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If you have a hard time understanding your dental insurance plan, particularly the treatments and services it covers, you’re not alone. That’s why Drs. Manzoli, Russo, Pauk, Desrosiers, Sahakyants and our team have put together a cheat sheet to help you through them.

It’s common for patients to get lost in the morass of the terms and phrases that surface when you’re dealing with a dental insurance plan. Knowing the commonly used terms can help speed up the process and enable you to get the most out of your coverage.

Common Terms

Annual Maximum: The most your policy will pay per year for care at Central New England Endodontics and Implantology. It is often divided into cost per individual or per family.

Co-payment: Typically, a small amount the patient has to pay at the time of service before receiving care, and before the insurance pays for any portion of it.

Covered Services: A list of all the treatments, services, and procedures the insurance policy will cover fully under your contract.

Deductible: An amount you must pay out of pocket each year before the insurance company will contribute for any treatments or procedures. The amount can vary according to your plan.

Diagnostic Services: A category of treatments or procedures that most insurance plans will cover before the deductible, which may mean services that occur during preventive appointments with Drs. Manzoli, Russo, Pauk, Desrosiers, Sahakyants, including X-rays or general screenings.

Exclusions: Dental services not covered under a dental benefit program.

In-Network: An insurance company will usually cover a larger portion of the cost of the care if you see an in-network provider for treatment.

Out-of-Network: If you visit someone who is not a part of your provider’s network, the insurance company may pay for a portion of the care, but you will be responsible for a significantly larger share out of your pocket.

Lifetime Maximum: The most that an insurance plan will pay toward care for an individual or family over the entire life of the patient(s).

Limitations: A list of all the procedures the insurance policy does not cover. Coverage may limit the timing or frequency of a specific treatment or procedure, or exclude some treatments altogether.

Member/Insured/Covered Person/Beneficiary/Enrollee:  A person who is eligible to receive benefits under an insurance plan.

Premium: The regular fee charged by third-party insurers and used to fund the dental plan.

Provider: Drs. Manzoli, Russo, Pauk, Desrosiers, Sahakyants or other oral-health specialist who provides treatment.

Waiting Period: A specified amount of time that the patient must be enrolled with an insurance plan before it will pay for certain treatments.

It’s essential to understand the various insurance options available to you. Knowing what your insurance covers can save you major costs in the future.

Drs. Manzoli, Russo, Pauk, Desrosiers, Sahakyants and our dental staff hope this list of terms will help you understand your dental insurance plan better. Be sure to review your plan and ask any questions you may have about your policy the next time you visit our Worcester office.

Fortunately, most of our dental work is fairly straightforward. You have an exam and a cleaning, or a cavity gets filled, or a crown might be used to protect a fragile tooth. But sometimes, a more complex dental problem affects one of your molars. In this case, it could be the right time to call in an endodontist like Drs. Manzoli, Russo, Pauk, Desrosiers, Sahakyants—a dental professional skilled in saving at-risk teeth.

Endodontists have two or more years of specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of the inner tooth and the tissue surrounding it. An endodontist has the knowledge and experience to treat complex molar issues, and modern endodontics provides a number of options to protect the health and appearance of your natural teeth even when they have suffered an injury.

The inside of each tooth contains the vital (living) pulp, which includes blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. Once the pulp has suffered injury or infection, a root canal is almost always necessary to save the tooth. The bone and connective tissue surrounding the tooth can also suffer trauma or infection.

In the case of serious molar trauma or infection that goes beyond root canal treatment, Drs. Manzoli, Russo, Pauk, Desrosiers, Sahakyants might be able to save part or even most of your tooth with endodontic surgery. Two of the surgical procedures which can save such a molar are hemisection and bicuspidization.

When might an endodontist consider hemisection or bicuspidization?

• A root canal is a common endodontic procedure in which the damaged pulp is removed, and the tooth is cleaned, shaped, and sealed. Sometimes, though, an infection persists. In this case, part of the tooth might be removed to save the remaining natural tooth.
• When a traumatic vertical fracture occurs, a tooth is split from top to bottom. Depending on the location of the fracture, part of the tooth may be saved with surgical intervention.
• Serious decay or injury can damage a limited area of the tooth, while leaving another part of the tooth intact. Surgery can save the healthy part of the tooth.
• When periodontitis (serious gum disease) attacks the bone around the roots, severe bone loss can take place between the roots or around a single root. Surgery might be necessary to repair the damage.

In each of these procedures, the goal of Drs. Manzoli, Russo, Pauk, Desrosiers, Sahakyants is to preserve as much of your molar as possible. How is this done?

• Hemisection

In a hemisection, the injured tooth is split into two parts, and the part of the crown and the root that cannot be restored are removed. The remaining healthy crown area and root will be cleaned and treated, and a temporary crown will be put in place to protect the tooth. A permanent crown will then be designed to custom-fit the tooth.

