Accidents can happen anytime, anywhere. One moment you are enjoying a game of football with your friends, the next moment you are lying on the ground with tooth trauma or a dislocated jaw. Oro-dental trauma are common dental injuries that can have serious consequences on your oral health and overall well-being. While most people are aware of the immediate costs of such injuries, such as dental treatment and pain management, there are hidden costs that are often overlooked. We will discuss the hidden costs of oro-dental trauma and why medical insurance is crucial.

What is Oro-dental Trauma?

Oro-dental trauma refers to any injury that affects the teeth, gums, mouth, and jaws. This type of injury can be caused by various factors such as sports accidents, falls, car accidents, violence, and even dental procedures. The severity of oro-dental trauma can range from mild to severe, depending on the extent of the injury. Common types of oro-dental trauma include broken or chipped teeth, dislocated jaw, knocked-out teeth, fractured jaws, and soft tissue injuries.

Hidden Costs of Oro-dental Trauma

The immediate costs of oro-dental trauma are obvious, such as emergency dental treatment and pain management. However, there are hidden costs that are often overlooked. These hidden costs can have a significant impact on your oral health, financial soundness, and overall well-being of patients. Some of the hidden costs of oro-dental trauma are:

1. Long-term Dental Treatment: 

Oro-dental trauma can cause long-term damage to a patient’s teeth and gums. Even if the initial injury is treated, the injury may require additional dental treatment in the future, such as root canal treatment, dental implants, and orthodontic treatment. For example, a tooth fracture classification that is severe can be more costly than a slight chip caused by dental trauma. Unfortunately, until the patient is seen, it is difficult to tell how much of a cost the patient is going to face due to oro-dental trauma. These treatments can be expensive and can take a toll on patient finances.

2. Lost Wages: 

If a patient is unable to work due to oro-dental trauma, they may lose wages if they don’t have enough paid time off or sick leave to cover time off for dental visits. This can cause financial strain, especially if the patient does not have medical insurance or if the dental provider has not yet implemented medical billing for dental procedures.

3. Psychological Impact: 

Oro-dental trauma can have a psychological impact on the patient. They may experience depression or anxiety due to the damage done to their teeth. These psychological effects can be long-lasting and can affect the patient’s quality of life.

4. Lifestyle Changes: 

Oro-dental trauma can cause lifestyle changes such as dietary restrictions and limitations on physical activity such as the ability to chew, talk, or whether or not they can still participate in sports. This can affect the patient’s social life and overall well-being.

Why Medical Insurance is Crucial

Billing medical insurance is crucial for any dental practice that wants to help protect patients from the hidden costs of oro-dental trauma. Medical insurance can cover the costs of emergency dental treatment, long-term dental treatment, surgeries, and more. Here are some reasons why billing medical insurance and not just dental insurance is crucial for the success of dental practices everywhere:

1. Financial Protection: 

Medical insurance can provide financial protection against the hidden costs of oro-dental trauma for patients. With medical insurance, patients do not have to worry about the financial burden of dental treatment.

2. Access to Quality Care: 

Medical insurance can provide patient access to quality dental care. With medical insurance, you open your practice up to patients who would otherwise not be able to get treated at another dental facility that doesn’t bill medical insurance. 

3. Peace of Mind: 

Medical insurance can provide peace of mind. Patients do not have to worry about the financial burden of oro-dental trauma, and can focus on your recovery.

4. Preventive Care: 

Medical insurance can provide access to preventive dental care. Preventive dental care can help patients avoid oro-dental trauma and maintain good oral health. With preventative dental care and a good patient rapport, dentists can help protect their patient’s teeth against avoidable dental trauma such as sports related trauma by prescribing a mouth guard. 

Oro-dental trauma can have serious consequences on a patient’s oral health and overall well-being. While most people are aware of the immediate costs of such injuries, such as dental treatment and pain management, there are hidden costs that are often overlooked. Remember, implementing billing for medical insurance is crucial for any practice that wants to protect their patients from the hidden costs of oro-dental trauma. 

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