The last time you visited your dentist, did they tell you that you needed fillings? No one likes to hear that, so you may find it tempting to put off getting them. Especially if your teeth don’t hurt! However, if you want to protect your health and maximize your dental insurance benefits, you shouldn’t postpone getting your fillings any later than you have to. Find out how getting the fillings you need by the end of the year can save you money!
Fillings Can Help You Avoid Expensive Dental Care
Even if the cavity in your tooth isn’t causing you discomfort, you should have it filled right away. Remember, your teeth can’t heal themselves! Even though you can’t feel the weakened enamel now, that cavity will continue to grow until it’s treated by a dentist. As the enamel is burned away, the sensitive inner layers of your tooth will be exposed to damage and bacteria, putting you at a high risk of serious oral health problems.
Untreated cavities can easily lead to intense toothaches, dental infections, and even tooth loss over time. What started as a little cavity that could be treated with an inexpensive and easy filling can transform into a painful oral health condition that requires a much more invasive and expensive procedure to deal with. While you can put off getting fillings for a little while if you absolutely have to, the longer you wait, the more likely you are to develop one of these serious dental problems.
Fillings Will Help You Save Money
Not only is getting your fillings right away important for your health, but it’s good for your wallet too! Dental infections and tooth loss need to be treated with root canal therapy, crowns, extractions, and tooth replacements, all of which cost much more than a simple filling. If you have dental insurance, these “major treatments” are usually only covered by 50% or less. On the other hand, fillings are typically covered by at least 70-80%, sometimes even more! Simply put, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
Why Get Fillings By the End of the Year?
We can all agree that getting fillings when you need them is important. But if you have dental insurance, it’s particularly important that you get yours before the end of the year. Now that the year is drawing to a close, it’s likely that you’ve reached your deductible, or the set amount you need to pay for your own dental care before your benefits kick in. This means that your insurance will now cover your dental care up to a certain dollar amount, which is called the annual maximum. Unfortunately, deductibles and annual maximums do not usually roll over to your next coverage period and will reset on January first. Don’t let your investment go to waste- make sure you get the fillings you need before your benefits expire!
Fillings are quick, comfortable, and effective, so there’s no need to put them off. Aim to achieve a cavity-free smile by the end of the year for the sake of your health and wallet!
About the Practice
At Thomas Family Dental Associates, we strive to make every part of dental care as pleasant as possible for our patients in Milton and the surrounding communities. Our dedicated dental office manager Sue has years of experience dealing with dental insurance companies and ensuring our patients have their benefits maximized. If you have questions or would like to learn more about using your dental insurance, she would be happy to speak to you! Feel free to reach Sue and the rest of our team online or at (617) 696-4800.