Will Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
Dental implants can improve speech, make it easier to chew and eat, and hold dentures in place making them very useful for anyone missing a tooth. However, patients have a lot of questions about them, mostly money-related. If you’ve been thinking about dental implants in Mesa, you probably wonder how much it will cost. Even more, will your dental insurance policy will cover any of the expenses? Here’s what you need to know.
What is the Average Cost of Dental Implants?
Dental implants in Phoenix are comparable with most areas across the nation. However, the actual costs depend on the provider you choose. Some patients pay as much as $5000 for a single implant along with the crowning process. But, according to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, the average cost for a dental implant ranges between $3500 and $4000.
When you need more than one implant, the procedure can quickly get very expensive. Often, patients in need of multiple crowns, abutments and implants finds the surgery far out of their budgets. However, here at Dental Brothers, we offer a special package for patients not using insurance that can put dental implants back on the to-do list without breaking the bank. We’ll cover that more later, but let’s move on to discussing whether insurance will take a bite out of dental implant costs.
Will Dental Insurance Cover the Cost of Implants?
The answer is maybe. You need to contact your insurance provider or take a close look at your policy to determine your level—if any—of coverage for dental implants. The reality is that the majority of insurance plans are systematically designed to only cover cleanings and routine maintenance, basic care such as fillings and crowns, and dental emergencies.
That being said, government and state programs like Medicare and Medicaid do not provide any type of coverage at all for dental implants. Insurance coverage varies by provider, and some may indeed offer some level of minimal coverage. The primary reason that most insurers don’t cover implants is that they often fall under a category outside of coverage limitations called ‘cosmetic procedures.’
There is a bright side to this scenario. More and more policies for dental care are beginning to help cover at least some of the cost of dental implants, depending on the situation. Some policies will cover the cost of the crown, though not the implant itself. There may be situations in which they cover some of the implant, too. In such cases, the implants must be important or necessary to prevent worsening dental conditions. Typically they must be considered medically necessary for coverage to be approved by insurance. These include:
- Missing all your teeth, resulting in medical complications
- Sudden trauma that requires seeing an emergency dentist
- Tooth loss due to a chronic medical condition
- Teeth falling out during the course of cancer or tumor treatment
- Congenitally missing teeth
Coverage for these will vary, depending on the dental policies limitations. Beyond these situations, coverage for implants is very rare.
How Much Insurance Might Cover for & Where to Find Affordable Dental Implants
Again, the most coverage benefits received will be partial compensation for the abutment and crown portion of the implant procedure. These costs can range between $1000 and $2000 depending on the specific tooth being treated. Our staff is happy to help you work with your insurance provider to find out what your policy covers and how much.
However, you don’t have to have insurance to get dental implants. We provide a dental implant package for patients. For only $2597, patients receive a full dental implant, crown and abutment, all for one low price—no strings attached!
Conclusion
Here at Dental Brothers, we work with our patients to find affordable solutions to take care of your dental health and your smile. Whether you need to replace a single tooth or several, we want to help you. Contact us today to discuss your options for dental implants!
