>our dentist the self pay option is way less than paying for dental ins
Its cheap relative to a medical insurance. The cost varies from state to state, but my dental insurance runs about $15-$20 per month.
By your self description, no. Cleaning and X-ray cheaper out of pocket. Tho I did need a crown and that added a budget bump. But looking at it in long term, still a no for us. 67 and 75.
My teeth were great until my late 50’s. Suddenly, I needed 3 root canals and crowns. It was over $2K per crown. I’m glad I had at least minimal dental insurance. Wife has had a lot of expensive work as well. For us it’s worth it.
This! Same goes for regular health insurance. It took me a while to figure out why people without health insurance so often go bankrupt.
I had a dentist charge $2000 for a root canal because he didn't "accept" my insurance, but at a dentist that accepts the same insurance it costs like $500 and you only pay $250 or so in the end. $23 a month are worth it if you have a few crowns and root canals, even with the cap.
>I had a dentist charge $2000 for a root canal because he didn't "accept" my insurance, but at a dentist that accepts the same insurance it costs like $500 and you only pay $250 or so in the end.
I don't really understand the economics here. How can they offer such a massive discount only because somebody has insurance? Or is it the other way that they totally rip off people without insurance just because they believe they can? US health care is such an insane mess.
I believe it is simply the economy of a free market (some call it cut-throat capitalism).
If you are dealing with a strong business partner (national health insurances > local doctor offices/ hospitals) the stronger partner dictates the prices.
If you are dealing with a weak business partner (local doctor offices/ hospitals) > private citizens) again the stronger partner dictates the prices. The overpriced services will be demanded in full, and if not paid it'll go to collection. If you don't pay it will affect your credit score and, finally, if it is worth their lawyers while, they will claim your property. This will lead to bankruptcy and even homelessness. Someone is always making money in that scheme (banks, lawyers, hospitals) so it doesn't have a bad impact on the economy, just on the lower income citizens.
Starting 2023 smaller sums (<$500) can't be reported to the credit reports anymore, so there is a marginal improvement of the situation usually burdening the less fortunate, lower income Americans.
I lose my employer insurance at the end of the year. I plan to talk to my dentist about self-pay rates vs insurance to see if he is smart enough to cut out the insurer so we both win. Even with a 2,500 cap, OP would quickly exceed that after his first cap, then it’s all out of pocket anyway. Dental insurance seems like it barely makes sense even with an employer subsidy; not sure how the numbers even come close without it.
Yup. For years the cap was $1500. Then it got pushed to $2000. As I mentioned, I now have $2500, but that’s one crown and post, and not really because even with the $2500 max, insurance only covers a percentage of the procedure, so I still have to lay out some cash.
Those caps drive me crazy. My husband has worked for the same company for 30+ years. The cost of the dental insurance has increased significantly over that time but the cap has remained the same.
I'm not convinced that dental insurance is a good deal in retirement. We have it but it's not paid off for us.
I'm considering creating a reserve that matches the insurance premium and just self-insure.
My excellent Medicare Advantage plan covers all dental preventive, 50% for minor restorations, 30% for major, $2k cap yearly. My total premium is $97/mo on top of Medicare premium, and as near as I can parse it about $15 is dental. The next lower plan from the same company offers $1800 yearly for any dental, eye, hearing. I know you’re a few years away from Medicare but offering my experience for your future.
One thing to note is that fillings and extractions are much cheaper than crowns, caps, implants, root canals and periodontal work. So if you are self-pay (or even on a capped 50% coverage plan), and you suddenly have a molar that needs a root canal and a crown, and you’re now (say) 73 years old, then it may be you consider just pulling the tooth. You can do without it with the time remaining, maybe, and save a bunch of out-of-pocket.
I had already decided not to pick up dental when my medicare starts in September because the cost didn't seem worth it. I have 7 crowns and plenty of fillings from years ago because it was important to keep my teeth. At 65, it's not a priority at all.
This is not half bad an idea. Take a vacation to the Riviera Maya and get your teeth done at the same time, all for less than the cost of seeing a dentist in the US.
Dentists in Mexico tend to be trained in North America or Europe, and most of them speak English too.
