Question: What’s the best dental plan for me to get with an impacted wisdom tooth?  I am in a great deal of pain and I have been putting off seeing a dentist only because I do not have much money.

I am not sure want is needed to be done but I am guessing the tooth may need to be pulled.  I also worried that I many have an infection in that area since I do get a bad taste in my mouth from time to time out of no where.   Do you have anything that can help me?

Reply: You may want to review our dental discount plans as they are a low cost dental plan option that starts within the next business day of buying the plan and you are able to reduce your cost for dental care.

Another option would be reviewing any of our HMO insurance plans as they do not have waiting periods but depending on when you buy the plan can depend on the effective date of the plan. Most of our HMO plans need to be bought on or before the 20th of the month for the first of the following month effective date so keep that in mind when reviewing your options.

If you have any questions about the dental insurance and plans we have to offer you in your state, please call our member services at 310-534-3444 as we be happy to help

Lets say you do not have dental insurance, but found out you have a abscessed tooth. The cost of fixing the tooth is too high but you can not delay dental care treatment because you do not want the infection to spread. Sadly many people do put off buying dental insurance until they are dealing with a dental care need that is costly.

However at times like this you can still buy a dental insurance plan to help you out with your cost. Yet it is important to understand that you will be limited in the type of dental insurance plan that can help.  In this type of situation you will want to review HMO dental insurance plan options. Generally HMO dental insurance plans will not have waiting periods for larger dental care needs. Where as most PPO dental insurance plans will have long term waiting period for major dental services and they will not be the best option for this type of situation.

A dental abscess is a complication of tooth decay. Dental abscess an also result from tooth trauma such as a broken or chipped tooth. Opening in the tooth enamel allow bacteria to infect the center of the tooth. This infection can spread out from the root of the tooth and to the bones supporting the tooth if the tooth is not treated. The infection causes pus and swelling of tissues within the tooth, which will normally cause a painful toothache.

While healthcare continues to evolve, new research confirms that having good oral health is integral part of having good general health. Studies has found that this link is even more important for any person living with diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association emerging research suggests that the relationship between serious gum disease and diabetes is twofold.

Not only are people with diabetes prone to gum disease, but gum disease may potentially affect blood glucose control which contributes to the progression of diabetic conditions or diabetes complications. Therefore if you have diabetes and are not taking proper care of your teeth and gums you may increase your chances of diabetes complications.

Dental implants are one of the most costly dental services available and sadly most dental insurance plans to not provide benefits on dental implant services. Therefore when thinking about getting dental implant it can be a large investment. Making sure you get the best service at the most affordable price requires to do some shopping.

Talk to more the just one dentist about their cost for dental implants and what services they can provide you. Many cosmetic dentist will provide free to low cost consultations. Even if you are paying the cost of a consultation to find out about that dental office cost and service it is worth the price when you are investing anywhere around $1200 – $3000 per tooth or more.

However do not let price be the only factor. Make sure your are having your dental implants done by an experience and professional dentist. Look for dentist patients reviews and or opinions. You can do this in most cases online with Yelp, Google, Angies List, and other review sites. By investing your time you can not only save money but you can have the dental services by a dentist you can trust.

Question: I broke a few of my front teeth due to an accident I had over 15 years ago. I had a dental bridge but I have problems with it more then I should. I thinking about getting teeth implants so I do not have to continue messing with it every two to three years. I am wondering about cost.

Answer: There is no one set price for dental implants cost will very from dentist to dentist, cost factors can include the cost of dental implant surgery, cost of the post, cost of the crown. In addition if needed, you may have cost for any synthetic bone material. Basic dental implant pricing and fees can range from around $1200 to $3000 per tooth. However if a patient required to have additional services such as a bone regeneration and sinus elevation, dental implants cost will be much higher.

Most dental insurance plan have some type of dental provider date base. So a good start when looking for a new dentist is to use the provider date base your dental insurance plan provides. Also in some plans by using the plan network of dental providers you receive better benefits under the plan. However you may still want to call the dental office to do further research on the potential dental office you have found. Here are a few tips on what to ask when searching for a new dentist.

1) Ask about the dentist educational background and credentials

2) Ask what you should expect during the first exam.

3) Ask to make sure if the office staff goes over the treatment options and cost before work is started. It is important to make sure you have the right information including what is covered by your dental insurance plan and your cost before making treatment decisions.

4) How does the dental office file out claims and what is expected from you at the time of service. Some dental office may file the claim and bill you latter for any unpaid balances. Where as other dental office may make you pay in full at the time dental services are render, and have you file out your own claim so premium benefits are paid back to you.

