Low-paying dental insurance benefits – how does it affect patients and their oral health?
Low-income adults delay oral health care due to costs more than any other health care service. These delays lead to caries, periodontal disease, and tooth loss. Expanding medical coverage has increased dental visits, but the potential impact on previously unmet oral health needs is poorly understood, and dental insurance benefits are poorly explained to patients.
Untreated Caries
The surface of your teeth is enamel which can break down due to tooth decay. As a result, untreated cavities, tiny openings, or holes will form on your teeth. In addition, continuous tooth decay may result in complications in your teeth’ structure and lead to more extensive and expensive dental treatments like root canal treatments and dental crowns.
Periodontal disease
Advanced periodontal (gum) disease can lead to loose teeth or a need for extractions. Periodontal treatment consists of professionally cleaning the pockets around the teeth. Periodontists can also perform surgical procedures for patients with severe gum disease when necessary. In addition, periodontal disease can become associated with several other disorders. People would think that bacteria was the factor that linked periodontal disease. However, more recent research demonstrates that inflammation may be responsible for the association.
Tooth loss
It may seem that losing just one tooth won’t have any profound effect on the rest of your mouth, but single tooth loss can lead to many problems. For example, malocclusion, or a bite, may result in premature wear and tear on the remaining teeth.
We truly value our relationship and strive to provide the highest quality care with compassion. But unfortunately, in our years as dental providers, we have not found an insurance company willing to provide our patients with the kind of care they deserve. So, we assure you that we are committed to helping our patients take full advantage of their benefits, but we are not willing to compromise the care we give them.
Quality is the best option. It saves money and gives you more knowledge! Unfortunately, many PPOs require dentists to see more patients in less time; combined with rising inflation, this is the perfect storm for compromised quality and poor productivity. At Kohler dentistry, we will submit your treatment. However, we will do so as an out-of-network provider.
If you have concerns, we will be happy to do a benefits check and see what it would mean for you to complete treatment.