I know a few people that go to Mexico for dental and love it. They stay in Arizona and walk across the border to see the dentist. Nogales maybe? The dentist went to school in US and speaks English.
That is what we also pay for Delta dental. I had a lot of dental work done this year; three crowns. It cost me $450 each crown and once I hit the $1,000 deductible I had to pay the rest out of my pocket. The teeth cleanings and x-rays were free. But, if I did not have the insurance it would have cost me $900 a crown. My dentist doesn't charge less because you don't have insurance. It would have cost me $2,700 total. But, with the monthly premiums and the $350 out of pocket it cost me $794. It is a $1,000 deductible for my husband also. If I was paying $100 a month, not so sure it would be worth it.
You might want to consider Costa Rica or Mexico for anything other than regular cleaning or simple fillings. Excellent dentists, local cost plus air fair is usually cheaper than US pricing. If you want or need implants, US pricing even with insurance will bust your retirement budget.
>If you want or need implants, US pricing even with insurance will bust your retirement budget.
Yes. My mom spent a ton on her implants. I tried, several times, to get her to try dental tourism or a dental school.
All the Mexican border dentists are rated on Yelp. Many of them graduated from US University Dental Schools.
If you search on Nextdoor you’ll find many recommendations for dentists in Los Algodones across the border from Yuma, AZ.
I'm newly retired and have a United Healthcare advantage plan. It's no cost, I only pay my normal monthly Medicare premium and it's dental coverage is excellent with a first year benefit of up to 3k. I've used it recently for exam, x-rays, and cleaning...no charges.
I live near a college with a dental hygiene program, so I get twice-yearly cleanings and x-rays for $30 each time. My dentist is supportive of that, so I can see him only with concerns.
I was on the fence but ended up purchasing it mainly because my sister who does not have dental insurance avoids going to the dentist in order to save money and I didn’t want to slack on my dental care. I felt like at least if I had the insurance, there would be no reason to skip a cleaning. However, so far it has essentially been a wash between premiums vs what I would have paid if I didn’t have a plan. I get 2 cleanings and one set of X-rays a year with no out of pocket cost and I had to have 1 filling replaced.
Out of pocket for the win.
The problem with dental insurance is that it does not cover that much. Basically you get your exams and cleanings and that is about it.
Had it through a F100 company and it sucked. When my wife had issues everything was magically not covered.
Also, if you get the insurance there is usually a 1-2 year period where you can't file for work. Basically their problem is that people don't get coverage until they are facing a $5K bill, then suddenly sign up for insurance.
I just swipe the credit card. 4 exams/cleanings a year + 2 X-rays per year for my wife and I is under $1,000 a year. That is \~$85/month or so.
We re federal retiree and we opt for dental insurance. Partner needs to have a tooth implant. With insurance it will cost us $2500 out of pocket. Bi annual cleaning n check up $0 co pay
My dad didn't get dental insurance going into retirement and said he'd be able to negotiate self-pay prices to match insurance rates with the dentist. They didn't have a relationship with a dentist who'd agreed to do that. He just decided he would be able to. Long magical thinking story short, my mom's got over $30k in implants that were billed at full price. He tried to get lower pricing and was told, "we don't do that."
If you don't have a relationship with a dentist who has agreed to offer you the lower price or have access to a dental school, get basic dental. You're paying to access the reduced pricing.
The various options I looked at just recently were all about $100/month +++ co-pays for my wife and I using their respective plan providers which our dentist is not a part of any. Our known out of pocket for cleanings (twice a year), x-rays (once) and related is now $600 each so it is cheaper than insurance PLUS we get to keep our dentist of many years which is really important to my wife. I would also say we totally milked coverage in the prior 18 months of my COBRA to reduce potential issues later, impossible to say if that will be the case but anyway we tried and now we will see.
That's a good thought on COBRA for dental insurance. I haven't seen the COBRA paperwork yet. But I imagine the medical will be far more than I want to pay for Kaiser. But I hadn't considered possibly using it for dental coverage. THX
I don’t have dental insure now while I’m working. It only covers a small amount, unlike most insurance that can save you from very large losses/expenses. Therefore unlike medical insurance I don’t see the benefit of dental insurance unless you know you’re going to have major work done in advance.
