FIND THE BEST ONLINE DENTAL INSURANCE
Low Cost Dental Insurance - Affordable Dental Plans

Complaints can happen. Often times however the person complains to the wrong person whether it to the insurance company or to the dentist/dental office.

If you are upset about your cost of services, make sure to check with your insurance benefits, confirm what is covered and how much.  Often times when it comes to cost and coverage people did not take into account any waiting periods, deductibles, maximum limitations, UCR fees and percentage covered by the insurance company. One way to avoid any billing surprises is to submit your claim to the insurance company first for a quote of coverage’s before having work started. This helps you to know ahead of time your cost for services.

Normally when it comes to cost this is not a dental office issue, unless you have an HMO dental insurance plan and the dentist is not fallowing the fee schedule provided for services covered by the plan.  Then you would call the insurance company to have them help you correct billing issue which are normally in error at that point and is generally taken care of in a timely manor.  However, even with HMO insurance plans it is up to you to know your benefits and what is covered and what is not prior to having dental treatment started.  The dentist dose not care what type of insurance plan you have, or if you are covered or not.  He or she is advising treatment that they feel is best for your dental care needs.  Therefore it up to you to let them know you want to stay within your insurance coverage’s and work with them based off that.

If your complaint is about your treatment received by the dentist. Talk to the dentist first. Most dentist are more the willing to help address any complains you have with them or their office staffing.  Most insurance companies can not help you if you dislike the service you where provided but if you are using an in network dentist it is a good idea to call your insurance company about any problems you feel you are having with a plan provider.  If a dental office receives too many complaints the insurance company may remove them as a provider of their plan.  This may not help you but it may help others under the plan.  However I would suggest this only after trying to resolve any matter with the dentist/dental office directly.

Question: Is chewing on unpopped popcorn kernels bad for your teeth. I enjoy eating popcorn and you know how it is you always have some unpopped kernels at the bottom of the bag. Well have a habit of chewing on them. Could I be damaging my teeth?

Reply: By chewing on anything hard you can run a higher risk of doing damage to your teeth. That is why we are told not to chew on ice cubes. By chewing on small hard popcorn kernels you can crack, chip or brake a tooth. I would advise stopping this bad habit

If you have a dental PPO or Indemnity plan you file dental claims to your insurance company each time you see your dentist.  Sometimes your dental office will process your dental claim for you and bill you for any remaining balances, however it being done claims are being sent to your insurance company for them to pay the covered amount to your dentist or back to you if you prepaid your dentist in full at the time of services being render.

When having larger dental care needs such as crowns, root canals, extractions etc. you may want to have your dentist submit a treatment plan to your insurance company before starting the dental services so you can know how much you will be responsible for.  Most plans to say any services over $300.00 should be submitted for a treatment quote so that there are no surprises as to how much of the cost is covered by the plan and how much the member would be paying for the service.

Question: I have not brushed my teeth regularly in over 10 years. I do brush but only when I think about it. Is it bad that I do not brush my teeth regularly? They do not hurt and they seem fine. I just get so busy that I forget about them.

Answer: It is advise that a person should brush their teeth twice a day for two minutes. That is only four minutes out of your day brushing.  You need to make the time. By not taking proper care of your teeth you have a much higher risk of dental decay, gum disease and lost of teeth. In addition, studies show a link between poor oral health care and over all health care. So please give more thought to your oral and dental health care habits.

Even though most people are aware that good oral health is essential for the overall health of both mother and child, misunderstandings about the safety of dental care during pregnancy may cause pregnant women to avoid seeing their dentist. The fact is that dentists can create a treatment plan that is safe, effective, and essential for combating the adverse effects of oral disease during pregnancy.

Did you know that your dental health care start with you? Yes seeing a dentist regularly is important part of maintaining your dental health but a dentist can only do so much twice a year. It is up to you to take care of your own dental care on a daily bases.  Make sure you are practicing good at home dental care habits.  Brush your teeth twice a day floss after eating and use a mouthwash to help fight plaque.

The Damage Morning Sickness May Have on Teeth

Pregnant women risk of dental erosion (the chemical or mechanochemical destruction of tooth material) increases due to acid in the mouth following morning sickness. Patricia Meredith DDS, FAGD, spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry stated in order to neutralize acid after vomiting, a pregnant women should rinse their mouth with a mixture of a teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in a cup of water and that their teeth should be brushed only after the mouth has been rinsed and the acid has been neutralized to prevent further damage to the enamel.

How to Save Money on Dental Bridges With Insurance.

One key thing to keep in mind is dental insurance is not just something you buy when you need it.  Sure in some cases you can buy dental insurance for that toothache and it will provide benefits without waiting periods. Plans that do so would be dental HMO insurance plans as they typically do not have any waiting periods.

However, if you are wanting to stay with your current provider and your current dentist is not a provider of any HMO dental insurance plans then what? Dental PPO are great for staying with your current dentist or choosing your own dental provider but these type of dental insurance plans will normally come with waiting periods for both basic and major dental care.

That means that only preventive dental care such as general cleaning, x-rays and check up would be covered at the effective date of the plan.  If you need a filling you could be waiting six months, a crown or a bridge a year or more depending on the plan.  Make sure you read each dental insurance plan terms and conditions to understand the waiting periods and if you are wanting to stay with a dentist whom dose not accept HMO dental insurance plans make sure you invest in a PPO dental insurance plan prior to you needing any larger dental care services.

