Porcelain veneers are one of the most popular modern options for improving the appearance of your smile. They’re often used to correct discolored teeth; however, they’re also a long-term solution for issues beyond discoloration, such as:
- Protecting weak teeth
- Correcting tooth shape and size
- Filling in gaps
- Correcting small misalignments
- Strengthening tooth function
Suffice it to say, veneers are also expensive. Luckily, your dental insurance may be able to mitigate the costs — if you’re a good candidate, that is. Keep reading to learn more about how much porcelain veneers cost with insurance and in which instances your insurance will provide coverage for them.
How Much Do Porcelain Veneers Cost?
The cost of porcelain veneers varies based on a variety of factors, including your dentist’s pricing. According to the Consumer Guide to Dentistry, however, porcelain veneers will cost you anywhere between $925 and $2,500 per tooth.
Of course, it’s important to note that porcelain veneers are not your only option. Composite-resin veneers are the less expensive alternative to porcelain, costing between $250 and $1,500 per tooth.
Both porcelain and composite-resin veneers have their advantages and disadvantages, but choosing between the two comes down to your dental professional’s recommendation. Aside from the cost, the greatest difference between porcelain and composite veneers is how long they’ll last — which is important for you to consider for your immediate and long-term budget.
Porcelain veneers will last between 15 and 20 years with proper care and maintenance while resin veneers typically only last between five and seven years. Considering the cost of both porcelain veneers and resin veneers without insurance, it’s essential to consider how far your investment will go.
When Does Insurance Cover the Cost of Veneers?
The reasons people have for wanting or needing porcelain veneers vary. When it comes to dental insurance, however, your reasoning for needing porcelain veneers will make all the difference regarding what your policy will and won’t cover.
Typically dental insurance won’t cover cosmetic dentistry — just like regular health insurance won’t cover elective cosmetic procedures. However, some insurance providers offer what is known as a rider plan (or, add-on) that extends to cosmetic dentistry.
Ultimately, it all comes down to:
- Whether or not you have a medically necessary reason to get veneers
- Whether or not you have a plan that includes cosmetic dentistry
Therefore, there’s no single answer, especially because each insurance provider is different.
First, let’s take a look at the difference between medically necessary and cosmetic:
Medically necessary:
- When there’s decay due to dental disease
- When there’s been an accident or injury
- After bite mechanics
- To replace missing teeth (under certain circumstances)
- When your teeth are broken or chipped
- If you have Tetracycline stains, fluoride stains, acid reflux wear, Celiac Disease, Enamel Hypoplasia
Depending on your situation, you may need to have your dentist write a letter of medical necessity to support your need for veneers if you need to restore tooth enamel damaged by an accident, prescription drugs, or an illness.
Cosmetic preference:
- When you want to fill in gaps
- Stained teeth due to coffee, wine, or tobacco
- If you wish to change the shape and length of your teeth
- If you want to adjust minor misalignments
If you’re simply looking to enhance the aesthetics of your smile rather than correct an injury, decay, or have a medical need, then the procedure will be considered cosmetic only — which means you’ll be paying out of pocket.
What You Can Expect From Different Insurance Providers
Medical necessities for veneers aside, the type of coverage you can get for veneers will depend entirely on your insurance provider. We’ve broken it down by the three main insurance categories to give you an idea of who covers what in the dental world:
Medicaid
Medicaid may cover porcelain veneers depending on where you live — as in, which state and their rules for the coverage. Each state determines the benefits offered, and essentially, two sets of rules apply:
- Restorative and oral care for adults. This spans across 33 states and works similarly to regular dental insurance
- Extended healthcare coverage. Medicaid also works like regular health insurance country-wide, which means treatment extends to other parts of the body, depending on the individual’s condition
This means that Medicaid may pay for your veneers if you have Celiacs Disease country-wide, but in 33 states, they’ll only cover your veneers after a biting accident or injury.
Dental Insurance
Your regular dental insurance is most likely willing to cover your veneers as they offer plans specifically focused on oral health issues. Generally speaking, your dental insurance provider will likely include two types of benefits, such as:
- Medically necessary dental veneers
- Cosmetic dental rider plans to cover aesthetic needs
As mentioned above, it all depends on your insurance provider, so it’s important to read through your policy carefully. Keep in mind that cosmetic dental plans are technically not considered insurance as they aren’t designed to protect you financially from unforeseen events such as accidents, tooth decay, or tooth loss due to a medical condition.
Regular Health Insurance
Your regular health insurance policy may also cover dental veneers — but only if it deems the procedure as medically necessary and under a very strict definition of that. This would include:
- Accidents (excluding biting accidents)
- Certain diseases
- Treatments considered integral to other included services
The standard for regular health insurance is much higher compared to dental insurance because health insurance coverage tends to stop at the inside of the mouth. It doesn’t matter that the teeth and gums are a critical part of the body; your veneers would have to be connected to another covered service in the eyes of your insurance provider for the coverage.
For example, if you break your jaw in an accident that results in broken teeth, you’ll likely get veneer coverage. However, broken teeth caused by decay will not be covered.
How Much Do Porcelain Veneers Cost With Insurance?
How much coverage you get for your porcelain veneers will depend entirely on your insurance provider, the type of insurance you’re trying to use for coverage, your deductible, and how many teeth you need them for.
On average, the cost of veneers — per tooth — with dental insurance is roughly $1,000. However, you can end up paying more (or less) depending on the type of veneers you get.
Porcelain veneers with insurance can cost you anywhere between $800 and $1,312 as they’re the more expensive option. However, you can expect them to cost around $1,500 per tooth on average with regular dental coverage.
In the Market For Porcelain Veneers?
There’s no way around it — porcelain veneers are considerably expensive. However, they’re a worthwhile long-term investment if you need to correct more than just discoloration. If you have a medical reason for needing veneers but have gaps in your insurance coverage, it’s a good idea to speak with your dental professional about special financing plans to help you afford what your insurance won’t cover.
At Wayzata Dental, we’re adding more and more insurance companies to our roster every day to help our patients. We’ll also work with you to find alternative solutions or create a payment plan to make life easier for you. Give us a call today!