Question about dental implants and dental insurance.
Monday, January 18th, 2010I’ve worn full upper dentures for many years, but they are not working for me anymore. My dentist says my jaw bone has deteriorated, and is recommending dental implants. He quoted me a number that took my breath away! There is just no way I can afford the cost of replacing all my upper teeth with dental implants, not without help. Do you know of any dental insurance companies that would help pay at least part of the expense?
Heather in Raleigh
Dear Heather,
You are in a difficult position. If you have worn a full upper for many years, then your upper jaw bone has probably lost quite a bit of bone mass. Part of that “breath stealing number” might be for bone grafts in your upper jaw, which may be necessary if your jaw has deteriorated to the point that it can not support the dental implant root forms. Sadly, many people do not realize when they you lose teeth, you also lose bone at the site of the lost tooth. Your body reabsorbs the bone for use elsewhere in the body. If you’ve lost all your teeth, your jaw bones can deteriorate until you are unable to wear dentures of any kind, and you may develop a condition called “facial collapse.”
Your dentist is recommending dental implants in part to help halt this bone loss, and likely because it may well be the only option left open to you. Sadly, you will not find a dental insurance company that will pay for dental implants.
If you think about it from the insurance company’s position, it does make sense. Why would they sell you a policy and then turn around and pay for a treatment worth many, many times the value of that policy? It wouldn’t make sense, and they would not be in business long.
Most dental insurance policies will only cover the cost of the least expensive treatment. In this case, they would pay for a different set of dentures, but never dental implants. Even a policy through an employer, which is generally better than what you could purchase on your own, would have an annual maximum of between $500 and $1,000 payout for dental care.
Dental insurance works best when the dental insurance company sells to an employer. The dental insurance company passes on the cost of the dental benefits they pay out on to the employer (plus a little profit for the insurance company), and the employer pays the expenses with pre-tax dollars, as a benefit of employment.
Your challenge now is to find a way to get at least some dental implants in place, to help stop any more bone loss and perhaps provide an anchor for a new denture. Hopefully, your dentist can talk frankly with you about all your options, and will assist you in seeking financing. Best of luck to you.