The four main categories of dental coverage are preventive, basic, major, and orthodontic care.
- Preventive Care
Preventive care covers regular checkups and/or cleanings and exams. It also can include diagnostic services such as X-rays and fluoride treatments to help protect against tooth decay and gum disease. It can help lower long-term costs because preventive care can help avoid more costly treatments down the road.
- Basic Care
Basic care includes treatments like fillings, extractions and root canals. This type of care addresses issues that require more complex dental work, when a patient has already developed an issue.
- Major Care
Major care covers more complex treatments, such as crowns, bridges, dentures, gum surgery and treatment for wisdom teeth. This type of coverage looks at more serious oral health needs, that require more intensive and often more expensive treatments.
- Orthodontic Care
Orthodontic care covers braces and other orthodontic work. Orthodontic care is particularly important for children, as it can help guide teeth into their correct positions. Many adults now get braces as well, however, some may not have coverage or have limited coverage for it.
It is important to check what dental coverage is offered through an insurance provider before signing up, to understand what types of treatment are covered and to what degree.
