Question: Up till now I been paying cash for any dental need that came up. But I like to start seeing my dentist regularly for my check up and cleaning. Therefore I am looking for a dental insurance plan that will let me stay with my own dentist and not have to be picking one in their plan in order to use it.

Answer: The you may want to review our dental PPO plan options as they will provide benefits for you to go out of the plan network of provides. We also provide in most states Indemnity plans. Indemnity insurance plans have no network of providers you just go to whatever dentist you wish to go to.

What Are Canines: Canines are the teeth located distal to the lateral incisors. These teeth form the corners of the mouth. There are two canines in the maxillary arch and two canines in the mandibular arch. These teeth are responsible for tearing food particles when chewing.

Question: I want to stay with our family dentist but his office does not accept anything other then PPO insurance plans. I am okay with getting a dental PPO plans and have been reviewing the PPO options you provide on this website. However what I do not like are the waiting periods. Are waiting periods common in PPO plans? Or is there some way around them.

Answer: Generally PPO plans will have waiting periods common waiting periods are as follows:

• No waiting periods for preventive dental care
• Six months waiting period for Basic dental care needs (such as fillings)
• One year waiting period for Major dental care needs (such as crowns)

However waiting periods will very depending on the plan. There are some PPO insurance plans that do not have waiting periods. Such as the Madison National with the 1000 maximum limitation. (check to see if that plan is available in your state on our website)

A few dental PPO plans will wave their waiting periods but only if you have a current PPO plan in place for longer then their waiting periods. Though even then there may be some restrictions.

What is an Incisors: Incisors are the four front teeth in the mouth. They are located in both the maxillary and mandibular arches. The two center teeth are known as central incisors and the teeth on either side of them are known as lateral incisors. All of these teeth are responsible for cutting or biting food. They act like scissors.

Question: I have a dental PPO insurance plan and live in NY. I would like to know how do I know what the plans UCR fees are before having the dental services render because I keep getting hit by additional UCR cost (that I do not always have the money for) that I am unaware of at the time I have the dental service.

Answer: In order to budget dental service under a PPO plan and to avoid UCR or at least know what those charges would be a head of time, you must first have your dentist submit a claim quote only. If your dentist submits a claim as a quote only to your insurance company before starting the dental services, your insurance company will then be able to provide you with the amount they will pay on the services prior to you having the done. This way you will know the dollar amount of what you will be responsible for. Normally this is done for any dental services that exceeds $300.00. Just talk to your dentist and let him/her know this is how you like to have things done in the future.

Each tooth in the mouth contains four different tissues, each has a different function. Your teeth are made up of two major parts: the crown and the root. The crown of the tooth is what is visible in your mouth. The root of the tooth is the portion which normally not visible in your mouth and is anchored within the bone. Within each tooth, the four different tissues that are present are the enamel, the dentin, the pulp and the cementum.

• Enamel: The tooth enamel makes up the protective outer surface of the crown of the tooth.
• Dentin: Dentin makes up the majority of the inner surface of the tooth. It can’t normally be seen except on x-rays.
• Pulp: The pulp is the area inside the tooth that holds the nerves and blood vessels of the tooth. It is in the center of the tooth and is in both the crown and the root of the tooth.
• Cementum: Makes up the outer surface of the root of the tooth, and it is much softer than enamel.

Looking for a Dental Under a Dental HMO Plan.

Question: I am on a fixed income and can not afford a dental PPO insurance plan at this time. Therefore I am looking into HMO dental insurance plans. However, since I am new to having to pick a plan provider is there any advise you can provide so I choose a good dentist.

Answer: When having to choose a dentist in a network provide plan like a dental HMO her are a few tips you may want to keep in mind

1) Call the providers listed and confirm they are still accepting the plan and new members.

2) Confirm anything that is important to you but keep it simple. Such as hours of operation, how far booked up are they, do they do the type of dental services you are looking for. You may want to ask if they have their own website so you can review detail information about their practice. However avoid questions such as “how much is it to fix my broken tooth” They are not going to know that type of question without first seeing you and examining your tooth.

3) I suggest making sure the plan you are reviewing has more then just one dental office as a provider in your area(or how ever far you are willing to travel). You want a dental HMO plan that has at least three or more dental offices so if you what to change dental office you will be able to do so.

4) If you want to know more about the dental office in question try reviewing online review sites such as Yelp or Angie’s list

HMO insurance plans are normally the more affordable and budget friendly dental insurance option. However they only really work if there is a dentist in their network you want to go to. So taking the time to talk to and review the dental providers in the plan network of providers is worth doing. The more you like your dentist the more likely you will be to maintain your dental health care.

As humans, we have two sets of teeth (primary and permanent) during our lifetime. Many people referred to them as our baby teeth and adult teeth

• Primary Dentition: Is our first set of teeth. These are often referred to as baby teeth. There are 20 teeth in the primary dentition. Even though we do not keep our primary teeth they play a key role in our dental development. So just like adult teeth it is very important to take care of our primary teeth.
• Permanent Dentition: Is our second set of teeth. These are often referred to as adult teeth. There are 32 teeth in the permanent dentition. Our adult teeth are meant to last our live time, and generally speaking if proper dental habits and care is given you should have no problems maintaining and keeping your adult teeth.

