Getting Your Dental Treatment Covered

If you need significant dental work, you'll want to start by asking Dr. Sigafoos for a treatment plan. This document outlines what you need, how much it will cost, and how long it might take. Once you have a treatment plan, you can check with your dental insurance company to see how much they will cover -- that is known as a benefit estimate or predetermination of benefits. (At LaJolla Periodontics, we may even be able to contact the insurance company on your behalf.) This will help you decide if you are financially able to go ahead with the full treatment plan.

Even if it seems too expensive, Dr. Sigafoos may still be able to work with you to develop a plan that will be both affordable and successful. This is often done by breaking treatment up into stages that are spread out over time. For example, if the second stage of your treatment occurs in the following calendar year, your benefits will have renewed. That way, your insurance will cover a greater portion of the cost of treatment.

Your treatment plan may include both recommended treatment and any lower-cost alternatives that may be available to you. While the highest-quality and most permanent dental restorations will cost the most, affordable dentistry offers more options, lots of dental problems can be solved in different ways. Many insurance companies will only cover the least expensive alternative treatment (LEAT).

For example, let's say you're missing a tooth. The best replacement tooth that money can buy is a dental implant covered with an artificial tooth. However, dental implant surgery is costly, and healing takes several months. A dental crown, on the other hand, might need to be replaced eventually, but is far more affordable.

At LaJolla Periodontics we're committed to working closely with you and your insurance company to develop a comprehensive treatment plan that will be both good for your oral health and kind to your bank account.