Know the differences between dental insurance and dental discount plans

Dental plans are discount dental plans and are not insurance policies. A typical dental plan will offer a discount for dental services. You pay a fee and get a card that entitles you to discounted services from the dentist that are providers of the plan. A discount covers part of the cost, for example, if your discount is 60% and the dental work you need costs $600.00, you would only pay $240.00.

Dental insurance HMO, PPO and Indemnity will very in how they work but they are filed insurance products.  Depending on the plan type you choose you may have waiting periods, deductibles, maximum limitations or you may have to choose a provider with in the plan network. Please note our prior post about these types of plan and what they have to offer.

According to the ADA (American Dental Association) they recommend flossing at least once a day to help remove plague from area between your teeth where your toohbrush an not reach.

There are dental clinics throughout the country that offers low to free dental care to low income households. In addition, Dentistry From The Heart has hundreds of events each year, during which free dental care is made available to communities across the country.

There is some contention that brushing alone can do the very same thing. While brushing is designed to clean the surface of the tooth and remove the food particles that sit near the gum, brushing techniques need to be honed to finally do away with flossing all together and rely upon it alone.

Brushing must be done for three minutes and must be comprehensive around the entire mouth, front and back as well as top and bottom. The required timeframe is a far cry from the 46 seconds that most people floss for. So people will have to step up their game if they really want to get rid of flossing.

One way to save off the cost of dental care treatment is by going to a dental school. A dental schools provides good dental treatment normally at a much lower cost, where students are trained under the supervision of a licensed professional. For a list of schools, check out the American Dental Association’s website.

Do Dental Insurance Plans Require You to Wait

Many dental insurance plans require you to wait for your treatments to have certain procedures such as root canals and braces completed.  Discount dental plans are dental insurance alternatives that offer attractive dental care savings.  With the extremely high cost associated with most dental procedures outside of normal cleanings and x-rays, you may also find it beneficial to purchase additional dental insurance to supplement the coverage you already have.

Although they are becoming increasingly rare, indemnity dental insurance plans are also still available and provide the freedom to choose the dentist of your choice at a higher out-of-pocket expense.  Most individual dental insurance plans tend to emphasize preventive dental care, because it lowers costs in the long-run caused by poor dental hygiene and lack of regular check-ups and cleanings.

Our dental web site is very clear if you are selecting a dental insurance plan or a dental discount plan.  We understand that there are many dental plan web sites popping-up all over the internet, claiming to offer “dental insurance” when in fact they do not and are not licensed to offer a dental insurance plan.  Our entire staff is licensed to offer, sell and service dental insurance.  With our dental insurance plans for you and your family, we can help make it easier to keep your smile healthy.

In a prior post we talk about flossing benefits being Floss unproven according to one study. However,  flossing does have other benefits:

*  Flossing promotes fresher breath: By flossing you do remove old food particles that are trapped in the small spaces between teeth, thus taking away the very things that contribute to bad breath.

*  By flossing it helps keep teeth white by removing food particles between the teeth and keep them from getting stained.

*  Flossing keeps gums healthy. By flossing regularly will keep you from having sore gums due to plaque irritation.

*  Flossing keeps your heart healthy: According to many studies heart disease can be linked to gum disease?  In that vein, with regular flossing, you might be able to keep heart disease at bay.

*  When should you floss? Experts say it does not really matter, but here is one thing to consider. If you floss after brushing, you have the opportunity to get the particles that you did not reach the first time during brushing. It is like a cross check.

So the age-old debate continues, and you will have to decide for yourself which side of the fence you fall on. At least you can do so with more information about flossing under your belt than you had before.

What Are Dental Fillings – Do I Really Need Them

Fillings are also used to repair cracked or broken teeth and teeth that have been worn down from misuse (such as from nail-biting or tooth grinding ). Materials that may be used in dental fillings include dental amalgam, composite resin, glass ionomers, gold, and ceramic.

Filling of teeth with cavities are also called tooth restorations. Fillings should be replaced only if the restoration is defective or worn. Materials that may be used in dental fillings include dental amalgam, composite resin, glass ionomers, gold, and ceramic. Fillings are also used to repair cracked or broken teeth and teeth that have been worn down from misuse. Fillings have a finite lifespan: an average of 12.

Fillings are recommended for small to medium sized restorations.  Filling of teeth with cavities are also called tooth restorations.  Fillings also can leak as a result of wear over time. Fillings need to be maintained like normal teeth by brushing twice daily for at least two minutes at a time using fluoride-containing toothpaste.

