What Dental Insurance Covers Orthodontics?

Nowadays, numerous dental insurance plans offer coverage for a wide range of treatments and services, orthodontia included. However, if you’re an adult and want to have that perfect Hollywood smile, the braces might be quite pricey. That’s why you should read all the available insurance materials carefully beforehand to make sure that the insurance of your choice will cover your needs. That said, we suggest you delve into our guide on picking the right dental plan that covers orthodontic services.

What Are Orthodontic Services?

Orthodontic services usually include braces and other dental treatments that help straighten teeth. However, not all dental insurance plans cover those. For instance, dental insurance for adults often don’t cover braces for cosmetic reasons and will cover them only if a person can’t chew their food properly, even though statistics say that one in four orthodontic patients is an adult. Children under 19, on the other hand, usually have orthodontic services included with their dental insurance or dental plan, at least to some extent. 

How to Know if You Need Braces?

This question has two answers. First, you should ask yourself whether you like your smile, and this is purely aesthetic and subjective. However, the need for braces or aligners might be entirely objective, especially if you have a pronounced overbite, underbite, very crowded teeth, or teeth that are overlapping. In that case, the orthodontist determines if braces are the best solution for you. Aside from braces, there are other orthodontic appliances they might recommend, such as clear aligners.

What Is Typically Included in Standard Dental Plans Covering Orthodontics?

Standard dental insurance options that cover orthodontic services both for children and adults usually include diagnostics, retainers, as well as pre and post-orthodontic treatments. Keep in mind that not all plans cover braces or aligners, so make sure they are included before you pick your dental insurance or a plan. When it comes to the price of the desired orthodontic service, it is usually the severity of the problem that needs to be corrected that often determines it, according to the American Association of Orthodontists.

How to Find Dental Insurance That Covers Braces?

Typically, you can get your dental insurance in two ways. The first one is through your employer, as a part of your benefits. Other than that, you can buy your plan through a health insurance carrier. They sell both individual and family packages, or you can try through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure that your plan includes orthodontic services. Also, there are often some limits on insurance options. For instance, a plan will cover orthodontics for children but not for adults, or in some states, dental insurance might be required for children but it doesn’t cover orthodontia related services. Namely, dental insurance will only cover braces in case they are necessary to improve a child’s ability to chew their food properly.

Steps to Take to Make Sure You’ve Picked the Right Dental Insurance 

Review the insurance materials in advance to make sure the plan covers the orthodontic services and treatments you might need. Keep in mind that most dental plans come with networks of dental service providers so if there’s a particular orthodontist you want to see, check if they are part of your network.

Also, there might be some sort of a coverage limit per year for orthodontic services or a predetermined waiting time between two visits, so don’t let that surprise you. There is also a so-called lifetime maximum when it comes to this sort of service, so be aware of that as well.

Discounts and Dental Saving Plans

The insurance plan itself doesn’t necessarily need to cover orthodontic services, but you still might be eligible for considerable discounts for this type of service. You can contact your dental insurance provider or dental plan provider and ask them to give you more details on their offer. Finally, there are standalone discount plans or dental saving plans, that actually aren’t dental insurance but allow you to purchase dental services at significantly lower prices. Many of them offer attractive discounts, especially regarding orthodontics for adults.

Conclusion

When it comes to choosing a dental insurance plan, there isn’t a one-to-fit-them-all solution; you’ll have to invest your time to go through all the available options, compare them and find the one that suits your needs. Also, if you know in advance what type of orthodontic treatments you will need, it can help you make the best possible decision and pick the right type of insurance or dental plan. You need to understand everything your dental insurance offers in order to avoid any unpleasant surprises. Namely, many dental insurance plans do cover orthodontics, but some require that you make additional payments, and this is something you should take into account, too.

Have you already purchased a dental insurance plan that covers orthodontics? Are you satisfied with it? Please tell us all about it in the comments below!