Dental Implants are Perfect Option for Year-End Benefits
As the end of the year approaches, time is running out for anyone who plans to use their flexible spending or Health Savings Account funds in the dental office. These funds are pre-tax dollars that can be saved over the course of the year to help cover the cost of major medical and dental care, but will expire on December 31 if they have not been used. It is wise to use these savings plans to pay for dental procedures that would otherwise exceed your monthly budget or annual dental insurance benefits. Dental implants certainly fall into this category, as the procedure can cost thousands of dollars even after your dental insurance has paid. Many St. Augustine dentists welcome payments in the form of Flexible Spending or HSA accounts for dental implants.
Dental implants are permanent, artificial replacement teeth that can be used in the front or back of the mouth in healthy adults. Implants are often placed individually to replace individual teeth, but can also be incorporated into dental bridges and dentures to accommodate any number of missing teeth. Whether you’ve been without a tooth for many years or you are aware of a tooth that must be pulled in the near future, dental implants are still a smart option. Implants have been proven to prevent the teeth from shifting, reduce bone loss in the jaw, and improve your chewing ability. In a healthy adult, a dental implant should never need to be replaced and should only require minimal maintenance.
When you think about the cost of a dental implant, consider the cost of any related procedures such as tooth extractions, bone grafts, sinus lifts, custom abutments, and custom dental crowns. These charges are in addition to the cost of the titanium implant post which replaces the missing tooth root. Here’s where your flexible spending or HSA benefits are helpful. Most dental insurance plans are only designed to cover about $1000 of dental treatment each year, leaving you responsible for the difference. Why not use your pre-tax dollars to cover the remaining expenses?
Talk to a dentist in St. Augustine today for more advice on using your year-end benefits for dental implants.