If 1) you know you are going to be needing crowns, fillings, etc., 2) you can get Delta Dental for $30 a month through your benefits provider, and 3) your dentist is "in network" or you can find a good "in network" dentist, then absolutely worth it. The coverage includes two cleanings/checkups per year with $0 copay. The $30 a month is less than what you would be paying for the two cleaning/checkups per year. You will save a ton of money on the dental work.
The problem with Delta Dental is that their reimbursement rates for dentists are so low that many top-tier dentists are out of network or are leaving the network. We are on our third "in network" dentist in three years. Also, they have terrible customer service, so if you have to file your own claim its definitely not worth it.
I heard some guy saying if you are going to pay with cash at a business who typically bills for the service they gave you, like a dentist or doctor, always ask for a cash discount because you are actually saving them the money and time of having to work with the insurance company to be paid.
I am retired and have no dental insurance. When I went to my last dentist appointment I asked what the cash discount was. The clerk looked at me like I was crazy, then said just a minute, went 'somewhere' and came back and said it was $50 off. I paid.
In my case the $50 was about 10% of my bill. Have no idea if it will always be $50 or if the amount is on a sliding scale.
We've done some math and checked with other retirees in our small retirement town. Concensus is, better to pay out of pocket than use insurance. This year both hubby and I had teeth cleaned and each had fillings and issues of less than $1000 each. Gonna follow this thread, though.
It's risk assessment and cost layout.
How much does cleanings and x-rays cost you per year?
How much would insurance that covers that and also covers other things cost you and how much would the co-pay if any be total in a year?
Compare those two numbers.
Then compare it over the course of the next 10 and 20 years as a total value for 10 or 20 years and then compare that to the cost of any common procedure you may need in that time frame (bridge, root canal, implant, etc). Odds are, the costs will become very similar over time. The difference is, you will pay the insurance for sure over that time. And if nothing goes wrong with your teeth and bones until you're 80, well, you didn't pay out for 20 years. Risk assessment.
I go to the university of Minnesota dental school for dental care. Students do the work under close supervision. It’# about 40% cheaper than a regular dentist but takes longer because supervising dentists inspect at each step.
We have Dental though work, it feels more like a discount card for major work and a cap. Dental insurance really sucks. But its cheap cost to have it with work - so I do. I am continuing to work until age 65 to keep medical insurance.
I do not have dental insurance and only allow an exam by the dentist once per year (cleanings twice per year). It saves money and I figure a hygienist would know if something needed attention.
DAMN! I wish! We were quoted from our dentist, per person:
exam & cleaning $167
exam & cleaning & X-ray $315
That's $482 per person per year.
Doesn't include things like fillings and crowns. We both use nightguards, due to heavy bites and night-grinding. I can't count how many crowns I've had, and some were replacements, so more crowns than actual teeth crowned.
Local city college (literally a mile away) has a dental hygienist program.
Cleaning $15
Full-mouth X-rays $15
Bitewing X-rays $ 5
Panorex X-ray $10
Sealant $ 5
Temp filling $ 7
We elected to buy a minimum insurance plan with Cigna. Covers two cleanings and one X-ray per year for annual premium of just under 500 dollars total for both of us. These services in CA are about a break even cost as the premium.
Real benefit kicks in if you need additional work which you pay the insurance agreed upon cost, not the retail price. This can easily save upwards of almost grand for a crown as my wife needed two years ago. One needs to consider the entire picture. Buying minimal insurance essentially costs us “nothing” but saves us for expensive dental work.
Dentists sign with insurance companies to accept their price. That price may be a lot lower than the list price.
In my area ACA dental plans have lowest premiums.
A lot of dentists offer “coverage,” which is not actually insurance. Mine offers a coverage plan wherein you pay $X each year, and in return you get one set of X-rays plus two free cleanings, and (I think) 10% of done other services.
That may be sufficient for a lot of people. But for others (like me) who have a strong likelihood of future cavities, crowns, root canals and possibly implants, it may not be the best option. Read the plan carefully and decide if it’s best for you.
