Several years ago I decided to take a trip to the dentist after skipping multiple appointments for over 15 years. I truly had a dental anxiety and had a hard time getting over my fears. Thankfully, my dental visit went smoothly with only four cavities identified. What I did find from this dental visit was that there was a great deal of new information and technology that I had been missing out on. Laser-based technology and digital imaging are just a few examples. With this blog, I want you to understand that you can get over your fears and learn about this new technology like I did, so enjoy the information.
Dental care is incredibly important, but many people skip dental visits and/or don't floss, increasing the risk of decay and gum disease. Luckily, there are many types of dental services. If you would like to know more, check out these five types of dental treatment options.
1. Preventative
Preventative care includes:
With preventative care, you drastically reduce your risk of more complex issues like tooth infections and gum disease. In fact, preventative care is so important that many dental insurance carriers cover 100 percent of the cost and waive the deductible for preventative care. However, there are limits on how many visits and how far apart they can be. For example, most insurance plans only cover a cleaning and checkup once every six months.
2. Minor Restoration
Minor restoration largely covers fillings to correct cavities, including both metal and composite fillings. Metal fillings are stronger, but composite fillings are tooth-colored and bond to teeth. Many insurance carriers even pay for tooth-colored fillings. While exact coverage depends on your policy, your insurance carrier may pay 80 percent of the cost.
Minor restoration also includes simple extractions. Simple extractions do not require any incision in the gum tissue to access. If an incision is required (surgical extraction) because the tooth has not fully erupted, is impacted, or has broken below the gumline, you'll need major restoration services.
3. Major Restoration
Major restorations include more advanced procedures to save or restore teeth, such as surgical extraction. This may include large fillings or major cracks and chips. In some cases, the dentist may even be able to rebuild a fractured tooth (depending on the location of the tooth and the severity of the fracture).
Major restoration services also include root canal treatment, which treats an infected tooth, preventing the need for extraction. Similarly, major restoration includes dental crowns, which strengthen weak teeth, including teeth that have undergone root canal treatment.
4. Emergency Dental
You may need emergency dental if you have intense and severe pain from a stubborn cavity or tooth infection, especially if over-the-counter pain medications don't work. Similarly, if the tooth cracked, chipped, or fractured due to trauma or decay, an emergency dentist can treat the tooth fast, reducing the risk of an infection or decay.
5. Cosmetic Dental
Cosmetic dental services are not usually covered by insurance. However, they may cover cosmetic services that are also medically necessary, such as a crown after root canal treatment. Cosmetic dentistry involves non-invasive procedures like teeth whitening, but it can also include a host of treatments to correct your smile, including:
In addition, orthodontia treatment is not usually included with general dentistry. For this reason, orthodontia services are not usually covered by general dental plans. However, in some cases, you can purchase an additional rider to provide orthodontia coverage too.
A dentist can do a lot to protect and improve your smile. If you haven't been to the dentist in a while, it may be time to schedule a cleaning. For more information, contact a company like Mililani Dental and Implants Inc.
Share14 June 2023
