As a parent, one of your biggest concerns is making sure your child is as healthy as possible. That’s why you closely watch their diet, make sure they get enough sleep, bother them to get up and go outside every day, and so on. While there is plenty you can do on your own, you aren’t by yourself in this mission. With a little help from your dental insurance, you can get your child personalized orthodontic treatment, which offers all sorts of short and long-term benefits for their health. Read on to learn how using your dental insurance to cover your child’s orthodontics can do much more than give them a beautiful smile.
Children’s Orthodontics & Dental Insurance: The Basics
Whether you get your dental insurance through your employer or a private plan, it’s almost guaranteed to include orthodontic benefits for people 18 and under. Typically, this involves a lifetime benefit (or predetermined amount of money) that can be applied to a child’s orthodontic care. Once that money is spent, it’s gone for good, but thankfully, it is usually more than enough to cover at least half of the cost of traditional braces. When you give your child’s orthodontist your insurance information, they’ll calculate your benefits, and then they can help you work out a payment option for the remainder of the cost.
How Orthodontics Can Improve Physical Health
The position of your child’s teeth has a direct impact on their ability to eat, speak, and even breathe properly. Plus, problems like teeth grinding, headaches, and jaw pain can stem from a misaligned bite. Orthodontics can ensure that your child’s teeth and bite are both healthy and functional, which can fix a wide variety of potential issues while also preventing many from occurring in the first place. When completed early, orthodontic care can have an almost immeasurable impact on a child’s health over the course of their life.
How Orthodontics Can Improve Mental Health
For many people, orthodontics is all about giving someone a straight and attractive smile, and while this is certainly a big benefit, the most impactful outcome of treatment can’t really be seen in the mirror. When a child feels good about their smile, they feel good about themselves, leading to a more positive outlook on life. This can encourage them to speak up in class, make friends, and be more open in general. All of this contributes to positive mental health, which in today’s world, is more important than ever.
All of these health benefits are easily accessible to your child thanks to your dental insurance. You won’t have to break the bank to get the high-quality care they deserve, as your plan will likely cover a sizeable portion of their treatment. To find out how much and help your child start enjoying everything that orthodontics has to offer, reach out to a local orthodontist today.
About the Author
Dr. Jeffrey Shirck is a highly experienced board-certified orthodontist who has been helping children, teens, and adults in the Columbus area for over 10 years. His practice, Shirck Orthodontics, is in-network with several popular dental insurance plans and offers a wide variety of flexible payment options. To learn more about using your insurance to save on your child’s orthodontic care, click here to get in touch with our friendly team.