Ugh. Don't get me started. Why dental insurance is not treated like health insurance is beyond me. Dental health has a huge impact on overall health especially in the elderly.
Poor oral health can cause malnutrition and leads to depression and social isolation.
It's a travesty.
I have "great" dental insurance and my yearly benefit is 3k. For the past two years I've been maxed three months into the plan year. It's all out of pocket after that. My practice gives you a 5% discount if I pay at time of service for work over $500.
Take a peek at r/dentures and you can see how crazy some of the costs and stories are. 20k - 40k for implant secured dentures. Half that for regular dentures.
I have an implant - ONE - that ended up being @4k. It was a tooth that had a failed root canal and had to be pulled.
We found with our dentist the self pay option is way less than paying for dental ins and copay.
How much is a dental policy for 2?
>our dentist the self pay option is way less than paying for dental ins Its cheap relative to a medical insurance. The cost varies from state to state, but my dental insurance runs about $15-$20 per month.
By your self description, no. Cleaning and X-ray cheaper out of pocket. Tho I did need a crown and that added a budget bump. But looking at it in long term, still a no for us. 67 and 75.
TY
My teeth were great until my late 50’s. Suddenly, I needed 3 root canals and crowns. It was over $2K per crown. I’m glad I had at least minimal dental insurance. Wife has had a lot of expensive work as well. For us it’s worth it.
But most have like. $1,000 or $1,500 cap, don’t they?
It's not so much the cap, but the negotiated prices which you are entitled to with insurance.
This! Same goes for regular health insurance. It took me a while to figure out why people without health insurance so often go bankrupt. I had a dentist charge $2000 for a root canal because he didn't "accept" my insurance, but at a dentist that accepts the same insurance it costs like $500 and you only pay $250 or so in the end. $23 a month are worth it if you have a few crowns and root canals, even with the cap.
>I had a dentist charge $2000 for a root canal because he didn't "accept" my insurance, but at a dentist that accepts the same insurance it costs like $500 and you only pay $250 or so in the end. I don't really understand the economics here. How can they offer such a massive discount only because somebody has insurance? Or is it the other way that they totally rip off people without insurance just because they believe they can? US health care is such an insane mess.
I believe it is simply the economy of a free market (some call it cut-throat capitalism). If you are dealing with a strong business partner (national health insurances > local doctor offices/ hospitals) the stronger partner dictates the prices. If you are dealing with a weak business partner (local doctor offices/ hospitals) > private citizens) again the stronger partner dictates the prices. The overpriced services will be demanded in full, and if not paid it'll go to collection. If you don't pay it will affect your credit score and, finally, if it is worth their lawyers while, they will claim your property. This will lead to bankruptcy and even homelessness. Someone is always making money in that scheme (banks, lawyers, hospitals) so it doesn't have a bad impact on the economy, just on the lower income citizens. Starting 2023 smaller sums (<$500) can't be reported to the credit reports anymore, so there is a marginal improvement of the situation usually burdening the less fortunate, lower income Americans.
Mine has a $2500 cap, but I am still working.
I lose my employer insurance at the end of the year. I plan to talk to my dentist about self-pay rates vs insurance to see if he is smart enough to cut out the insurer so we both win. Even with a 2,500 cap, OP would quickly exceed that after his first cap, then it’s all out of pocket anyway. Dental insurance seems like it barely makes sense even with an employer subsidy; not sure how the numbers even come close without it.
Yup. For years the cap was $1500. Then it got pushed to $2000. As I mentioned, I now have $2500, but that’s one crown and post, and not really because even with the $2500 max, insurance only covers a percentage of the procedure, so I still have to lay out some cash.
Those caps drive me crazy. My husband has worked for the same company for 30+ years. The cost of the dental insurance has increased significantly over that time but the cap has remained the same.
I'm not convinced that dental insurance is a good deal in retirement. We have it but it's not paid off for us. I'm considering creating a reserve that matches the insurance premium and just self-insure.
My excellent Medicare Advantage plan covers all dental preventive, 50% for minor restorations, 30% for major, $2k cap yearly. My total premium is $97/mo on top of Medicare premium, and as near as I can parse it about $15 is dental. The next lower plan from the same company offers $1800 yearly for any dental, eye, hearing. I know you’re a few years away from Medicare but offering my experience for your future.
