I was born with a lack of tooth enamel. After wearing braces for the past two years, my teeth are finally straight, but they are blotchy. Will dental insurance pay for me to get my teeth whitened and then get composite bonding to hide the blotches? Thank you. Kasey

Kasey,

Thanks for your question. And congratulations on completing your treatment with braces!

 

What Causes Blotchy Teeth After Braces?

Blotchy teeth after wearing braces often result from a lack of brushing after eating while braces are on. It is good to keep a toothbrush handy if you wear braces. Wherever you are, after you eat, you can brush your teeth and prevent bacteria from collecting around your braces and damaging your tooth enamel.

 

Will Dental Insurance Pay for Tooth Enamel Repair After Braces?

Some dental insurance companies offer benefits toward tooth enamel repair. But they may not cover the full cost. Instead, they will pay for part of the repair. And an insurance company’s concern is that the results of your composite bonding are functional.

 

But after treatment with braces, you want your smile to look natural. And you probably want the composite bonding to match your teeth after they are whitened. Contact your dental insurance company to ask about benefits toward composite bonding to repair tooth enamel.

 

Will Dental Insurance Pay for Teeth Whitening?

Teeth whitening is a cosmetic treatment for appearance—not function—so your insurance company will not offer benefits for it. Still bleaching will enhance your straightened teeth after braces and show off your smile. So you might want to pay for it anyway. Your dentist may offer discounted whitening services or payment plans.

 

Regardless, only let your family dentist whiten your teeth and match dental bonding to it if they have advanced cosmetic dentistry training. You will get natural-looking results that you love.

Ryan Perry, DDS of Baton Rouge, sponsors this post.