Is a ridge augmentation considered purely cosmetic? i lost a couple teeth in an accident, and have some pretty noticable indentaitons where the teeth were. i'm interested in have a ridge augmentaiton performed, but if insurance won't cover it i probably w

Your : Your benefits are determined by the contract between your employer and your insurance carrier. Ridge augmentation is a common procedure, but that has nothing to do with your coverage. Please consider visiting a periodontist for an evaluation. The evaluation will most likely be covered. Your periodontist can preauthorize the procedure with your insurance carrier and you can both find out if it is covered and what dollar amount is covered. It may not cost as much as you think it will.

Dr : Dr lamorte said it best, insurance wise, the procedure is covered differently by different plans. You are concerned about the esthetics of your bone and gum. Are you considering replacing those missing teeth with a fixed bridge? If so, imagine completing the bridge and being unhappy with the appearance because you didn't lay down a terrific foundation in the first place. Like most healthcare treatment, it is inadvisable to cut corners, and this is no exception. It is not that the bridge cannot be made without the augmentation, it's that it may not have the look you want. If the bridge is going to be done regardless, then when your dentist places the temporary bridge in your mouth, you can better visualize the final restoration. It may be that you do not need the augmentation after all. Discuss this with your restorative dentist and periodontist for their imput and advice.

The : The treating dentist will need to establish the need for a ridge augmentation, to bring you back to your pre-accident condition. Once those parameters will be clearly established no insurance will deny coverage. Accident insurances once they've established a responsibility towards the case, your treating dentist will only need to document the reasoning behind every procedure which in your case is to restore your oral condition to a pre-existing stage, and they should cover 100%. Good luck !

No : Ridge augmentation is not purely cosmetic. If your going to replace your missing teeth with implants, it's crucial to have adequate bone to support the implant. There may be a cosmetic enhancement as a byproduct of preserving the bone around your replacement teeth and adjacent teeth.

It is not: If you are planning on restoring them with implants, it might be a necessity to augment before or at the time of placement. The insurance may or may not pick a part of it. The other alternatives to explore are bridges and partials ( no augmentation needed in most cases ).

Functional Problem: Traumatic avulsion of teeth usually is accompanied by some degree of bone loss. If treatment of your initial injuries were covered by insurance, your dentist or surgeon should submit a supporting letter, photos and x-rays to the insurance carrier detailing the loss of teeth and bone and why reconstruction of the lost bone to its correct anatomical state and function is necessary.

Definitely, no: Ridge augmentation is a procedure that can correct the defects caused by bone loss and gum recession in areas with missing teeth. This procedure allows the chance to return the harmonious contours of the gums that existed before the loss of the tooth, creating the opportunity for a natural, functional and esthetic smile.