Will Dental Insurance Pay for My Night Guard?

We don’t always understand it either – and by it, I mean your dental insurance policy.

A night guard or occlusal guard is a custom-made appliance that your dentist may recommend when it appears that severe wear due to bruxing and grinding is occurring. While the cost of a night guard is generally ¼ to ½ the fee for a single crown, insurance plans rarely will cover the cost.

“This makes no sense,” says Natalie, the financial coordinator at Hemet Valley Dental Care, your dental office in Hemet California. “We know that by providing patients with night guards we are saving them and the insurance companies money. Teeth that are broken many times have occurred due to bruxing and clenching. The fact that we can reduce the number of broken teeth by the wearing of a simple appliance means savings.”

“The only time we sometimes see insurance companies pay for night guards is when the clenching and bruxing has now impacted the tooth’s stability – this means the periodontal ligament is now impacted.”

While it would be nice if dental insurance companies paid for custom night guards, know that as a patient you will still be ahead of the financial game if you pay in full for your appliance.

“One less crowned tooth more than covers the cost,” adds Natalie. “And it also means better dentistry for you, the patient.”