Insurance for braces may just be your one hope to get perfectly aligned teeth without emptying your bank account. Braces can be very expensive; so expensive, in fact, that you can buy a lot of the things you need and want with the money you will pay for the braces. This is why a lot of people usually pass up on braces instead; the cost is just too much for them. But what about misaligned teeth? What about the other dental problems that can be solved by getting braces? What about optimum dental health and hygiene? Do you have to sacrifice all these?
Well, insurance for braces says you don’t have to. Here’s a way to finance your braces without spending too much. You can control your expenses and keep within the limit that you really allotted for dental care. And the best thing is, you can get the braces, and the perfectly aligned and great-looking teeth that comes with it, as part of the package.
You have three options if you need help with financing your braces.
Insurance for Braces – Your Best Financing Option to Get Orthodontics
- Individual dental insurance
- Individual or family discount plan
- Orthodontics plan
1. Individual dental insurance
In most cases, people get dental insurance from their employers. But most group-based insurance plans don’t come with coverage for specialist procedures, especially not for very costly procedures such as braces. Braces also require continuous treatments, so it also comes with continuous costs. This is another reason why group-based plans do not provide financing for braces. So your first option is dental insurance you can get individually.
An individual dental insurance will require you to maintain your plan for a year by paying monthly premiums. Then, when you need dental financing for braces, you have to pay the deductibles then the dental plan will step in and cover the remaining cost.
There are different types of dental insurance that you can avail of. You can settle for HMO plans if you’re not meticulous about the dentist you will go to. But since braces is a sensitive procedure that needs skill and expertise, you would want to be able to choose your own dentist, and only a PPO plan will allow you to do this.
2. Individual or family discount dental plan
Another way to get insurance for braces is by joining a discount dental plan, which is kind of like dental insurance but comes in a membership basis. Once a member of the plan, you are entitled to special discounts. Becoming a member is easier than buying an insurance product; there are fewer requirements and lower standards in joining.
Discount dental plans come in individual type and family type. The family option allows you to get braces for members of the family who need it. For example, if you have two kids who need braces, both can fall within the same family discount dental plan. That means you will save even more.
Discount dental plans usually gives you up to 30% savings when you seek orthodontic care. Most set the limit at 25% since this is the common limit for specialist dental care, which orthodontics is. And considering the expensive costs of braces, just imagine how much you will save.
3. Orthodontics Plan
You have yet another option. Say your employer dental insurance offers excellent coverage but does not cover braces. You don’t need another plan, but you do need a plan for braces. Your only insurance for braces option is an orthodontics only plan or a supplemental plan for orthodontics. Such plans are also available if you need only coverage for braces.
Shopping for Insurance for Braces
Now that you know about what options you have, you are ready to go shopping for insurance for braces. The shopping process does not have to be rushed, so you can be sure you’ll make the right decision. Compare the different options, ask for quotes, compare different rates, and choose the best package that meets your needs and your budget. This is the only way you’ll find the right insurance for braces that you won’t regret buying.