Fillings also can leak as a result of wear over time.  Fillings made with amalgam also are known as silver fillings.  Fillings are made to last as long as possible, but they still only last for so long.  Fillings, however, are prone to failure, often need replacing, look ugly and can be painful to install.

Composite fillings are usually more expensive than traditional amalgam fillings because they require a more sophisticated process, more expensive materials and additional office equipment.  As such, people who have previously received amalgam fillings often return to their dentist to have them replaced with composite fillings.

Tooth sensitivity, pain and allergic reactions to silver (amalgam) fillings from a metal allergy are common complications.  The advent of new materials for fillings has been beneficial, especially in terms of aesthetics, but does not eliminate the appropriateness of traditional dental materials that are stronger, more durable and less expensive.

Many dentists consider amalgam stronger than the resin-based composite, and therefore use amalgam for back teeth fillings.  Gold fillings are well tolerated by sensitive patients and are resistant to corrosion, tarnishing, and wear and tear but are among the most expensive filling materials.

If you can not afford dental insurance a dental discount plan may be a good alternative. Dental discount plans are not insurance, however they offer saving by as much as 10% to 60% on a range of dental procedures provided by participating dentists. This website provides both dental insurance as well as dental discount plans for your review.

The federal government has recommended flossing since 1979, first in a surgeon general’s report and later in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans issued every five years. The guidelines must be based on scientific evidence, under the law.

Last year, the Associated Press asked the departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture for their evidence, and followed up with written requests under the Freedom of Information Act.

When the federal government issued its latest dietary guidelines this year, the flossing recommendation had been removed, without notice. In a letter to the AP, the government acknowledged the effectiveness of flossing had never been researched, as required.

“The majority of available studies fail to demonstrate that flossing is generally effective in plaque removal,” said one review conducted last year. Another 2015 review cites “inconsistent/weak evidence” for flossing and a “lack of efficacy.”

One study review in 2011 did credit floss with a slight reduction in gum inflammation — which can sometimes develop over time into full-fledged gum disease. However, the reviewers ranked the evidence as “very unreliable.” A commentary in a dental magazine stated that any benefit would be so minute it might not be noticed by users.

If you have doubts about flossing, I would advise you talk to your dentist before stopping. Flossing takes very little time and is very low in cost to keep this as part of your daily habit is still worth even sight benefits if you tend to believe more in the recent study.

 Negotiate: A little shopping/homework can help save you some money on your dental care needs. You should never assume the asking price for a particular service is the final amount your dental provider will accept.

First: Do some shopping, check to find the average cost of the procedure you need in your area. Call a few local providers to find out your average cost in your area. You can also visit Fairhealthconsumer.org and by entering your zip code and the dental procedure it will provide you with the UCR in your area for that service.

Second: Once you know what the going rate is, ask your dentist to accept the rate you find (if his/hers is higher) or negotiate for an even lower price. In addition many dental offices will provide a cash discount if you are paying in full for your dental care at the time the service is render.

Usually Employ An “Open Panel” Of Dentists

Indemnity dental insurance is an insurance package where the policyholder can choose his or her own dentist and the insurance provider will be the one to pay that designated dentist your fees or, usually, around half of them.  Indemnity dental insurance plans have the most flexibility and usually the highest premium.

It is important that you do seek dental coverage of some kind to ensure the health of your teeth and gums.  Dental insurance plans are similar to medical insurance plans, dental insurance plans are often categorized as either Indemnity or managed-care plans.  Indemnity dental insurance plans usually employ an “open panel” of dentists.  Indemnity dental insurance is an insurance package where the policyholder can choose his or her own dentist and the insurance provider will be the one to pay that designated dentist your fees or, usually, around half of them.  Indemnity dental insurance plans have the most flexibility and usually the highest premium.  Dental insurance functions in the similar manner to that of an auto insurance in providing you

If you have a broken tooth or you brake your tooth, it will be extremely sensitive, and you will want to see a dentist or endodontist right away. The suggestion will most likely result in the dentist wanting to cover the tooth with a crown. These days, porcelain or resin crowns can look just as natural as a real tooth. If the tooth is completely broken, but the root is still in tacked, you may need root canal surgery. The dentist will build up enough of a structure to place a pin or post so that a crown can later be placed.