Does Health Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

• Written by Nidhi Goyal

  Reviewed by Akhil Pillai

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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. In 2022, 893,125 dental implants and abutment procedures were performed.

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 them, and how to get 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, dental visits are undeniably expensive. Dental visits can pose a financial strain, particularly for more involved treatments. This is due to various factors, including the procedure's complexity, the materials used, and the required professional expertise.

What Are 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 than other alternatives. 
• The right implants can help prevent bone loss that typically happens when you lose a tooth.
• Dental implants not only look but also feel natural.
• An implant fills the gap between your teeth, helps restore the shape of your face, and improves your appearance.
• A dental implant helps preserve speech patterns by filling 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 illness requiring dental treatment, those expenses may be covered by your health insurance policy, depending on the chosen coverage.

Out-Patient Dental Treatments

Expenses incurred on treating 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 specified in your health plan. To know what insurance covers dental implants, 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 each consultation has a limit of INR 350. 

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?

Remember that each policy's coverage differs when buying a health insurance policy. Each policy comes with its unique terms, conditions, and coverage limits. Factors like the type of treatments covered, inclusions, exclusions, copays, 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:

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. If your dentist’s bill is INR 8,000, you will have to bear the difference of INR 3,000.

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. 

Remember that if the insured member has to undergo dental surgery due to an accidental injury, 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, you must 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 improve overall health and 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.

A New Smile Awaits 

The journey to your new smile is more than just a financial decision. The process might seem overwhelming initially, but having a health insurance policy is necessary 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 healthcare needs and financial capabilities. Awareness of these differences helps you select a policy that best suits your requirements.

If you are looking for dental insurance that covers implants, you can surely consider the multiple health insurance policies offered by Care Health Insurance. Care Health Insurance is suitable for people with diverse needs and provides affordable health insurance plans. So, don’t let financial worries overpower your valuable smile.

You deserve to smile confidently and without any hesitation.

Read More: Know Dental Problems and Solutions from the Roots

Disclaimer: 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.