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Strictly speaking if you consider braces as purely cosmetic appliance for treating malocclusions and misalignments then it will not be covered under insurance. But, dental plan for braces exist as it is considered important to correct orthodontic problems like – teeth that are crowded together, teeth with wide gaps in between, when upper teeth and lower teeth do not meet when you keep your mouth normally closed and when teeth are really crooked. According to dentists these problems can get aggravated as children grow into adulthood and need early correction. Braces are used to correct these problems. Some people have severe problems where jaw surgery, teeth removal and other corrective surgery is needed along with braces. It is important for these people to have some dental plan to cover the huge expenses.
Many people need braces to fix their teeth for appearance or to correct their biting problem. Braces are important for some people in order to have better health and also fix their speech problems. If you have more than one child who needs braces then you will be looking a huge dental braces bill in the future. So, it is important to invest in a good dental plan that will cover braces early in the life of the children.
Dental insurance will pay for “usual, customary and reasonable” (UCR) treatment. Each plan provider determines what is usual, customary and reasonable. Also, different plans have different terms and conditions based on the premiums you pay. Braces in such severe cases may be considered as UCR and treatment may be covered to the maximum amount specified in the dental plan that you have bought.
There are different types of dental insurance plans available. One is DR or fee-for-service plan. In this type of plan you are free to go to any dentist and seek any treatment. DR or direct reimbursement fee-for-service dental insurance plan. Employers will reimburse a certain amount of the cost incurred. It is a self-paid plan and there is no pressure on the employer to choose the best plan for whole lot of people. There is no cost incurred by the employer if employee seeks no treatment.
Other types of dental plans include PPO and DHMO. PPO is preferred plan provider plan and allows the patients to go only a specified list of dentists maintained by the plan provider. If you avail services from dentists outside this list you will be penalized and only a smaller percentage of your charges will be reimbursed. In Dental Health Maintenance Organizations the provider pays dentists a fixed fee to keep the patients in good health.
Coming dental insurance for braces there a few companies that offer orthodontic coverage like Delta Dental which offer a specific plan for braces and another is the Careington Dental Plan another well-know dental insurance provider they also offer braces coverage plans. Other companies that offer good dental plans for braces include Aetna and Humana.
You need to buy a dental plan for braces early in your child’ life. Insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions. So, make sure you buy your braces insurance a good many years before they start showing signs of needing any intervention to correct dental problems needing braces.