Use It or Lose It: Get the Most Out of Your Dental Plan
Don’t let your dental insurance go to waste! Whether it’s getting your cavities filled or your teeth whitened, chances are there’s always some room for improvement when it comes to your oral health. Unlike other parts of the body that are out in the open, the inner mouth is closed off, which is why people often neglect to treat their dental problems until they actively start causing them pain or discomfort. But not letting things go that far is the goal here, so let’s take a closer look at the four main reasons why you should never delay the start of a treatment plan:
1. Insurance Issues
Many people in this day and age have what is called a cost-sharing insurance plan. In practice, any medical expenses you incur will be split between you and your insurance provider. In the case of deductible coverage, you will have to pay health care expenses up to a certain threshold, after which part of the slack gets picked up by your insurance provider. This means that, once you’ve already met your deductible, it would be a shame not to take advantage of the fairly steep discount that occurs once your insurance company gets in the mix, particularly since the vast majority of dental procedures are typically covered in such instances.
2. Unused FSA Funds
Those of you who have a Flexible Spending Account through your place of employment already know that it can be used to cover copayments, deductibles, and other healthcare costs. But not everyone knows that FSAs expire at the end of the year and need to be used before that, lest you leave significant sums of money on the table. Since FSA plans generally include anything that treats or prevents dental disease, you can just as well use them to cover any non-cosmetic dental procedure you may wish to undergo before the end of the year.
3. Increased Price of Procedures
Like any other field of medicine, dentistry too is subjected to continuous evolution, with new techniques and materials appearing on the market at a dizzying rate. While this invariably translates into better treatment options for patients, in some instances it can also result in significant price hikes. It’s better to simply bite the bullet and opt for the treatment of your choosing now, rather than wait and risk it becoming more expensive as new gadgets and materials are rolled out.
4. The Law of Entropy
More than anything, the passage of time guarantees that any small problem will continue to grow and develop until it truly becomes a pressing concern. In dentistry, postponing a visit to your local practitioner can be the difference between getting a quick filling or having to go through a complex dental restoration process that takes up much more time and effort. For that reason, stick to your regular bi-annual check-up and seek to remedy any problem as it appears.
All in all, it’s clear to see that being proactive about the health of your teeth and gums is paramount in order to avoid needing costlier treatments down the line. If you’ve got questions or wish to inquire about a specific procedure, feel free to contact our team of dedicated dental professionals, who can always help you stay one step ahead of your troubles.