Will Insurance Cover the Cost of Dental Implants?

Many dental patients love the benefits that implants can provide for missing teeth but shy away from getting them when they learn about the cost. This can raise questions about whether dental insurance will help pay for any part of the procedure. Here is what you need to know about dental insurance coverage for dental implants.

Why Do Insurance Companies Not Pay for Dental Implants?

The main reason that you may struggle to find an insurance provider that will help pay for the implant procedure is that it is common for cosmetic procedures to not be covered. This includes services such as teeth whitening and veneers that are mainly considered cosmetic treatments. Dental implants are viewed in a similar way with the implants being a more expensive alternative when compared to bridges or partial dentures.

Do Insurance Companies Provide Any Coverage?

While it is not common for a dental insurance provider to cover the whole cost of the procedure, it is possible that they'll pay for some of it. Make sure you find out what the exceptions may be for your specific dental insurance. There might be a waiting period until you can get the implant procedure done or restrictions on using implants for teeth lost after the insurance was purchased. This is to prevent people from getting dental insurance for a single procedure and then dropping it completely.

Will Health Insurance Pay for Dental Implants?

Depending on your situation, it may be possible for your health insurance to pay for a dental related procedure. For example, if you were in a bad accident that requires jaw surgery, implants may be included as part of the process of restoring your teeth. If you have a disease that extended to your jawbone and caused you to lose teeth, it is possible for medical insurance to cover the implants as part of treating the disease.

Are There Alternatives to Paying for Dental Implants?

If you cannot pay for the entire implant procedure up front, ask your dentist about other ways that you could afford the procedure. The dentist may offer a payment plan that will help spread the payments across a longer period of time or only do one implant at a time to avoid the high cost of doing several at once.

For more information about paying for restorative dentistry, be sure to meet with a dentist for a consultation about how they can help with the procedure.

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