Some people who want their teeth to look more perfect might be able to go through a few rounds of tooth whitening and end up with a winning smile, but cosmetic dentistry also goes a lot deeper. Despite the fact that most cosmetic dental procedures are completely elective, quite a few oral afflictions might be covered under a dental or health insurance plan.

If your misaligned teeth cause you jaw pain or your teeth have deteriorated so much that you require a permanent tooth replacement system, you should ask your dentist if a claim can be submitted to your insurance provider. Find out if any of these four cosmetic dentistry procedures may be deemed as medically necessary, leaving you with few out of pocket costs.

1. Permanent Tooth Replacement - Generally, if you lose a tooth here or there, you will more than likely be a good candidate for a bridge. On the other hand, bridges are not the only viable option for people requiring permanent replacement teeth. Dental implantation might be considered to be a cosmetic dentistry procedure, but there are some circumstances in which insurance companies will pay for patients to get dental implants as well as bone grafts to anchor them into. 

2. Overbite Correction And Jaw Re-positioning -  Having an overbite isn't anything to get hung up about, but it can signal that your upper and lower jaw isn't aligning correctly. Since crooked smiles and teeth can be corrected via jaw re-positioning to fix a severe under or overbite, this type of cosmetic dentistry procedure is actually covered by medical insurance companies on a regular basis.

3. Ceramic Dental Crowns - If a tooth has eroded, become chipped, or needs a large filling, a ceramic crown is usually placed over it to keep it as healthy as possible. Some people experience decaying tooth enamel because of medical reasons, making them eligible for coverage under their standard health insurance plans. Learn if others with similar medical conditions have been able to have their teeth capped with ceramic crowns without it being considered to be an elective cosmetic dentistry service.

4. Braces And Invisalign - Most tooth misalignment issues require little more than an orthodontic procedure to be fully remedied. This includes fixing gap teeth and making space for permanent teeth to properly grow in. If you have undergone any corrective procedures to realign your jaws or aid with serious problem related to oral function, the full price of your next set of braces may be a cost that your insurance company will pay for.