Covering Your Dental Implants with a Health Savings Account

| February 17, 2015

dental implants

Health Savings Accounts, or HSAs, can cover many of your medical bills. But when it comes to dental work, what is and isn’t covered by an HSA can be confusing. If you are in need of dental implants, paying for them with an HSA can be a good option.

What Are Dental Implants?

A dental implant is a replacement root for one or more of your teeth. They are used to support permanent or removable surfaces, such as crowns, bridges or dentures.

There are a number of benefits of dental implants, including improvements to:

  • Appearance
  • Speech
  • Eating
  • Oral health
  • Durability
  • Convenience

 

Dental implants are designed to the need of the patient. The implant is bonded to the jaw bone, and is then used as a base for a replacement tooth or dentures.

Are Dental Implants Expensive?

Due to their strength (they can last the rest of your life), and the skill involved in installing them, dental implants can be costly.

Single implants can range from $1,500 to $7,500, depending on where they are placed, the number of teeth replaced, and other factors.

However, implants have a very high success rate. There’s a good chance you will end up spending more money on your teeth in the long run by avoiding treatment.

How Will I Pay for Dental Implants?

Often times, dental implants are not covered by dental insurance plans, but they can be covered by an HSA.

HSAs are owned by you, not an insurance company. They are usually not subject to federal income tax, and are used with high deductible health plans.

Once the HSA covers your deductible, the plan kicks in. HSAcenter.com lists some advantages of using an HSA:

  • Tax-deductible contributions
  • Tax-free withdrawals
  • Tax-deferred interest
  • Unused money is kept by you

 

HSAs work well for the self-employed, and can cost less than other plans. Check with your employer to see if you qualify for an HSA.

How Else Can I Pay for Dental Implants?

Even if your dental plan won’t cover implants, there are still other options you can try.

At Grandview Dental Care, we offer an in-office dental savings plan, Quality Dental Plan, which can help you get the care you need with no deductibles or monthly premiums.

Another option is to call your state dental society, which may be able to point you to other groups that can help with your costs.

Grandview Dental Care also offers our patients the CareCredit Card. This is a credit card designed to help you pay for the treatments you need, when you need them, and pay for them at low monthly payments.

Plans come in a range of no-interest and extended payment plans, for fees from $1 to over $25,000. More details on the CareCredit Card can be found here.

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