Dental terms? NEED help!?

In general, dental insurance has three or four categories.

The first is preventative. This includes exams and cleanings and is usually available immediately.

The second is usually called basic but sometimes minor. This includes basic X-rays and space maintainers. With some plans extractions and fillings may also be considered basic. There is a waiting period before full benefits are realized of anywhere from 6 to 24 months. Plans that don't have a waiting period will cover a very small amount the first couple of years.

The third is major. This includes panoramic X-rays, crowns, root canals, bridges, dentures, fillings and/or extractions with some plans.

The fourth is ortodontia, which covers braces and is seldom available and usually limited to those under 19.

Coverage is a percentage of the usual charge, not the charge your dentist has unless your dentist is contracted with the insurance. There is also a deductible you'll pay and an annual maximum amout the insurance company will pay, which varies from $750 to $3000 per year.

Other options if you can't or don't want to wait through the waiting periods would be a dental discount fee for service plan or a dental school. You can find information about the nearest school here: http://yourhealthplanadvisor.com/Dentalschools.htm...

Within Dentistry these are not terms that are used to classify treatment categories. I suspect these are terms that the insurance company has applied to their policy and so it's down to their interpretation. It is likely that they would put bridges under major but they could put crowns under either depending on how they are weighting the cover that that they are prepared to offer.

The only way that you can get an accurate answer here is to ask the company providing the cover directly.

Hope this helps

Minor restorative treatment are fillings and root canals. Major treatment are high cost procedures like crowns, bridges, inlays, partials, and dentures.

Your Gold Teeth by Steely Dan BA: Veddy Freeky BBQA: Doctor