Does Insurance Cover Wisdom Teeth Removal
Yes, most insurance plans will cover wisdom teeth removal as long as the procedure is for non-cosmetic reasons. Generally, having wisdom teeth removed is for a medical function (non-cosmetic), otherwise the dentist would leave them in place.
Insurance companies will generally cover any non-cosmetic procedures because they can pose a real medical issue. Oftentimes, if a medical issue goes unchecked, it can cause more issues and cost more money down the road. As a result, insurance companies will generally cover medical procedures, such as root canals or Invisalign.
However, you should always confirm with your specific provider and plan. This is true for most dental plans, but only your provider can tell you if wisdom teeth removal is covered.
Now that you know the quick answer to your question regarding wisdom teeth and insurance, the rest of the article will go into more detail regarding the procedure and other important things you should know.
Why are Wisdom Teeth Removed
Nearly everyone has wisdom teeth, however they are generally removed for medical reasons. Wisdom teeth used to serve an important evolutionary function in the mouth, but these days they just get in the way.
The larger teeth in the back can cause overcrowding, grinding, and lead to other dental related issues such as overbites or underbites. As a result, most dentists will recommend removing them. It is 100% safe and effective to remove wisdom teeth. In fact, if they aren’t removed is when you can expect to have dental related issues.
Typically, wisdom teeth are removed when they start to pose a problem. That happens when the wisdom teeth fully grow into your mouth, which can affect the rest of your teeth. For much of the population, that happens in their teenage years. That’s why you probably had classmates who would take a few days off in highschool to get their teeth removed.
For others, the issue might appear later in life, such as in their 20s or 30s. At that point, they would likely get their wisdom teeth removed. If you haven’t had your wisdom teeth removed by your 30s, it’s unlikely you will need to get them removed at all since they didn’t cause any issues like overcrowding.
And sometimes, people are born without wisdom teeth at all. This is fairly rare in the population, but sometimes it happens and in that case, no procedure needs to be done. The rest of the teeth can grow in just fine without any issues.
How are Wisdom Teeth Removed
If you need to get your wisdom teeth removed, you will need to get surgery. Surgery often brings up the idea of cutting you open, but in this case, it’s not as drastic.
The dentist will typically put you under anesthesia or numb your mouth up. After he’s confirmed that you can’t feel anything, the dentist will take dental pliers and pull your wisdom teeth out one by one. If the teeth are in good shape and there’s no major issues, the procedure will be done within an hour and you won’t feel a thing.
A patient has the option of anesthesia or a numbing agent and shouldn’t feel any pain or discomfort when having their wisdom teeth removed.
Sometimes the wisdom teeth can become impacted, which means they can’t easily be pulled out of your mouth. In that case, the dentist will have to break apart the tooth inside your gums and then take the pieces out one-by-one. This is albeit more complex, but still a completely safe and effective procedure to remove wisdom teeth.
Because it is surgery, you have the choice to get anesthesia or just get numbed up. You won’t feel any pain in either scenario, but some people prefer to be completely knocked out (anesthesia) so they can’t hear or see anything that’s happening. While getting numbed you won’t feel anything except slight pressure, but you can still see and hear everything. And for some people, that’s too much.
Conclusion
Wisdom teeth removal is a time tested and important medical procedure for millions of people. If not taken care of when appropriate, incoming wisdom teeth can cause issues with overcrowding and grinding, leading to more issues later on.
Luckily, the wisdom teeth can be removed and this procedure is generally covered by any dental insurance plan. You should always check with your specific provider if the procedure is covered. However, since it is generally medically necessary, it should be covered.
The process for having wisdom teeth removed is fairly straightforward and should be absolutely painless. You may experience some during and afterwards, but the pain should be minimal if there were no major issues in the procedure.
