In general dental insurance will not cover orthodontic work (cosmetic dentistry) as part of their policies, as orthodontic work is considered to be ‘elective’, i.e. you choose to have the procedure done, rather than it being clinically necessary. However, if a child is told by the dentist that they will need a brace for cosmetic reasons and that an NHS dentist will fit the brace, this may be something that is covered by dental insurance, where the dental insurance covers NHS dentistry. However it is advised that you check the insurance terms and conditions to make sure that is the case before buying, to be certain.

Financing Orthodontic treatment

Although it is unlikely that a dental insurance policy will cover orthodontic treatment, some dental insurance companies will offer 0% finance on cosmetic work and the work will most likely be undertaken by a private orthodontist, meaning the treatment may be of a higher standard than NHS treatment. For example if you were to have a brace fitted you may find that a private orthodontist will fit a more discrete brace than an NHS dentist will be able to.

Dental insurance for orthodontic/cosmetic treatment

If you are considering undergoing cosmetic treatment on your teeth it can be quite expensive. Therefore it may be worth insuring your teeth anyway; even if the insurance does not cover the initial cosmetic treatment. For example some dental insurers offer plans that cover prosthetic teeth — this is generally referred to as dental implant insurance. Since these procedures can be expensive, if something were to go wrong, certain insurance policies would cover the expenses.

To find out what the different available dental plans cover go to the dental insurance comparison.