subject: Will Insurance Cover Cosmetic Dentistry? [print this page] There is often a great deal of confusion over what kinds of dental procedures are going to be covered by the insurance that people have. The truth is that most insurance which is carried by the majority of people is not going to cover much in the way of cosmetic dentistry. Although most Palatine dentists can probably explain to you in more detail which procedures will and will not be covered by your insurance, it is usually a good bet to assume that most cosmetic procedures are not going to be covered by insurance.
Those procedures which will almost surely not be covered by the insurance carried by the majority of patients are those which are wholly cosmetic in nature. Teeth whitening treatments are a very good example of this. Because there is no real health benefit that is tied to having a patient's teeth whitened, almost no insurance provider has coverage which is going to include this type of process.
Veneers are also not usually covered under insurance, although there are certain exceptions to this. Typically speaking, veneers are going to be obtained because a person is looking to improve their appearance. When this is the case, insurance is typically not going to cover them. There are special situations where veneers may be covered under some people's insurance.
The first type of veneer issue which may be covered under insurance is when veneers need to be repaired. A great deal of dental insurance carries an extra clause which stipulates that if the patient already has veneers and they become damaged, the repairs are insured. This is usually in a clause which shows that defective dental work will be insured for replacement, and veneers which break are sometimes covered under this.
Of course, there are procedures that are designed for straightening teeth, namely braces, that fall somewhere in between. In many dental policies, there may be an option that allows you to opt in or out of in order to receive coverage for braces.
Some cosmetic problems are going to be covered. Chips to the front teeth are usually covered. This is because, while a cosmetic procedure may be done to affect the repair; the problem in the mouth does go beyond just appearances when chips are taken out of the front teeth. Any damage to the teeth which is caused by injury is often going to be covered as well, even if the procedures used for those repairs would normally be deemed "cosmetic".
by: Todd Devins
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