Dentistry Basics - What Exactly Is Dental Care?

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Dental insurance is usually grouped into three segments: a) Preventative, b) Basic and c) Major dental services. The category to which a dental service has been assigned basically indicates the level of coverage (degree of benefits) that the insurance policy offers for that dental service. Dental insurance provides protection for a tooth extraction, filling, root canal treatment and dental implants. Most dental insurance policies also provide coverage for dental implants such as lingual and porcelain implants. Find out more about dentist san diego.

Dental Insurance provides preventive care through routine dental checkups and cleaning and x-rays. The preventive services are most important to persons who do not consume a lot of fluoride or who have weak teeth. In the case of individuals, routine preventive care can be as simple as brushing two to three times a day, flossing at least twice a day, and using recommended toothpaste and regular dental rinses. Preventive care can also include periodontal examinations. The services provided by insurance coverage may also include root canal treatments for severe gum disease, tooth fillings for tooth decays, crowns for cracked and broken teeth, braces for dental problems associated with growths, bridges, jaw surgery, etc.

These dental services are usually covered by standard dental insurance plans, which cover the major costs of teeth and gum care. The plans will often specify that a patient must visit a licensed dentist or a qualified emergency dentist in order to obtain any of these services. However, there are many other affordable options available for obtaining some of these basic services and in many cases, dental insurance plans provide cash payments for dentists who provide these services to their plan members free of charge.

Dental Cleaning: Preventive dental services focus on ensuring that a person's teeth and gums remain as clean and healthy as possible. This is achieved through a variety of measures, such as professional cleanings, fluoride treatments and polishes. Professional cleanings, which include professional cleaning of the teeth and periodontal pockets, as well as root canals and abscesses, are usually covered under most standard dental plans. In addition, many insurance plans offer discounts on preventative cleanings and tooth whitening procedures.

Pediatric Dental Services: Many children require additional treatments, such as braces, special teeth care and more. Some pediatric dental services are available only with an additional fee and some are offered free of charge. Some of the additional types of dental services available for children include orthodontic braces to assist with straightening young teeth and dental implants to help replace missing teeth after a child is born.

Oral Surgery: Oral surgery refers to root canals, extractions and other forms of cosmetic dentistry treatments. These dental services are performed by a dentist who uses surgical techniques to correct a variety of conditions, such as misaligned teeth, gaps in the mouth or other issues. Some of these conditions, such as cleft palates, can only be corrected with oral surgery. Your dentist can determine the right treatment for you depending on the severity of your condition. If you need a root canal, an oral surgeon will be able to explain the procedure to you before you make any major dental decisions. Read more about carlsbad dentist.