• Bicuspidization

In this procedure, the damaged tooth is separated into two parts, each with a crown section and a root. The divided portions are cleaned and shaped, and temporary crowns will protect each section. A custom crown or crowns will be needed to cover and protect each segment of the tooth.

Why should you consider a hemisection or a bicuspidization? These procedures are alternatives to tooth extraction, and allow Drs. Manzoli, Russo, Pauk, Desrosiers, Sahakyants to preserve as much of your natural tooth as possible. While an implant or a bridge is certainly an option, we always prefer saving your natural teeth. If your dental problem involves the inner tooth or the tissue around it, ask us about your treatment options when you visit our Worcester office. It’s not only worth your while—it’s worth your smile!

What Is an endodontist?

If you have been to the dentist lately, you may have been directed to Drs. Manzoli, Russo, Pauk, Desrosiers, Sahakyants for additional care. You may be asking, “What exactly is an endodontist?” The answer is pretty simple: An endodontist is a dental specialist who has completed two or more extra years of specialty training in endodontics (which is the field of dentistry that focuses on root canals), as well as the four basic years of dental school. Put simply, an endodontist is a root canal specialist. If you have been referred to an endodontist, you are probably in need of special root canal treatment.

What exactly does an endodontist do?

An endodontist is able to perform all kinds of root canal therapy. Because of their extensive training, endodontists, like Drs. Manzoli, Russo, Pauk, Desrosiers, Sahakyants, can do routine root canals, complex root canals, retreatments, endodontic surgery, and more. Endodontists concentrate on these types of treatments, and therefore possess extensive experience performing root canals and other root procedures.

What are the benefits of seeing an endodontist?

While many regular dentists are capable of performing root canals, there are added benefits to seeing an endodontist when you have root problems with your teeth. The endodontist can give you more precise, specialized care, which typically means less pain and stronger teeth in the future. Some of the many benefits of seeing an endodontist include:

• Advanced anesthesia: If you are nervous about experiencing pain during your root canal, most endodontists offer more advanced forms of anesthesia than regular dentists. Whether it is general or local anesthesia, an endodontist can ensure your comfort during the procedure.
• Cosmetics: Endodontists can generally help you avoid an extraction and save your natural tooth. Fake teeth can be painful and costly, and sometimes less attractive. If you are interested in saving your natural teeth, an endodontist can help.
• Comfort after the procedure: Because of the advanced methods used by endodontists, the recovery time for your root canal will most likely be shorter and less painful than if you had received the same treatment from a general dentistry practice.
• Better long-term results: Seeing an endodontist can help you prevent future problems. Because of the precise care that an endodontist puts into root canal treatment, you are less likely to experience the same problems with that tooth in the future.

In terms of time, money, and comfort, there are many benefits to seeing an endodontist. If you are in need of a root canal, consider calling our Worcester office to schedule an appointment. We're looking forward to answering all of your questions and helping you achieve your optimal oral health here at Central New England Endodontics and Implantology!

Convertible or sedan? Downtown or suburbs? Electric or manual toothbrush? As life decisions go, it’s certainly not choosing your next car, or deciding where you want to live. But, even when you are selecting a toothbrush, it helps to make a list of the pros and cons of the contenders before you make that final selection.

• Efficiency

The most important factor in choosing a toothbrush is finding out which model works best to eliminate bacteria and plaque. And studies have shown that, used properly, both electric and manual toothbrushes do a great job of removing plaque. Some electric models can reach the backs of teeth and the gumline more easily, some manual head designs work better for your individual mouth and teeth, so your particular needs should dictate which style of toothbrush you use. Talk to us about the best methods to brush with your preferred toothbrush, and we’ll let you know if one type of toothbrush or the other might work better for you.

• Health Considerations

Brushing too energetically can actually harm teeth and gums, causing sensitivity and damage to the enamel and gum tissue. An electric toothbrush should provide a continuous brushing motion without needing any pressure from the brusher. This might be the model for you if you have a too-vigorous approach to brushing, or sensitive teeth and gums.

An electric toothbrush can also be more efficient for older and younger brushers, those with limited mobility, and those with health conditions or injuries that make brushing with a regular toothbrush more difficult.

• Cost

An electric toothbrush is not a one-time investment. You should change the removable head as often as you change your manual toothbrush (every three to four months, please). But this cost is offset if an electric toothbrush is more efficient in removing your plaque, easier to use, or even if you just prefer it to manual brushing. If you find that you brush better and more often with an electric toothbrush, the added expense is well worth it.

Whichever brush you decide on, the most important part of the brush is the person holding it! A regular appointment with your toothbrush for two minutes of thorough brushing in the morning and two in the evening, daily flossing, and regular visits to our office for checkups and cleanings will keep your teeth healthy and strong no matter which toothbrush you choose.

Questions about your toothbrush choices? Don’t hesitate to ask Drs. Manzoli, Russo, Pauk, Desrosiers, Sahakyants at our Worcester office.