Archive for July, 2010

Does dental insurance ever pay for dental implants?

Saturday, July 31st, 2010

My dentist just told me that I should get dental implants. I had all of my upper teeth pulled years ago, and it is getting really difficult to wear a denture. My dentist says I am running out of options, and that dental implants would be the best way to go, but they are so expensive! There is just no way I can pay for a full upper set of dental implants without some kind of help.

Is there a dental insurance company you recommend that would help pay for the cost of dental implants?

Thanks for your help,

Melissa in Oregon

Dear Melissa,

I’m afraid you are in a tough position. You will not find a dental insurance company that will pay for dental implants. If you think about it from the dental insurance company’s point of view, it makes sense. They would be out of business pretty quickly if they had to routinely pay for dental implants, which are many times the cost of a policy. Most dental insurance companies will pay a portion of the least expensive treatment, and most also have a yearly cap of $50o to $1000, which as you now know does not go a long ways towards paying for an entire set of dental implants.

Dental insurance is usually of the most benefit when it is supplied through an employer, where the dental care is part of the benefit package for employees, and paid for with pre-tax dollars. That way the insurance company passes on the costs of all the dental care they pay for on to the employer, along with a little profit for the insurance company.

The unfortunate thing is that you probably did not anticipate this kind of problem when you had all your upper teeth removed. Most people are not aware that the bone of your jaw is reabsorbed at the point of a lost tooth. If you have lost ALL your teeth, you can wind up with a condition called facial collapse. Over time, the bones of the jaws deteriorate to the point that no denture can be worn, and the face seems to “fold in” on itself.

Dental implants halt the process of bone loss. If you can not afford a full set of implants, see if your doctor does “mini dental implants”, which are used to anchor a denture. These mini dental implants will also work to stop some of the bone loss in your jaw, and are a less expensive option than a full set of upper dental implants.

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Why are my teeth so sensitive after my braces came off?

Saturday, July 17th, 2010

I had braces for more than two years. Six weeks ago, I finally got them taken off. I was so excited to finally get rid of those braces, but now it seems like I have a whole new set of problems with my teeth.

For one thing, they are getting darker every day. I almost never drink any kind of dark pop or coffee, but it seems like my teeth are getting more and more stained. I can’t hardly stand to eat anything that is really hot or really cold, because it REALLY hurts. And it feels like there are “dips” in the front of my teeth now, spots where the tooth feels rougher than the areas around it.

What happened? Did my orthodontist damage my teeth when he removed the cement holding the brackets in place? What can I do about this?

Thanks for your help,

Eddie in Mishawaka

Dear Eddie -

It is highly unlikely that your orthodontist caused damage removing the brackets. That is a very routine procedure and almost never results in the kinds of problems you describe. More likely, you are suffering from the effects of less than stellar dental care while you were wearing your braces.

If you noticed white patches on your teeth where the brackets used to be, those are probably areas of decalcification. Those may also be the areas that are now staining, and that feel rougher than the surrounding tooth surfaces. What often happens is that patients–especially teens–are not as careful as they should be about brushing while they are wearing braces. Food that would normally just slide off your teeth becomes caught in the brackets, and if the patient does not brush immediately and thoroughly after eating, the acid-producing bacteria of the mouth work away at that food AND at the surface of the tooth for hours.

The damage is obvious when the braces come off. Those pitted spots may continue to chip and stain, eventually turning quite brown. Soft spots of decay may even be present underneath some of the spots. The extreme sensitivity of your teeth indicates that you are probably missing some enamel.

Teeth whitening services (over the counter or in-office) will not help. Dental bonding can be used to treat the damage if it is confined to just a few spots that are relatively small. If the damage is more significant, you may need porcelain veneers.

Situations like these are only one of the reasons that Invisalign braces can be such a great choice for teens. The aligners are removed to eat and brush/floss, then replaced.

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