Experienced Dental Procedures in Leesburg, FL
One in four Americans between the ages of 6 and 50 will sustain an injury to their incisors, according to a recent study by the National Institute of Dental Research, so it is important to know how to respond to a dental emergency. The University of Washington’s Health Beat reports that the prognosis for patients following a dental injury often depends on the type of injury and the amount of time it takes for a patient to receive treatment following a dental injury.
One of the easiest injuries to treat is a chipped tooth. If the tooth is only slightly chipped, the patient should see a dentist as soon as possible. It is no longer always necessary to use a crown to repair the damage because new filling materials can restore the tooth, “like putting an adhesive bandage on a wound.” More severe damage to a tooth may require a root canal and a crown.
If a tooth is knocked out, the patient should immediately replace the tooth in the socket, if possible. The tooth may last a lifetime if replaced immediately. If it is not possible to replace the tooth, the patient should place the tooth in milk, saline solution, saliva, or tap water to keep it moist, then see a dentist.
Whatever the injury, the patient should have the dentist examine the injury to determine whether the inside of the tooth has been damaged and may require treatment. Moreover, patients should not hesitate to contact a dentist after hours in a dental emergency because, with dental injuries, time is often crucial to effective treatment.
I am a bit nervous about dentistry. What about sedation?
Dr. Vaziri is highly trained to provide IV sedation and you can have all your work done while under sedation.
Do you accept dental insurance?
If you have a PPO insurance plan that allows you to choose your own provider, you have the flexibility to visit any dentist you prefer. When you receive dental treatment, you will need to pay for the services directly to the dentist at the time of your appointment. After your visit, we will submit a claim to your insurance company. They will review the claim and reimburse you for the covered services based on your plan’s provisions.
Remember, it’s essential to check your specific plan details and coverage to understand how the reimbursement process works. If you have any questions, contact your insurance provider directly for more details.
Do you offer financing?
At Leading Edge Dental, we are committed to providing excellent dental care while ensuring affordability for our patients.
We accept cash, checks, MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and money orders. To streamline the process, we request payment at the time for your visit.
For patients with dental insurance, we cooperate with your insurance provider to maximize reimbursement. However, please note that most dental insurance plans do not cover 100% of treatment costs. See your plan details.
Financing with CareCredit:
As a service to our patients, we offer CareCredit. CareCredit provides a personal line of credit for healthcare treatments and procedures, exclusively for healthcare services and It works like a credit card.
Facts you should know about insurance.
My insurance company reviews my dental claim and makes sure the correct treatment is done.
Fact: No claims are read and reviewed by any dentist. A "claims specialist" will review the claim, apply the plan provisions, and process the claim for payment. The only time a dentist reviews a claim is if there is a dispute on the treatment performed. Otherwise, your insurance company will pay for the most economical restoration that your plan allows for, and this is called a downgrade rather than the best option for you. It is important to remember that reimbursement and benefit levels are based on what plan your employer has selected. The more money your employer pays, the better the plan benefits. Dental insurance plans are a business arrangement between an insurance company and your employer. We, as dentists, do not influence what they will cover and how much they reimburse.
If I have a good medical plan, then my dental plan must be good, too.
Fact: Most dental insurance benefits differ greatly from general health insurance benefits; medical benefits have gradually increased, while dental insurance benefits have been at a standstill for almost 40 years. In 1971, your dental insurance benefits were approximately $1,000 to $1,500 per year. Some 40 years later, you will note that your benefits are still $1,000 to $1,500 per year. Figuring a 3-5% rate of inflation per year, you should be receiving between $5,000 and $9,000 per year in dental benefits. Your premiums have increased, but your benefits have not. Therefore, dental insurance is never a pay-all; it is only a supplement.
Why is there a big difference between your fees and the amount the insurance company will pay? Your fees must be too high.
Fact: You may receive a notification from your insurance company stating that dental fees are “higher than usual and customary.” It is important to understand how they arrive at that figure. An insurance company surveys a geographic area for your zip code, calculates an average fee, takes 80% of that fee, and considers it customary. Included in this survey are discount dental clinics and managed care facilities that bring down the average. Any doctor in a high-quality private practice will have fees that insurance companies define as higher than “usual and customary.”
My insurance pays 100%.
Fact: Many plans tell their participants that they will be covered “up to 80% or up to 100%” but do not specify plan schedule allowance, annual maximum, or limitations. It is more realistic to expect dental insurance to cover 35% to 65% of major services up to the annual maximum. Remember, the amount a plan pays is determined by how much the employer pays for the plan. You get back only what your employer put in. The less your employer pays for the plan, the less you get back.
If you have any more questions, call our team today at (352) 365-6442.