What Are Basic Dental Services? 

Dental services can range from basic, commonly performed procedures to major dental services. However, we won’t be getting ahead of ourselves today since we will mainly be discussing basic dental services and what they entail. 

Additionally, if you need dental services and happen to be in Arlington Heights, IL, you can visit this website and schedule an appointment at Northwest Dental Group. Anyhow, let’s get right into discussing the matter at hand! 

Preventive and Basic Dental Services

Now, basic dental services usually involve procedures that are simple and commonly performed. That can also involve commonly done preventive procedures. With that in mind, we will discuss these two combined in this section since even though they’re often classified separately, they usually depend on each other a lot. 

Some basic preventive procedures are also diagnostic ones, for example, cleanings and x-rays. Basic preventive dental procedures serve the purpose of maintaining good oral health and identifying possible problems early on. Other standard dental services of this type include examinations, fluoride treatments, and tooth sealing. 

Basic dental services are a step up from preventive ones since they can also be restorative procedures that aim to fix already existing damage. These procedures, however, are pretty straightforward as dental services go, and they don’t involve any surgical aspects. 

Some common basic dental services that you’ve probably had at some point include diagnostic x-rays, fillings, simple extractions, emergency care for tooth or gum pains, root planing, periodontal scaling, and most cases of a root canal procedure. 

Major Dental Services 

Major dental services aren’t exactly a walk in the park. They are often complex procedures involving anesthesia, surgery, or orthodontic approaches. Commonly done major dental services include dental crowns, dental bridges, dental implants, tooth extractions, sedation or anesthesia, denture work, complex oral surgery, and orthodontic procedures. 

The Importance of Basic Dental Care 

It’s often said that prevention is the best medicine, and that’s usually the case. That’s why basic dental care is an excellent way to maintain good oral health and prevent problems. Also, basic dental care can deal with many problems before they even occur. It can prevent tooth decay and gum disease, which both lead to tooth loss in different ways. It can make your trips to the dentist’s office less frequent and much more pleasant, which in turn saves both time and money. 

For example, no tooth decay means no fillings and other such pricey procedures, which will undoubtedly be less stressful for your bank account. It also helps prevent bad breath and improves your hygiene, the look of your teeth, and your overall oral health. And, lastly, and most importantly, practicing basic dental care can increase the possibility of your teeth lasting you a lifetime. 

Things You Can Do to Prevent Dental Problems 

Basic dental care doesn’t end at the dentist’s office. In fact, practicing proper primary dental care should improve your habits at home as well. Some of the habits you can focus on include:

• Brushing your teeth at least twice a day, preferably in the morning and before you go to sleep
• Using a soft toothbrush with rounded-end bristles and a small enough head that can reach all of the parts of your teeth and your mouth.
• Using fluoride toothpaste
• Replacing your toothbrush every four months
• Properly placing the toothbrush when brushing your teeth. That means that you should ideally place it at a 45-degree angle, where your teeth and your gums meet. Then you can press firmly and brush in small circular motions.
• Brushing your tongue back to front.
• Brushing with swift back-and-forth strokes.
• Flossing daily.
• Scheduling dental cleanings and check-ups whenever you feel is necessary or whenever your dentist recommends it.
• Quitting smoking or using smokeless tobacco. 
• Eating a healthy diet and avoiding sugary and sticky foods.

Dental Insurance Coverage: Major vs. Basic Services Dental

Now, dental services of varying complexity are also priced differently. So, it’s also important to discuss in which ways these procedures are covered by dental insurance. 

Understandably, dental insurance plans may differ so you should inform yourself and make some proper calculations before scheduling your dental procedure of choice. But, to help you get a better idea of the whole situation, we can make some generalizations. 

So, the first thing you should know is that a basic coverage dental insurance plan will probably cover most preventive dental care services, as well as some essential services, such as fillings. However, while a basic dental insurance plan covers some things, it won’t cover everything. Procedures such as fluoride treatment, for example, usually aren’t covered by the basic plan. 

Full coverage plans are a bit tricky. They’re called full coverage, but despite their name, they don’t cover all the expenses. Instead, they simply offer better coverage than basic dental insurance plans. They tend to cover the majority of basic dental care services, and a portion of major restorative procedures, such as orthodontic treatments. Ž

What to Pay Attention to the Most

There are some things you should pay special attention to when shopping for a dental insurance plan, most notably, procedures that can be classified as both basic and major dental services. For example, a root canal or wisdom tooth extraction can be both a major and basic dental service. It all depends on your specific situation so you should always thoroughly examine your insurance plan before undergoing these procedures. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that not all insurance plans are created equal, some will cover certain services, and some simply won’t. Additionally, you should always see an in-network dentist since dental insurance doesn’t cover work done by out-of-network dentists. Lastly, you should always keep in mind that insurance coverage never actually pays for the whole thing, so be vary of the copays and deductibles when doing your calculations.