Does Medicare Cover Dental Implants
What are implants?
A dental implant is an artificial root, which is inserted into the bone to replace a missing tooth. It is an excellent alternative to the conventional fixed prosthesis due to the comfort provided. An implant is made of Titanium, a material that is perfectly biocompatible with bone.
Are there any additional exams to be performed?
An additional radiological examination (CT or cone beam) may be requested in order to assess the available bone volume and the proximity to any anatomical obstacles (nerve, sinus).
Are there any contraindications to placing implants?
Yes, there are contraindications to dental implants such as, for example, unbalanced diabetes or the wearing of a heart valve. A prior medical questionnaire is therefore mandatory.
Are there failures?
Failure is rare, it is around 2-3% of the implants we place. It is then necessary to wait a few weeks or months to place a new implant.
How long does an implant last?
Modern implantology dates back to the mid-1980s. Today, an implant is expected to last a lifetime. We consider that there is a good chance (90 to 95%) that you will keep your implants for at least 10 to 15 years based on what is published in the literature. This duration is particularly dependent on oral hygiene and maintenance in the following years
Who are candidates for implants?
Most people can receive dental implants regardless of their age. As long as they are healthy, there is a very good chance that they will be able to receive dental implants.
There are a number of people who have compromised medical conditions and therefore cannot be treated with elective surgery. Please talk to your dentist and doctor before considering implants.
Having severe bone loss can prevent a person from receiving dental implants. Such bone loss is usually due to significant tooth loss that has been prolonged for a long time. Although there are a large number of transplant procedures that can correct bone loss, there are cases where it is not possible to transplant an area, or it presents too great a surgical risk.
Smokers can receive dental implants, but they should recognize that the treatment is less likely to be successful than if they did not smoke.
Medicare and implants
Does Medicare cover dental implants?
Generally, unfortunately, no, Original Medicare (Part A and B) does not cover implants, or any dental procedures. Medicare Part A covers hospital stays and Medicare Part B covers Doctor’s office visits and outpatient care.
Medicare Part C
Medicare Part C (also called Medicare Advantage) is the private health insurance alternative to the federally run Medicare Parts A and B. Advantage is a private plan that you can buy separately and privately that encompasses all the different parts of Medicare into one plan. Plans differ though, and some plans will cover things like dental work and vision care. Again, you will need to check with your plan to see if you have coverage if you are considering dental implants.
If you decide on a Medicare Advantage plan, please remember that you are still required to enroll in parts A and B and pay the Part B premium. Then, in addition, you will have to choose a Medicare Advantage plan and sign up with a private insurer.
The federal government requires Medicare Advantage plans cover everything that original Medicare covers (including hospital stays and outpatient care), and some plans pay for services that original Medicare does not, including dental and vision care. If you have Medicare Advantage and are unsure about your dental coverage, you will need to contact your provider, and this is true for people seeking dental implants as well.
Alternative Solutions
What can be done when the patient cannot receive a dental implant or does not want an operation? Are there any alternatives? Yes of course! If your Medicare Advantage does not cover implants, perhaps, it might cover one of the following procedures.
Alternative No 1: Interdental bridge
An interdental bridge is a fake tooth which is fixed on the 2 pillars located on either side of the toothless area
What are the advantages to an interdental bridge?
- Fixed solution
- Low cost
- No need for surgery
- Quick completion (often in 5 days)
- Excellent aesthetic result
- Easy completion
What are the disadvantages to an interdental bridge?
Adjacent teeth (abutments) will be filed down and crowns will be placed on them.
It is not always possible to make an interdental bridge. For example, if all the anterior teeth are missing, it is not possible to replace them with a bridge.
Alternative No 2: Bridge in extension called cantilever. This is where the bridge is attached on one side only, not on either side of the missing tooth.
What are the advantages to a cantilever?
- Fixed solution
- Lower cost than implants
- Easy completion
- No need for surgery
- Quick completion
- Possibility of replacing a missing tooth at the end of a dental arch.
What are the disadvantages to a cantilever?
The teeth which precede and which serve as anchors must be reduced and crowns will be placed on them.
Alternative No 3: A partial denture with discreet attachments. Upper and/or lower partial dentures are designed to fill the void created by missing teeth so you can smile without worrying about the rest. If necessary, partial dentures can be detached and removed; these are useful for boosting your confidence if you've only lost a few teeth.
What are the advantages to a partial denture?
- This can be done if you still have front teeth, but back teeth are missing.
- Semi-fixed solution, with a removable part. The removable part of the denture is stably secured with a discreet attachment.
- Comfortable and easy to clean.
- The removable part of must be removed only for cleaning.
- An aesthetic solution, the removable part is discreet.
- All missing teeth can be replaced.
- No need for surgery.
What are the disadvantages to a partial denture?
At least 4 teeth must be reduced in order to stabilize the removable part of the denture