Question: I have a 13 year old son that need some dental care but I do not have any dental insurance in force. Since I am not looking for dental care for myself can I buy a dental HMO insurance plan for just my son?

Answer: That would really depend on the plan you are reviewing some dental HMO plans will let you buy a plan for a minor only where other will required you to have at least one adult listed as head of household. Forcing you to buy at least a couple plan for you and your minor son. I would suggest buying a couple plan if you also do not have dental insurance the cost different between a couple and an individual plan on an HMO is generally not large normally around $10.00 – $15.00 more a month. Your dental health care is also important and you should see a dentist for at least your preventive care.

With most HMO plans preventive services are free to little cost to the member. However if you have any questions about the different dental insurance plan options we provide on our web site please call our member services at 310-534-3444 as we will be happy to help walk you though our plans so that you can pick the right plan and coverage for you and or your son.

Understanding some terms that define locations on and around the teeth. Sometimes dentist will use terms that we may not know or understand when they are talking about one or more of our teeth. There are several terms that that are used, that help to define locations on and around the teeth. These terms are used often to refer to specific areas of the mouth when describing conditions there. Here is a list of some of those terms.

     * Posterior: Towards the back of the mouth.
    * Anterior: Towards the front of the mouth
    * Mesial: Towards the midline of the mouth.
    * Distal: Away from the midline of the mouth
    * Buccal: Any area on the cheek side of the teeth
    * Lingual: Any area on the tongue side of the teeth
    * Facial: Any area on the cheek or lip side of the teeth. Is often used interchangeably with buccal but mostly in the anterior portion of the mouth.
    * Palatal: Any area on the tongue side of the maxillary teeth
    * Occlusal: Any area on the chewing surfaces of back teeth.
    * Incisal: Any area on the biting surfaces of the front teeth.

The healthcare industry believes there is a high correlation between heart attack, stroke, diabetes, bone loss and lung disease and your oral health. By taking proper care of your oral health you also help to prevent other overall health issues. See your dentist at least twice a year for your regular dental check ups

Did you know that gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults? Yet it is also highly preventable and reversible when treated by a dental professional. See your dentist regularly in order to maintain good dental health. Have dental insurance in place in order to maintain lower cost for your dental care need

Statistics reveal that one person dies every hour from oral cancer, and that number is increasing. However did you know that your dentist can help identify oral cancer early so treatment can begin fast to improve the prognosis. In addition people that have dental insurance are more likely to visit their dentist regularly. Make sure to see your dentist at least twice a year and to save money on your dental care needs make sure to have a good dental insurance plan.

It is important to know how dental insurance works and how it help you save money. Here are a few facts to think about when buying dental insurance so you buy the right plan for you and or you and your family.

1) Dental insurance is not designed to pay 100% of all dental services render. Dental insurance is designed to help aid you in the cost of dental services, there by making dental care more affordable.

2) Not all dental insurance coverages are the same. Some plans pay out by percentages up to UCR whereas other plans provide a fee schedule for dental services covered, stating the amount you pay for each service. It is up to you to read the plans terms and conditions to understand the plans benefits.

3) Generally PPO’s or Indemnity insurance plans base their coverages by percentages up to UCR rates. Such as 80% paid for basic dental services up to what is Usual, Customary & Reasonable. UCR is the common term for fee guidelines insurance companies use to pay claims. UCR guidelines were put in place to help control dental inflation. Generally with PPOs plans when you stay with in the plans network of providers you have a lower risk of having UCR fees.

4) Most dental insurance plans provide coverages for routine dental services. However that is not always the case when it comes to cosmetic dental care treatment. If you are wanting cosmetic dental care make sure the dental insurance plan you are buying covers those types of dental services or you may want to review dental discount plans that can provide up to 20% off cosmetic dental care services.

In order to reduce your risk of chipping or cracking your teeth you want avoid munching on ice or hard candies, grinding or clenching teeth, and using your teeth as tools to hold or open items. Even exposing teeth to heat and cold can lead to chips, cracks, and breaks in your teeth. Tiny chips or cracks may not be a bother. But anything more could lead to pain or permanent tooth damage. Your dentist can offer dental bonding, tooth contouring, porcelain veneers, and crowns to fix badly damaged teeth.

A few symptoms of oral cancer could be, mouth sore that does not go away. Unexplained numbness in the face, mouth, or neck. Problems chewing, speaking or swallowing. Causes of oral cancer, can include smoking cigarettes and using smokeless tobacco, drinking heavily, overexposure to the sun, and a family history of cancer.

Oral cancer has also been linked to the human papillomavirus, or HPV. Do not let fear keep you from the doctor, oral cancer that is caught early is treatable and curable. Often times your dentist will also look for any signs of oral cancer when you have your regular dental checks. Just another good reason to make sure to make and keep your regular dental appointments.