5) Know the office hours and how patient emergencies are handled outside of regular hours.

6) Ask any additional questions that are important to you in choosing a dentist.

Question: When should I add my new born to my dental plan? I  was able to add my daughter a month before she was born to my health insurance policy.  However I have yet to add her to my dental insurance.  I am not sure if I should add her at the policy renewal that is coming up in May, or if I should do it mid term.

Reply: A baby should see a dentist by the time they cut their first tooth or not latter then their first birthday.  If it not costing you too much to add your daughter to your current plan mid term I say go ahead and do so.  But either way should be okay.

When choosing a new dentist you are having to make a very important decision. You are entrusting this new dentist (with whom you do not have any prior experience with), to help you take care of your dental and oral health. Therefore, before you can find the right dentist it is a good idea to have some basic criteria laid out that is important to you.  Here are some tips that may help you make a list.

1) Location: Finding a dentist that is close to home, work or school will help to make keeping appointments easier. Also if the dental office is locally to you, you are more likely to maintain regular dental visits.

2) Special Requirements: What main requirement are you looking for in a dental office? There can be many personal requirements you will need a dentist to be able to provide, such as:

* A dentist who specializes in treating children
* A dentist who specializes in treating patient with dental fears
* A dentist who specializes in treating adults or children with special needs
* A dentist who has a handicap-accessible office
* A dentist who can provide language services or translations when needed.
* A dentist that provides a clean and friendly environment

3) Making Dental Appointments: When looking for a new dental office you want a dentist that is not so busy that you have to wait long periods of time to book an appointment.

4) Office Hours: Know the dentist office hours. You many not want a dentist that is only open M-F 8-5 if those also happen to be your working hours. Many dentist have latter hours or open on the weekend so this something that is important to ask.

Many dental insurance plans (such as PPO and Indemnity) offer three classes or categories of coverage’s (Preventive, Basic, and Majors). Each class provides specific types of treatment and typically covers those services at a certain percentage. Reimbursement levels can vary from plan to plan, so once again reading each plans benefits, limitations, and exclusions is very important in order to buy the plan that best fits your dental needs. However here is an example of how a dental insurance plan may brake down the three levels

* Class 1 (Preventives): Preventive services normally include diagnostic, office visits, X-rays and cleanings. Class 1 procedures are typically covered at the highest percentage such as 80-100 percent up to the plans maximum allowance.

* Class 2 (Basics): Basic services normally include fillings, Space maintainers and re-cementation of crowns. Class 2 procedures typically covered at a little less such as 60-80 percent up to the plans maximum allowance.

* Class 3 (Majors): Major services normally include root canals, treatment of gum disease, oral surgery and crown, bridges, partial and dentures. Class 3 procedures are usually reimbursed at the lowest percentage, such as 40-50 percent up to the plan maximum allowance. Many plans also have waiting periods for class 1 and 2 in addition to deductibles. Keep in mind the above is only an example and each dental insurance plan can vary in both coverage’s and reimbursement levels.

People can get upset with their dental insurance plan when they do not fully understand the plans limitations and exclusions before buying it. Most dental insurance plans includes limitation and exclusions which means the plan does not cover every aspect of dental care. Understanding that dental insurance plans are designed to help with part of your dental expenses and may not always cover every dental need you have, is an important part of shopping out dental insurance and buying what best fit your overall dental needs.

Limitations and exclusions can relate to the type or number of procedures, the number of visits or age limits, when certain benefits may be effective under the plan and how much is to be paid out per person per year. However these limitations and exclusions are carefully detailed, therefore before buying a dental insurance plan make sure to read the plans limitations and exclusions. By fully reading each plans limitations and exclusions, it will help you develop realistic expectations of how dental insurance can work for you.

Question: I am looking for a supplemental dental insurance plan.  Right now I have Delta dental PPO with my job.  I need to have two wisdom teeth pulled and a root canal on my back molar.   My Delta dental has a $1000.00 max yearly limit.

With the dental work I will be needing a $1000.00 max will not get me much at all.  So I am looking for a way to help off set my additional dental cost.  Just have the root canal will max my Delta dental plan.  I will still need a supplemental dental plan to help with the cost of the wisdom teeth extractions.

Reply: The problem is that buying a secondary dental insurance plan at this time will not help you as they will have waiting periods for major care normally a year or more depending on the plan.  You may want to look for a dental insurance plan that will better cover you or offer a high limitation for your future needs so you are not suck like this again at a later time.