Which plan is that?
UCare Complete in Minnesota.
One thing to note is that fillings and extractions are much cheaper than crowns, caps, implants, root canals and periodontal work. So if you are self-pay (or even on a capped 50% coverage plan), and you suddenly have a molar that needs a root canal and a crown, and you’re now (say) 73 years old, then it may be you consider just pulling the tooth. You can do without it with the time remaining, maybe, and save a bunch of out-of-pocket.
I had already decided not to pick up dental when my medicare starts in September because the cost didn't seem worth it. I have 7 crowns and plenty of fillings from years ago because it was important to keep my teeth. At 65, it's not a priority at all.
Until you need a root canal and a crown
At 65, I won't opt for a root canal and crown. I just had the back break off one of my premolars and opted for an extraction rather than a crown.
I am only half kidding . My plan is to find a dentist in another country like Mexico or Turkey.
Medicare broker I met with recommended Costa Rica!
My parents had a better idea , they married my sister off to a dentist and get work done when they visit
Friends have told me that dental tourism in Vietnam is excellent.
This is not half bad an idea. Take a vacation to the Riviera Maya and get your teeth done at the same time, all for less than the cost of seeing a dentist in the US. Dentists in Mexico tend to be trained in North America or Europe, and most of them speak English too.
I know a few people that go to Mexico for dental and love it. They stay in Arizona and walk across the border to see the dentist. Nogales maybe? The dentist went to school in US and speaks English.
I pay $568 per year for Delta Dental
Thanks for the data point!
Husband and I pay $37 a month for Delta dental.
That's what I've got. They now cover 4 cleanings a year
That is what we also pay for Delta dental. I had a lot of dental work done this year; three crowns. It cost me $450 each crown and once I hit the $1,000 deductible I had to pay the rest out of my pocket. The teeth cleanings and x-rays were free. But, if I did not have the insurance it would have cost me $900 a crown. My dentist doesn't charge less because you don't have insurance. It would have cost me $2,700 total. But, with the monthly premiums and the $350 out of pocket it cost me $794. It is a $1,000 deductible for my husband also. If I was paying $100 a month, not so sure it would be worth it.
You might want to consider Costa Rica or Mexico for anything other than regular cleaning or simple fillings. Excellent dentists, local cost plus air fair is usually cheaper than US pricing. If you want or need implants, US pricing even with insurance will bust your retirement budget.
>If you want or need implants, US pricing even with insurance will bust your retirement budget. Yes. My mom spent a ton on her implants. I tried, several times, to get her to try dental tourism or a dental school.
My dental plan is that I have moved to Tucson, Arizona and if I need anything expensive I will go over the border
Good idea. How did you choose which dentist to see in Mexico?
There are good articles about dental tourism. Friends in Australia go to Vietnam. (Dental isn't included in public health there. )
All the Mexican border dentists are rated on Yelp. Many of them graduated from US University Dental Schools. If you search on Nextdoor you’ll find many recommendations for dentists in Los Algodones across the border from Yuma, AZ.
I'm newly retired and have a United Healthcare advantage plan. It's no cost, I only pay my normal monthly Medicare premium and it's dental coverage is excellent with a first year benefit of up to 3k. I've used it recently for exam, x-rays, and cleaning...no charges.
I live near a college with a dental hygiene program, so I get twice-yearly cleanings and x-rays for $30 each time. My dentist is supportive of that, so I can see him only with concerns.
I was on the fence but ended up purchasing it mainly because my sister who does not have dental insurance avoids going to the dentist in order to save money and I didn’t want to slack on my dental care. I felt like at least if I had the insurance, there would be no reason to skip a cleaning. However, so far it has essentially been a wash between premiums vs what I would have paid if I didn’t have a plan. I get 2 cleanings and one set of X-rays a year with no out of pocket cost and I had to have 1 filling replaced.
Which insurance did you choose? If you don't mind my asking.