While women often hear about how pregnancy causes physical changes that affect their hormone or appetite levels, these changes can have a great effect on their oral health. Despite the fact that good oral health is essential for the overall health of both mother and child, only 22 to 34 percent of women in the United States visit a dentist during pregnancy.

According to an article published in the May/June 2010 issue of General Dentistry, dental care during pregnancy is not only safe and effective, it’s essential for combating the adverse effects of oral disease. Dentists have the ability to maintain the oral health of expectant mothers by treating the dental findings that are common during pregnancy.

Braces for Kids

If you have children there is a good chance they may need to have braces.  Therefore it is a good idea to have a dental insurance plan the provides some benefits towards the cost of braces so you are not having to pay out of pocket if the need arises.  Most dental insurance plans will offer dental braces for children 18 years old or younger.  Check you plan benefits to confirm your benefits for braces.  If your plan dose not provide orthodontic services check our our available dental insurance and plans that dose.

Having routine dental exams and cleanings can be performed throughout your pregnancy. However, non-emergency procedures should only be performed during the second trimester of pregnancy. If you have a dental emergency that create severe pain you can be treated during any trimester, but your obstetrician should be consulted during any emergency that requires anesthesia or whenever medication is prescribed. X-rays should only be taken for emergency situations, and any elective or cosmetic procedures should be postponed until after the baby’s birth.

How to Save Money On Cosmetic Dental Procedures for Little Cost.

When wanting to have dental cosmetic procedures such as whitening, veneers and implants to name a few, many dental insurance plans do not provide benefits for such services. Therefore you may want to review the dental discount plans as an option to save money off of cosmetic dental services.  With a dental discount plan you will normally save around 15 to 20 percent off the dentist normal charges.  For a plan that cost around $7.00 to 15.00 a month for an individual that is quite a bit of savings.  Review our dental insurance plans and dental discount plans that are available to you in your state. If you have any questions please call our member service line at 310-534-3444 as we be happy to help.

You can prevent gingivitis by keeping your teeth clean, especially near the gum-line. You should brush with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day and after each meal when possible. You also should floss each day. Good nutrition keeps the oral cavity healthy and strong; in particular, you should get plenty of vitamins C and B12. More frequent cleanings from the dentist also will help control plaque and prevent gingivitis.

According to studies, research suggests there is a link between pre-term delivery, low birth-weight babies, and gingivitis. Excessive bacteria can enter the bloodstream through your gums; the bacteria can travel to the uterus, triggering the production of chemicals called prostaglandins, which are suspected to induce premature labor.

When plaque is not removed, it can cause gingivitis (red, swollen, tender gums). So-called “pregnancy gingivitis” affects most pregnant women to some degree and generally begins to surface as early as the second month of pregnancy. If you already have gingivitis, the condition is likely to worsen during pregnancy. Untreated gingivitis can lead to periodontitis, a more serious form of gum disease that includes bone loss.

Brushing your teeth with a light tough for two minutes Researchers studied the brushing techniques and times of 12 volunteers who used electric toothbrushes during a four-week study. The participants were taught how to use the oscillating toothbrush, which was hooked up to a computer that took time and pressure measurements.

Researchers compared 16 combinations of various brushing times and pressures. Plaque levels on the teeth were also recorded before and after brushing. They found that plaque removal improved with longer brushing time up to two minutes and with greater pressure up to 150 grams of pressure, which is about the weight of an orange. “Although we found that you have to brush your teeth reasonably long and hard to get rid of the harmful plaque which causes dental diseases, our research shows that once you go beyond a certain point, you aren’t being any more effective,” says Heaseman, in a news release. “You could be actually harming your teeth and gums.”

When thinking about having cosmetic dental procedures such as teeth whitening treatment, veneers and dental implants, it is important to understand that most dental insurance plans will not offer benefits/coverage’s for these types of dental services.

We however do offer dental discount plans that will help to reduce the cost of cosmetic care at around 15 to 20 percent off the dentist normal price.  However with a dental discount plan you will need to go to dentist that are in the plans network of providers.  Make sure to call and confirm that the dentist in the network dose in fact provide the dental care services you may be looking for as well as making sure they still accept the plan and new members.

In prior post we talked about the three types of dental abscess. A periapical abscess is when “an alveolar abscess localized around the apex of a tooth root.”

Treating a periapical abscess: Root canal treatment will be used to remove the abscess. A drill is used to bore a hole into the dead tooth so that the pus can come out. Any damaged tissue will be removed from the pulp. A root filling is then inserted into the space to prevent subsequent infecti

What are the causes of a dental abscess?

Question: I think I may have a dental abscess but I do not know how I could have gotten one. what is the cause of dental abscess?

Answer: A dental abscess in most cases is a complication of a dental infection. Bacteria, often bacteria present in plaque, infect and make their way into a tooth.  If plaque is not removed by regular and proper tooth brushing and flossing the bacteria may spread within the soft tissue inside the tooth or gums, eventually resulting in an abscess.

The three types of dental abscess A dental abscess, or tooth abscess, is an accumulation of pus that forms inside the teeth or gums. The abscess typically originates from a bacterial infection, often one that has accumulated in the soft pulp of the tooth. There are three types of dental abscess

* Gingival abscess: This is where the abscess is only in the gum tissue and does not affect the tooth or perodontal ligament.

* Periodontal abscess: This is when the abscess starts in the supporting bone tissue structures of the teeth

* Periapical abscess: This is when the abscess commences in the soft pulp of the tooth.