If you have a dental insurance plan where you have to file claims (such as a PPO) it is a good idea to get a pretreatment estimate on the dental work needed before dental services are started. By doing this, it will let you know in advance what dental procedures are covered, and the amount the plan will pay toward the treatment and how much you will be financially responsible for. However it is important to remember a pretreatment estimate is not a guarantee of payment. When the dental services are complete and the claim is received for payment the insurance company will calculate payment based on current eligibility, amount remaining in your annual maximum limitation and any deductible that may be required.

A link between periodontal disease and pulmonary disease.

In a study that was published in the Journal of Periodontology it uncovered a suspected link between periodontal (gum) disease and pulmonary disease such as pneumonia and acute bronchitis Donald S. Clem, DDS, president of the American Academy of Periodontology, stated that by working with your dentist or periodontist, you may actually be able to prevent or diminish the progression of harmful diseases such as pneumonia or COPD.

Question: Although we have good health insurance we do not have dental.  I currently have this very bad toothache and would like to go to the dentist.  However I know without dental insurance dental cost are very high.  What can I do to help lower my dental cost?  My husband is away right now so I have to be careful with our money.  I do live on a fixed income.  What are my dental choices?

Reply: I would suggest you review our dental HMO insurance plans as a lower cost insurance plan option. Depending on your state we may also have lower cost dental discount plans that will also help to reduce the cost of your dental care hopeful making it more affordable for you.

At this time you would want to avoid a dental PPO insurance plan. Although they are great for choosing your own dentist or staying with your current provider they do also have waiting periods that will effect the services you may need currently.

In a preliminary 2007 study researcher found a possible link between periodontal (gum) disease and a progression toward diabetes. The study was done on rats who were already pre-diabetic. While the results are still early it suggests one more possible reason to keep up with good dental health care. The study was published online in the Journal of Periodontology.

In a prior post it talked about poor health and a higher risk of dementia, that study was done 2007. In a more current study it expands on that.

July 31, 2013 – Poor dental health and gum disease may be linked to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, a new study from the University of Central Lancashire School of Medicine and Dentistry suggests.

Although past studies have suggested a link between oral health and dementia, this is the first to pinpoint a specific gum disease bacteria in the brain.

Researchers looked at donated brain samples of 10 people without dementia and 10 people with dementia. They found the bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis in the brains of four of those with dementia.

This bacteria may play a role in changes in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease, contributing to symptoms including confusion and failing memory.

Poor Dental Health May Increase Risk of Dementia

According to a 2007 study that was published in the Journal of the American Dental Association it found a relationship between people who lost more teeth before the age of 35 and an increased risk of dementia. However, while researcher found a correlation, they do not know at this point if tooth loss actually causes dementia.

Periodontal Disease May Increase the Risk of Heart Problems.

According to some research done by the American Academy of Periodontology, it has connected periodontal disease to heart problems. Researchers have found that people with periodontal disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease as those without periodontal disease. The theory is, if you have gum disease oral bacteria can enter your bloodstream and cause infection in your heart or lungs.

However it is important to note that having poor oral health probably will not give you heart disease. But if you already have risk factors for certain diseases, it can increase your chances of getting them.

Take proper care of your oral and dental health by having good at home dental habits and by visiting your dentist at least twice a year.  Need insurance to keep your cost low?  Make sure to  check our insurance plan options but entering your zip code in the quote box provided.  If you should have any questions about our dental insurance plans please call our member service line at 310-534-3444 as we be happy to help you

Question: With the economy as bad as it is I am finding it hard to pay $47.33 a month for my dental insurance. I only go to the dentist about twice a year for my basic care, so I thinking having the dental insurance is not really worth it.

I want to drop it but worry the minute I do I will have some big dental issue were I then could not afford to pay out of pocket.  What can I do to pay less for dental insurance?  Otherwise I may have not choice but to drop my dental.

Reply:  Sounds like you current may have a PPO dental insurance plan as they tend to run the cost you are saying you are currently paying.  You may want to review the lower cost HMO insurance plan options as they can be a low as $8.00 a month and run as high as $20.00 or so a month.  However with an HMO you will need to choose a plan provider there is no outside dental network coverage’s. This means you may have to go to a different dental office if your current dental office dose not take HMO insurance plans.

Other option I would suggest if it means out right cancelling is that you may want to find a dental PPO plan that only offers preventive care up to fillings.  These plans are normally have the cost then what you are currently paying but you are giving up major dental care benefits so keep that in mind when changing to that type of plan.