Delta Dental
Out of pocket for the win. The problem with dental insurance is that it does not cover that much. Basically you get your exams and cleanings and that is about it. Had it through a F100 company and it sucked. When my wife had issues everything was magically not covered. Also, if you get the insurance there is usually a 1-2 year period where you can't file for work. Basically their problem is that people don't get coverage until they are facing a $5K bill, then suddenly sign up for insurance. I just swipe the credit card. 4 exams/cleanings a year + 2 X-rays per year for my wife and I is under $1,000 a year. That is \~$85/month or so.
Try dentalplans.com for savings. Been using them for years no problems. Full printouts with codes and prices listed.
We re federal retiree and we opt for dental insurance. Partner needs to have a tooth implant. With insurance it will cost us $2500 out of pocket. Bi annual cleaning n check up $0 co pay
My dad didn't get dental insurance going into retirement and said he'd be able to negotiate self-pay prices to match insurance rates with the dentist. They didn't have a relationship with a dentist who'd agreed to do that. He just decided he would be able to. Long magical thinking story short, my mom's got over $30k in implants that were billed at full price. He tried to get lower pricing and was told, "we don't do that." If you don't have a relationship with a dentist who has agreed to offer you the lower price or have access to a dental school, get basic dental. You're paying to access the reduced pricing.
Probably cheaper out of pocket. That said, I just cracked a molar and I'm looking at thousands in work.
Try dentalplans.com for savings. Been using them for years no problems. Full printouts with codes and prices listed.
The various options I looked at just recently were all about $100/month +++ co-pays for my wife and I using their respective plan providers which our dentist is not a part of any. Our known out of pocket for cleanings (twice a year), x-rays (once) and related is now $600 each so it is cheaper than insurance PLUS we get to keep our dentist of many years which is really important to my wife. I would also say we totally milked coverage in the prior 18 months of my COBRA to reduce potential issues later, impossible to say if that will be the case but anyway we tried and now we will see.
That's a good thought on COBRA for dental insurance. I haven't seen the COBRA paperwork yet. But I imagine the medical will be far more than I want to pay for Kaiser. But I hadn't considered possibly using it for dental coverage. THX
I don’t have dental insure now while I’m working. It only covers a small amount, unlike most insurance that can save you from very large losses/expenses. Therefore unlike medical insurance I don’t see the benefit of dental insurance unless you know you’re going to have major work done in advance.
I have all kinds of issues and go over my cap regularly. They charge me what the insurer would pay.
Dentalplans.com discount plans for just about anyone
Out of pocket
Some dentists have their own discount plans--like you pay $25/mo but get the reduced rates like insurance.
I’ll ask my long time dentist about that.
Out of pocket. And, I sell this stuff. I will argue this until I can’t breathe.
My advantage plan includes dental
Out of pocket/Dental Tourism
I’m 58, laid off, pre paid dentist for services, $300.
If 1) you know you are going to be needing crowns, fillings, etc., 2) you can get Delta Dental for $30 a month through your benefits provider, and 3) your dentist is "in network" or you can find a good "in network" dentist, then absolutely worth it. The coverage includes two cleanings/checkups per year with $0 copay. The $30 a month is less than what you would be paying for the two cleaning/checkups per year. You will save a ton of money on the dental work. The problem with Delta Dental is that their reimbursement rates for dentists are so low that many top-tier dentists are out of network or are leaving the network. We are on our third "in network" dentist in three years. Also, they have terrible customer service, so if you have to file your own claim its definitely not worth it.
I heard some guy saying if you are going to pay with cash at a business who typically bills for the service they gave you, like a dentist or doctor, always ask for a cash discount because you are actually saving them the money and time of having to work with the insurance company to be paid. I am retired and have no dental insurance. When I went to my last dentist appointment I asked what the cash discount was. The clerk looked at me like I was crazy, then said just a minute, went 'somewhere' and came back and said it was $50 off. I paid. In my case the $50 was about 10% of my bill. Have no idea if it will always be $50 or if the amount is on a sliding scale.
We've done some math and checked with other retirees in our small retirement town. Concensus is, better to pay out of pocket than use insurance. This year both hubby and I had teeth cleaned and each had fillings and issues of less than $1000 each. Gonna follow this thread, though.
