant.
Mini implants (MDIs)
Gaining in popularity. These look like a toothpick-sized screw, are placed into the jawbone, and are typically used to secure a denture or bridge in place. They are also called small diameter implants (SDIs) or narrow body implants (NBIs). Standard implants are 3.4 to 5.8 mm wide, but mini implants are 1.8 to 3.3 mm in diameter. Just four mini implants may be enough to secure an entire lower denture. Besides being less expensive, getting mini implants is a less invasive and faster process. Your dentist will determine whether mini implants will work for you.
Costs
A single, complete Endosteal implant can cost $3,000 to $4,500. A full or partial set of Endosteal dental implants can run from $20,000 to $45,000. The cost is about the same for a Subperiosteal implant. Mini implants typically cost between $1,000-$1,500 per implant, or – when placed all at once - about $2,500 to $6,000 for 4-6 mini-implants to support a denture/bridge.
Dental Insurance That Covers Dental Implants?
You may be lucky enough to have a dental insurance plan that
covers dental implants, and if so you may be able to reduce your implant cost by
about 10%. Check your policy’s documentation carefully, and then double-check with
your dentist’s insurance expert or your insurance’s customer care team. And
remember, even if you are covered, PPO dental insurance plans – the kind accepted by
the majority of dentists - typically have a maximum annual coverage limit of
$1,000-1,500 – the cost of one mini-implant.
If your insurance doesn’t cover implants, part of the procedure – such as the crown
or dentures – may still be covered. It’s worth asking. And In rare cases, your
medical insurance may cover the cost of dental implants that are medically
necessary. Again, ask your dentist and/or insurance provider for guidance.
Dental Insurance Alternatives for Dental Implants
Health Savings Account
HSAs can be used to pay for dental treatment. Check with the benefits coordinator at your workplace or your financial provider to confirm that dental implants – or perhaps parts of the procedure - are a qualified health care expense.
Dental Payment Plans
Your dentist may offer payment plans, or work with companies that provide short-term loans for healthcare expenses. Ask your dentist about funding options, but make sure to carefully review loan terms, and abide by payment schedules.
Dental Tourism
Dental implants can be so costly that it may make sense to combine a vacation/business trip with dental care. Popular options include Mexico, Costa Rica and Hungary. As an example, the cost of dental implants in Hungary is roughly half what you’d pay in the U.S. One thing to be aware of is that that implants require multiple dental visits and healing time in between. Unless you’re getting mini implants, you can’t just fly in for a week, get the procedure done, and head home. If you’re close to the Mexican border though, this may not be an issue.
Dental Savings Plans
he alternative to dental insurance, dental savings plans can save members up to 25% on the cost of implants. Make sure the plan you join includes discounts for implants, of course. And with dental savings plans, you get discounts on dental treatment within 72-hours of joining a plan, there are no months-long waiting periods to suffer through. Also, dental savings plans have no annual spending limit, which is obviously very important when you’re getting an expensive procedure like implants. As noted above, PPO dental insurance plans have an annual limit of $1,000-$1,500 – and a traditional dental implant costs $3000-$4500.
With a Dental Savings Plan, you also save 10-60% on virtually all dental procedures, including dentures, root canals and crowns, bridges, fillings, regular checkups and x-rays – and more. Many plans also include discounts on prescriptions as well as vision and hearing care.
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