Taking care of your teeth is one of the most important steps that you can take to seeing to your overall health. Your dental health directly affects every other aspect of your health. Not only can it affect your self-esteem and confidence, but it can also cause you to experience physical symptoms that affect the state of your body. For instance, certain dental conditions like tooth abscesses can cause you to run a fever, feel nauseous and becoming physically ill. Receiving the right dental treatment is of the important to ensure that your dental health stays optimal. Dental treatments vary upon your specific dental condition and just what you’re hoping to accomplish with your treatment.
Even some root canal treatments can be classified as basic dental treatment, although some of them might be classified as major. It all depends upon the extent to which the dentist must go to provide the treatment. Usually, if your root canal can be conducted by a general or family dentist, then it can be classified as basic dental treatment. However, if it must be referred to a dental specialist like an oral surgeon or endodontist due to its complexity, then it is usually classified as a major dental treatment. Likewise, dental scaling and planing procedures are generally considered basic ones. However, if the extent of scaling and planing goes beyond what’s considered normal for professionals in the field, then it might become a major type of dental treatment.
The same goes for periodontal treatment. If gum disease is caught during its early states, and you receive treatment for it early on, then it can be classified as a basic dental treatment. However, if the disease is allowed to progress to the point where it becomes series and the infection has been allowed to spread enough that the teeth and gums begin to abscess and require tooth removal and further treatment, then it’s generally considered a major type of dental treatment.
Additionally, major dental treatment almost always requires that dental laboratories get involved in some way or another. Detailed X-rays might need to be taken, and intricate dental appliances might also need to be crafted by a dental laboratory. Examples of some of the most common types of major dental treatment provided by dentists include bridgework, dental inlays and onlays, tooth implants, complex tooth extracted (such as the removal of impacted wisdom teeth), denture repair and so on. Generally, if a dental specialist is required in order to carry out the procedure and if general anesthesia is used during the procedure, then the treatment can usually be classified as a major type of dental treatment.
Of course, any dental treatment that requires the expertise of extensively trained specialists like oral and maxillofacial surgeons is also considered major dental treatment. In fact, these types of dental specialists even go beyond the scope of dental structure to understand the structure of the face as well since they are oftentimes in charge of reshaping the nasal passages, lips, jaws and more.
Cosmetic dental treatment is among the newest and most innovative types of dental treatment available nowadays. It is also quickly becoming the most popular. Cosmetic dental treatment is that treatment that is specifically designed to improve the cosmetic appearance of the teeth. This is the type of dental treatment that isn’t always necessary. Rather, it is desired and optional. Patients choose to undergo this type of treatment because they are trying to better the look of their smiles and boost their self-esteem. Some of the most common types of cosmetic dental treatment include teeth whitening, veneers, crowns for the sake of looks alone and so on. As you can see, none of these dental procedures necessarily have to be performed in order for your teeth to be healthy. Tooth whitening is done to make your teeth appear whiter, whereas veneers are simply thin porcelain strips that are affixed over your teeth to give them a whiter, straighter appearance. For those people who don’t want to use veneers, crowns can be placed over the teeth to give them a more aesthetically-pleasing appearance. Then, there are also countless other cosmetic measures that can be taken to improve the appearance of the teeth. Basically, any type of dental procedure that you don’t have to get done but choose to get done in order to make your teeth look better can be considered a cosmetic dental treatment.
There’s also other factors to consider, such as deductibles and maximum allowances. To illustrate, some dental insurance providers require you to pay a deductible before they’ll pay, and then they might also put a cap on the maximum amount that they’ll pay. After the maximum amount has been paid, then you’ll be responsible for paying for any excess balance that is left over.
If you’re not sure just what types of dental treatment your insurance plan covers, it’s best to speak with your insurance provider before undergoing any dental treatment. Your insurance provider can get you up to speed on the specifics governing your insurance policy as well as what types of treatment you can get and whether or not you can expect to have to make a co-payment for that treatment. Also, dental offices can usually help provide you with information on what’s covered on your insurance policy since they work with insurance companies all the time. They can even contact your insurance company on your behalf and speak with them for you to help discern just how much of their services your insurance provider would be willing to pay prior to you receiving treatment.
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Animated Teeth. “Preventative, basic and major dental services” Retrieved on February 23, 2017, from https://www.animated-teeth.com/dental_insurance/a-dental-insurance-plans-major.htm.
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