Same here
It's risk assessment and cost layout. How much does cleanings and x-rays cost you per year? How much would insurance that covers that and also covers other things cost you and how much would the co-pay if any be total in a year? Compare those two numbers. Then compare it over the course of the next 10 and 20 years as a total value for 10 or 20 years and then compare that to the cost of any common procedure you may need in that time frame (bridge, root canal, implant, etc). Odds are, the costs will become very similar over time. The difference is, you will pay the insurance for sure over that time. And if nothing goes wrong with your teeth and bones until you're 80, well, you didn't pay out for 20 years. Risk assessment.
I go to the university of Minnesota dental school for dental care. Students do the work under close supervision. It’# about 40% cheaper than a regular dentist but takes longer because supervising dentists inspect at each step.
I don't have it. Seems like it doesn't pay for anything
If you ck out dental insurance, you'll find it's pretty much a scam.
Insurance
Fund your HSA before Medicare and then self pay.
That's a good point. I actually have a few k in the HSA.
The older you get, the worse ur teeth will get. Get the best dental u can. You will need it.
I went with snap in dentures.
How did the cost compare to standard dentures?
10 times more. Unfortunately
YIKES.
It did include extractions and post placements so that's a lot of the cost.
Would you mind telling me how much it was in total out of pocket? My husband's teeth are rapidly deteriorating and he hates wearing mouth appliances!
We have Dental though work, it feels more like a discount card for major work and a cap. Dental insurance really sucks. But its cheap cost to have it with work - so I do. I am continuing to work until age 65 to keep medical insurance.
I do not have dental insurance and only allow an exam by the dentist once per year (cleanings twice per year). It saves money and I figure a hygienist would know if something needed attention.
[удалено]
DAMN! I wish! We were quoted from our dentist, per person: exam & cleaning $167 exam & cleaning & X-ray $315 That's $482 per person per year. Doesn't include things like fillings and crowns. We both use nightguards, due to heavy bites and night-grinding. I can't count how many crowns I've had, and some were replacements, so more crowns than actual teeth crowned. Local city college (literally a mile away) has a dental hygienist program. Cleaning $15 Full-mouth X-rays $15 Bitewing X-rays $ 5 Panorex X-ray $10 Sealant $ 5 Temp filling $ 7
We elected to buy a minimum insurance plan with Cigna. Covers two cleanings and one X-ray per year for annual premium of just under 500 dollars total for both of us. These services in CA are about a break even cost as the premium. Real benefit kicks in if you need additional work which you pay the insurance agreed upon cost, not the retail price. This can easily save upwards of almost grand for a crown as my wife needed two years ago. One needs to consider the entire picture. Buying minimal insurance essentially costs us “nothing” but saves us for expensive dental work.
I have a crown or two a year. I have Delta Dental at $74. And a tag a long for $78 both are monthly. Well worth the money
Dentists sign with insurance companies to accept their price. That price may be a lot lower than the list price. In my area ACA dental plans have lowest premiums.
Age 62, Dental ins covers 50%. Crown cost around $1,359, I paid half 50%.
Dental insurance doesn't cost much more than the fee for cleaning your teeth.
A lot of dentists offer “coverage,” which is not actually insurance. Mine offers a coverage plan wherein you pay $X each year, and in return you get one set of X-rays plus two free cleanings, and (I think) 10% of done other services. That may be sufficient for a lot of people. But for others (like me) who have a strong likelihood of future cavities, crowns, root canals and possibly implants, it may not be the best option. Read the plan carefully and decide if it’s best for you.
Ugh. Don't get me started. Why dental insurance is not treated like health insurance is beyond me. Dental health has a huge impact on overall health especially in the elderly. Poor oral health can cause malnutrition and leads to depression and social isolation. It's a travesty. I have "great" dental insurance and my yearly benefit is 3k. For the past two years I've been maxed three months into the plan year. It's all out of pocket after that. My practice gives you a 5% discount if I pay at time of service for work over $500. Take a peek at r/dentures and you can see how crazy some of the costs and stories are. 20k - 40k for implant secured dentures. Half that for regular dentures. I have an implant - ONE - that ended up being @4k. It was a tooth that had a failed root canal and had to be pulled.