missing a tooth Archives - Coleman Dental

I have a teenage daughter and she has a congenitally missing tooth. It isn’t noticeable when she talks, laughs, or smiles. Although, she seems suddenly highly self conscious of the matter and I want her to have the confidence that most girls her age already have. She’s literally begging me to find out how to get it fixed for an early birthday present. When we have explored the option with dentists in the past, it seems dental implants are the ideal choice to replace a missing tooth. But, the dentist we are seeing now will not do it until she is much older. He said he recommends waiting until her growing is done. I don’t think I can put her off for a few more years. Why can’t we move forward if she’s willing and ready? Do we have any other options?

-Sheila in New York

Sheila,

Sorry to hear of the unfortunate situation your daughter is dealing with. Aesthetics and how your smile look is directly connected to self esteem and self worth. So it is no surprise you want what’s best for your daughter.

You have been informed correctly regarding a dental implant. It is indeed the best, most permanent solution to replace a missing tooth. And even though she’s more than ready and you want only the best for your daughter, the dentist is correct. Your daughter’s facial muscles and bones are still developing in her teenage years. Dental implants are expensive and you don’t want to have to have the work re-done in a couple years when she’s having problems with it. An implant will not grow along her her jaw. It will actually end up looking like it is buried. So, it is best to wait until she’s done growing, into her adult years. But there are some other aesthetic options that may be more of a temporary fix. You should have a consultation with an experience cosmetic dentist in your area.

I was in an ATV accident and lost both of my front teeth as a result. My dentist recommends dental implants and I’m all for it, but they said insurance isn’t going to cover much. Supposedly it’s cosmetic? I’m confused. Isn’t having teeth necessary? How on earth can they consider replacing them to be a cosmetic dentistry procedure? Is there a way to get insurance to pay more for dental implants?

-Randolph in Minnesota

Dear Randolph,

Yes, having teeth is necessary, especially if you like eating. It’s also important to get going on replacing them fast, because your remaining teeth will start to slide into the empty space they left behind. The problem is that most insurance companies recognize the need to replace them, but not to restore your smile with the best possible solution. Because there are less expensive methods that are, in their opinion, good enough, the better method is considered “cosmetic.” What they’ll generally do is cover the cost of a less expensive procedure, like a dental bridge, and have you pay the difference. Or they’ll pay for a just a portion of the dental implant, such as the crown that sits on top.

With that said, it doesn’t sound like your office requested a preauthorization or a predetermination of benefits from your insurance company. With larger procedures like this, it’s not a bad idea to have the office send off all the details to the insurance company and get them to officially state what they will and won’t pay for with your procedure. Depending on how your policy is written, you may have benefits that other plans don’t, or they may pay more for your treatment if they receive a letter from your dentist saying why the more expensive procedure is necessary. So, although dental implants are not really a cosmetic dentistry procedure, some insurance companies may process them as such because it means they’ll pay less.

Why would we be told to wait for a dental implant placement?

Why Is My Insurance Company Calling Dental Implants a Cosmetic Procedure?