Whenever someone comes to see us here at Shirck Orthodontics, one of the biggest concerns they usually have is cost. While orthodontic treatment is certainly an investment, it’s most often a very smart one, as it’s able to improve someone’s long-term health, appearance, and overall wellbeing at the same time. Many wonder if they can use their insurance to help pay for their treatment, and today, that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about. Read on below to learn more about how insurance can help you save when you visit your orthodontist in Powell.
Insurance Basics
When talking about insurance and orthodontics, you first have to determine which kind of insurance you’re referring to. Most medical insurance plans do NOT typically include dental coverage—it’s usually something you need to purchase separately. Dental insurance benefits can also vary quite a bit from plan to plan depending on your provider. Most dental insurance plans are designed to help patients afford basic preventive care such as checkups and cleanings and may not necessarily have coverage for orthodontics. But at the same time, many do.
Dental Insurance & Braces
In some states, dental insurance must offer orthodontic coverage for children under 18, but it may not cover every situation. For example, some plans may only cover braces if they’re needed to help a child chew their food properly. On the other hand, many plans are willing to cover braces no matter why they are needed (including any exams, retainers, as well as any pre and post-treatments needed).
Dental insurance may cover orthodontics for an adult as well, but if a treatment is purely for a cosmetic reason, it probably will not be.
And, for patients interested in Invisalign, some insurance policies are willing to contribute a fixed amount of money to the treatment.
How to Get Orthodontic Coverage
Many private individual, family, and employer-sponsored dental insurance plans offer orthodontic benefits for children and adults. It really depends on the specifics of your plan. If your current policy does not cover orthodontics, you can supplement it with a more inclusive plan, which will likely be more affordable than simply paying for a treatment out-of-pocket.
Conclusion
In the end, yes, dental insurance can be used to cover braces in Powell, but it really depends on the ins-and-outs of your particular plan. At Shirck Orthodontics, we are happy to work with patients with insurance and make sure they know exactly what is and isn’t covered before treatment begins. That way, there are never any unpleasant surprises at checkout! And, if insurance doesn’t quite cover all of a specific treatment, we have interest-free financing options as well.
Our ultimate goal is to make your life nice and easy when it comes to getting a straighter smile. If you’re interested in orthodontic care for either you or your child, and you want to know if you could use your insurance to help pay for it, then we invite you to give us a call today. We’ll be able to give you all the answers you need!