Implants


	[The College] [The Center]


		*Implant Question 1: Are Implants `Experimental'?*

	*Why are implants which have been done for many years still considered "experimental" and therefore not covered by some dental plans?*




	You have asked a question that is both dental and insurance-related. First, dental implants are not experimental they are a routine part of modern dental practice and are taught at all dental schools. In the health insurance industry, "experimental" is a term of art that refers to a treatment that is (almost always) more expensive than previously used alternative treatments and are relatively new. Since health insurance contracts exclude coverage of "experimental treatments", it is clearly in the interests of the insurer to categorize a new, expensive procedure as "experimental". Because implants cost much more than alternative prosthetic treatments, any insurance plan that covers implants routinely will be substantially more expensive for both employer and employee. I am unaware of any dental insurance plan that provides such coverage. Jay D. Shulman, DMD, MSPH Associate Professor Department of Public Health Sciences



		*Implant Question 2: Implants to replace poor-fitting dentures?*

		I have had dentures for about 2 years. I can not eat with them, I gag all the time, I can't talk correctly, and my personality has changed for the worst. I am 42, single and work, however I do not make much money. Is there an aid program of any kind that will help me get implants. I would truly appreciate it if you could steer me in the right direction. Thank you.

This person's inquiry only gives us a partial picture of the situation, and this makes it hard to be very specific when responding. Since the dentures are only two years old, I would first suggest that s/he return to the dentist who made them with these complaints. If this is not feasible or is not helpful, s/he probably should seek a second opinion (cost is $16 for this at BCD).

A person of this age, edentulous for only two years, is more likely to need the dentures adjusted or remade than to need implants, I would think. If implants are needed, there is no source of aid for this other than TX Rehabilitation Commission, and they have a history of funding very few implant cases. To qualify for acceptance as a TX Rehab client, employment would need to have been delayed, interrupted, or stopped due to a physical or psychological problem, and the client's goal must be to be gainfully employed or to improve employment status.

Leeanna Bartlett
Director Social Services
Dept. of Public Health Sciences

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