Does Health Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Maintaining healthy teeth is crucial, as they contribute to overall well-being, confidence, and a pleasing appearance. Dental implants serve as a durable solution for missing teeth, restoring both function and aesthetics. They prevent bone loss and maintain jaw structure, preserving facial contours. These implants offer a sturdy foundation, resembling natural teeth, improving appearance, speech, and chewing ability. This effective, long-lasting solution restores dental function and enhances overall oral health.

While dental implants are indeed an ideal solution to a number of problems, you may often wonder, Does insurance cover dental implants?. 

Read on to find out all about dental implants, what insurance covers dental implants and how to get dental implants covered by medical insurance.

Dental Care is Expensive

Routine dental check-ups and preventive care reduce the need for extensive treatments, potentially lowering overall expenses. However, there’s no denying that trips to the dentist can be expensive. Thanks to various factors such as the complexity of the procedure, materials used, and professional expertise required, visiting the dentist may pose financial strain, especially for complex procedures. 

Dental Implants 

A dental implant serves as an artificial substitute for a natural tooth root. Surgically placed into the jawbone, it acts as a sturdy foundation to support an artificial tooth, typically a crown, which resembles and functions like a natural tooth. Let’s take a quick look at why dental implants are so popular:

• Dental implants are a much more durable option as compared to other alternatives. They can last easily for years
• The right implants can help prevent bone loss that typically happens when you lose a tooth
• Dental implants not just look but also feel natural
• An implant fills in the gap between your teeth. It can help in restoring the shape/appearance of your face
• A dental implant helps in preserving speech patterns as it fills the holes/ gaps in your teeth.

Does Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

The answer to the question, “Does Medicare cover dental implants?” is not a simple one. Typically, most health insurance companies do not offer coverage for dental care, including dental implants. However, in case of an accidental injury or an illness, if there is a need for dental treatment, those expenses may be covered by your health insurance policy, depending on the coverage that you have opted for. 

Out-patient Dental Treatments

Expenses that are incurred on the treatment of a natural tooth or teeth when provided by a licensed dentist may be covered under the policy. The coverage will be up to the amount as specified in your health plan. If you want to know what insurance covers dental implants, then you can consider the Care Plus policy by Care Health Insurance. The policy covers outpatient dental treatments when you opt for a plan with a coverage of over INR 5 lakhs. 

For policies with an insured sum of  INR 5 lakhs and INR 7 lakhs, you can get coverage for up to INR 1,500. Meanwhile, for policies with an insured sum of INR 10 lakhs and INR 25 lakhs, you can get coverage of INR 2,500. Keep in mind that there is a limit of INR 350 for each consultation. 

Here are some of the expenses that may be covered under your policy:

• Dental injury due to an accident
• Oral check-ups
• Fillings and extraction
• Root canal
• X-rays
• Preventive treatment

How to Get Dental Implants Covered by Medical Insurance?

When you buy a health insurance policy, you need to keep in mind that the coverage of each policy is different. Each policy comes with its unique terms, conditions, and coverage limits. Factors like the type of treatments covered, inclusions, exclusions, co-pays, deductibles, and maximum payout amounts can differ widely among policies. 

Now, let us see how to get dental implants covered by insurance. If your health policy covers the cost of dental treatments or implants, you may have to fulfil the following conditions:

1. Coverage Limit

Your dental implant expenses may be covered only up to a specified amount. For example, in a health insurance plan of INR 10 lakhs, the coverage for dental treatments may only be up to INR 5,000. In case your dentist’s bill is INR 8,000, the difference of INR 3,000 will have to be borne by you.

2. Waiting Period

Every health insurance policy comes with a waiting period. If your policy offers dental insurance for implants, there may be a certain period of time in which you may not be allowed to raise a claim. 

Keep in mind that in case of an accidental injury, if the insured member has to undergo dental surgery, then there may not be any need to serve the waiting period, as accidental injuries are covered from day 1.

How Can You Cut Back on Your Dental Expenses?

Whether your health insurance policy offers dental insurance for implants or not, it is important that you take care of your teeth. Proper oral hygiene, including brushing, flossing, and regular dental check-ups, helps prevent dental issues like cavities, gum disease, and tooth decay. Good oral health can not only contribute to better overall health but also reduce the risk of systemic diseases. Taking care of your teeth ensures a healthy smile and proper chewing function and promotes self-confidence and overall quality of life.

Over to You

Having a health insurance policy has become a necessity today. While having adequate coverage is essential, understanding your policy is equally crucial. It's essential to thoroughly review and compare policies to ensure they align with your specific healthcare needs and financial capabilities. Being aware of these differences helps in selecting a policy that best suits your requirements.

If you are looking for dental insurance that covers implants, then you can surely consider the multiple health insurance policies offered by Care Health Insurance. Suited for people with diverse needs, Care Health Insurance offers the best health insurance plans too, at affordable premiums.

>> Read More: Know Dental Problems and Solutions from the Roots

Disclaimers: 

The above information is for reference purposes only: Policy Assurance and Claims at the underwriter's discretion.

All plan features, benefits, coverage, and claims underwriting are subject to policy terms and conditions. Kindly refer to the brochure, sales prospectus, and policy documents carefully.