Question: I do not have dental insurance.  I need two dental crowns for my teeth.  I was also told that I should have a small cavity filled before it becomes a bigger issue.  I just do not have the money needed.  My dentist quoted me $1500.00 for two crowns and fillings.  Where can I go to get the dental work need for half that cost.  Because that is about all the extra money I have right now to spend on my teeth care.

Reply: I would suggest you start with buy an individual dental insurance plan for yourself so it dose help to greatly lower your dental care cost.  Since you currently have major dental service needs you will want to review any HMO dental Insurance plan options and or dental discount plans as these types of plans do not normally have any waiting periods for larger dental care needs.

Question: I am on a tight budget but need some basic dental care that is affordable. I call around to a few dentist for cost of check up, X-rays and cleaning and getting quotes that range form $150 – $250. I like to pay no more then 50-75 since that is about the max I can afford. Where can I get affordable dental care.

Answer: It not really so much where, as much as what you need first is dental insurance. Dental insurance will help make dental care affordable. I suggest a dental HMO insurance plan since it dose not seem as if you are locked into seeing any one dentist. HMO insurance plan are affordable running as low as $8.00 a month to $19.00 a month for an individual. With most HMO dental insurance plans your preventive care such as your check ups, X-rays and cleaning are normally free or at very low cost to you. You can see how this helps make the very dental services you are looking much more affordable.

Question: In CA want a dental insurance plan without any waiting periods.

Reply: If you are looking for a dental insurance plan that dose not generally have any waiting periods, then the plan type you will want to review will be the dental HMO’s. Dental HMO’s plan normally do not have any waiting periods for the services that are covered under the plan. However still make sure to read the plan terms and conditions as each plan is different.

There are a few dental PPO’s plan that also may not have waiting periods but they tend to have either a lower maximum dollar limitation or reduce coverages within the first year of the plan. So also make sure to read each plan terms and conditions carefully. If you have any questions about the different dental insurance plans we offer call our member services at 310-534-3444 as we be happy to help

Around 40 percent of Americans lacked dental insurance at the end of 2012. Yet oddly enough even people with dental insurance still fail to use it.  With having proper preventive dental care you help to provent larger more costly dental care needs.  With insruance most provident dental services are free to little cost.  If you have dental insurance be sure to see your dentist for your preventive care services at least twice a year.

If you don’t have dental insurance take a monet to review our dental insurance and or dental plans we offer in each state just by entering in your zip code in the quote box provided above. If you have any questions please call our member service line at 310-534-3444

Question: I was looking at the Delta Dental HMO plan in Texas. I was wanting to know how it works.  Besides picking a dentist in the net work which I know is a requirement. What other things should I know about getting an HMO dental plan?

For claims, do I have to pay in full and wait for a refund?  I would like to know since that was how my last plan I had though work was like.   I really did not like having to pay the dentist in full and then wait a month for my money back.  It was good coverage’s but I did not always have the money at the time I needed dental work.

Reply: No, on a HMO dental insurance plan you are paying the dentist only the agree coverage’s amount for your dental services. Therefore there is no claims forms for you to fill out. And you are not left waiting for any refunds from the insurance company.

Although tooth loss has decreased over the last four decades, US adults with diabetes lose twice as many teeth as adults without diabetes, according to a new study by researchers at Duke University. Moreover, the researchers found that black Americans with diabetes are at greater risk of experiencing tooth loss as they age than white or Mexican Americans with diabetes.

A University of Sydney study has revealed that tooth decay (dental caries) can be stopped, reversed, and prevented without the need for the traditional ‘fill and drill’ approach that has dominated dental care for decades. The results of the seven year study, published today in Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, found that the need for fillings was reduced by 30 to 50 per cent through preventative oral care.

Question: I want to by dental insurance that offer the best coverage’s you can get.  I do not paying more for the cost of the plan if I can go to my own dentist and have affordable coverage’s.  So far all I seen are a bunch of dental discount plans and a few HMO dental insurance plan. Both plans are cheap but I want better coverage’s.  Also my dentist does not take those type of dental plans.

Reply: If you are wanting and dental insurance plan that lets you choose your own dentist then you would want to look at PPOs and or Indemnity dental insurance plans options.

PPO will let you go outside their network of provider sometime at a reduce coverage so make sure you read the policy terms and conditions.

Indemnity dental insurance plan let you go to any dentist since they do not have a network of providers. This is really good if your dentist is not a provider of any plans. By buying an dental Indemnity plan you are able to see your dentist without the worry of your coverage’s being reduce.

Both of these type of dental plans will normally have waiting periods, yearly dollar max limits, and a deducible so make sure you read the policy terms to know the limitations of the plan.

A study in the current issue of the journal Anesthesia Progress looked at whether a patient’s level of pain before a root canal changed the effectiveness of local anesthesia. The research showed that the more active pain a patient felt before the procedure, the lower the pain threshold was for that patient during surgery.

Question: I have slightly yellowish teeth.  I do not have enough money to get my teeth whiten at my dentist office since my dental insurance does not pay anything for whitening treatment.  Has anyone use teeth whitening strips.  Do they work well?  Are they a pain to use?

Reply: Most teeth whitening  strips contain peroxide, and thus they work to whiten your teeth the same way bleach works to whiten your clothes. The peroxide bleaches color from your teeth in order to restore their natural, white color.  They are fairly easy to use you just apply the strips to your teeth according to the package directions so that the peroxide comes into contact with your enamel. This allows the peroxide to remove stains and discoloration from the surface of your teeth. Some strips need to be removed after a certain period of time, while others do not.

One of the larger benefits of teeth whitening strips is that they are less expensive then having whitening treatment at your dentist.  Another benefit of whitening strips is that they  quick results. Your teeth should begin to look whiter within a few days of using the strips and the results should last at least four months.

There are hazards of whitening strips you should be aware of. Many whitening strips contain chlorine dioxide, which can start to destroy your tooth enamel.   It whitens teeth by eating away at the surface of the enamel. Essentially, you are wearing down the enamel on your teeth and increasing your risk for tooth decay if you use this type of whitening strip.

Even if your whitening strips do not contain chlorine dioxide, it is important to follow the directions on the package. Do not get impatient and apply more whitening strips or use them longer or more often than is recommended. Doing so could be harmful to the enamel on your teeth. Products that dissolve enamel can also harm gum tissue, so if your gums are irritated after using a product for a few days, you may want to discontinue use and see your dentist.

Throughout several years more and more studies show links to poor oral health and overall health care issues like, heart disease, low birth weights for babies and even breast cancer, this just to name a few. Therefore taking care of your oral health property will also help to reduce the risk of having other health issues.

These types of crowns provide better natural color match than any other crown type and may be more suitable for people with metal allergies. However, they are not as strong as porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns and they wear down opposing teeth a little more than metal or resin crowns. All-ceramic crowns may be a good choice for front teeth.

Coronary heart disease patients with no teeth have nearly double the risk of death as those with all of their teeth, according to research published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.1 The study in more than 15 000 patients from 39 countries found that levels of tooth loss were linearly associated with increasing death rates.