What are Dental Insurance Coverage Types?

According to most dental insurance companies, dental procedures are broken down into three categories:

1. Preventative

Most insurance companies consider routine cleanings and examinations as preventative dental care, however, X-rays, sealants and fluoride can be deemed as preventative or basic, depending upon the specific insurance carrier.
2. Basic or Restorative

Basic or restorative dental treatment usually consists of fillings and simple extractions. Root canals can be considered basic or major. However, the majority of dental plans list root canals as basic.
3. Major

Crowns, bridges, dentures, partials, surgical extractions and dental implants are dental procedures that most dental insurance companies consider as a major procedure.

Since all dental insurance carriers are different, it is important to clarify which dental procedures fall under each specific category. This is important because some insurance plans don't cover major procedures and others have waiting periods for certain procedures. If you know that you will need major dental work that is not covered by a given plan, you should probably look elsewhere to find one that suits all of your needs.