{"id":13413,"date":"2026-10-13T14:57:07","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T20:57:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.integrityfamilydentist.com\/blog\/?p=13413"},"modified":"2026-11-10T14:59:01","modified_gmt":"2026-11-10T21:59:01","slug":"insurance-gum-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.integrityfamilydentist.com\/blog\/insurance-gum-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"I Have Unused Dental Insurance Benefits; Can They Help Prevent Gum Disease?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Gum disease is a sinister threat to your oral and overall health, and it’s best to prevent it by practicing excellent oral hygiene and receiving regular dental care. Many people use dental insurance<\/a> to make necessary oral health services more affordable, and the benefits associated with these plans do not usually carry over from one year to the next. Here’s a quick look at how dental insurance policies work and how you can make the most of the coverage you pay for by preventing or treating gum disease.<\/p>

How Does Dental Insurance Work?<\/h2>

Most dental insurance policies cover routine preventive care such as checkups, cleanings, and X-rays by 100% since these services can keep clients healthy and rates low by negating the need for more costly restorative work. However, insurance plans usually also cover restorative work such as gum disease treatment, fillings, crowns, and root canals by 50% to 80%.<\/p>

Most people with PPO plans have to meet a deductible before their policies will start paying for restorative care, and the deductible will reset at the beginning of the next year. Accordingly, it’s often best to receive necessary restorative work before the end of the year so it can qualify for coverage before the deductible resets again. Receiving needed gum disease treatment can prevent a worsening oral infection that will be more painful, destructive, and costly to treat later on.<\/p>

How Can My Dentist Treat Gum Disease?<\/h2>

If caught in its early stage called gingivitis, gum disease can usually be reversed with improved oral hygiene habits. However, advanced cases of gum disease called periodontitis will usually need to be resolved with scaling and root planing. This process typically takes two appointments scheduled about two weeks apart, and they usually go like this:<\/p>