Question From Our Member: What Is Papillon–Lefevre Syndrome?

 Questions From Our Members

M. Bosman of Seattle, Washington asks: 

“I’m 22 years old and my dentist has diagnosed me with Papillon–Lefevre Syndrome.  He said that it is a rare genetic disorder that I most likely inherited.  Other than that, he was kind of vague.  Can you shed any light on this and does Savon cover treatment for this?”

Savon’s Answer

Keeping in mind that we are not doctors, we did some research and this is what we found out about Papillon-Lefevre Syndrome (PLS).

PLS is a genetic disorder.  PLS is a severe deficiency in an enzyme necessary to keep the connective tissues that support and connect the teeth healthy.

Without this enzyme, a person with PLS will slowly lose his/her teeth.  This starts with baby teeth by age four and adult teeth by early teens.

Treatment with antibiotics has been known to slow the process. But, typically, those with PLS will opt to have any remaining teeth removed in their teens and be fitted for dentures.

With newer dental options, implants may be a consideration but this course of treatment will depend on the remaining bone structure after extractions.

Of course, the treatment for this disorder is typically performed by a specialist and if you utilize a network specialist, you will receive a 25% discount.

Original Post in our October 2021 Newsletter!

Your Dentist Said They Take Your Dental Plan... But Are They Authorized To?

This post was originally posted back in 2014, but I feel like it's extremely important for our members to understand.

We run into this a lot here at Savon Dental Plan. A valued member will call in and talk to us about their dentist only to hear the bad news from us that the dentist that they are going to is not credentialed with our office. We get the same response each time. "Our dentist said that they accept your plan." That may be the case. Most dental offices will agree to honor the plan in order to retain you as a member, but still, that does not mean that they are a credentialed provider for the plan.

The reasons that you want to make sure that the dentist or specialist you are going to are credentialed with your coverage plan are:

1. They will have the most up to date fee schedule.
2. They will be familiar with the plan and know what discounts are supposed to be given
3. They will know what is covered and you will not be misinformed
4. They will be able to verify your coverage via roster or phone call
5. If you as a member has a problem with the pricing discount, the plan will be able to intervene and help you.

I can not stress this enough. Going to a dentist that is not credentialed with your plan puts you at financial risk! That dentist is under no obligation to give you the discounts or maybe charging you off of an out-dated fee schedule. So PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, make sure that whatever dentist you are seeing is authorized BY THE PLAN to take the plan that you have. 

To see a current list of Savon Dentists, click here!

Question From Our Member...

D. Jamis of Atlanta, Georgia asks: 

“I went to the dentist for an exam and cleaning but when they found that I had heart problems, they wouldn´t do anything until my cardiologist sent them a letter saying it was ok for them to work on me.  I think that´s dumb, don´t you?”

Savon’s Answer:

I guess dumb is in the eye of the beholder.  The reason for the concern is probably due to one or more of the medications that you are on.  As a rule of thumb, anyone with at heart condition is usually on some type of a blood thinner.  The dental facility needs to know if you need to and are able to stop taking your medication prior to having a dental procedure performed.

Original post is from our June 2019 newsletter!

Are Fruit And Veggie Purees Bad For Kids Teeth?

Squeezable fruit and veggie puree pouches are a convenient, easy and portable snack for kids that have became popular over the last few years that do not require refrigeration.

 Although these puree pouches provide the perfect amount of nutrients, vitamins,  minerals and are perfect for parents with hectic lives, they could be causing damage to your children's  teeth.

Paul Casamassimo, the oral health research and policy director at the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry says "the constant exposure of sugar on the teeth is detrimental". 

When you eat or drink foods that contain sugar, the bacteria in plaque produces's acid and the acid eats away at the tooth enamel which will eventually create cavities and because of the consistency of the puree pouches it may be particularly tough on the teeth if its allowed to sit there for long periods of time. 

So, if you allow your children to eat these pouches please make sure to have them rinse their mouth after eating them!

What Will A Repeal Of ObamaCare Mean For Dental Coverage?

As we go through a leadership transition here in the United States there is some unknowns that we are facing as citizens. This is not a politcal blog, so where I stand on the election or where you stand is not at all relevant at this point. Just wanted to throw that out there to avoid any political based comments etc. One of the things that are unknown is the status of Obamacare. At this point there is already steps being taken to repeal the law. Which leads me to question of what will happen to dental coverage.

If you have dental insurance some big changes may coming your way. Dental coverage for your children will no longer be required to be covered by insurance companies which in return gives them the power to reduce coverage benefits or increase your premium. Similar to what they do adults even now and like they have done long before Obamacare was even a thought. Even under the Obamacare plan dental insurance has been sub-par. In reality, you have been paying more out in premiums that they will every pay out in claims. That won't change one bit and may even get worse.

If you have a dental plan, you will have no changes what so ever. The same low annual premiums and coverage that you are receiving now will not change at all. 

All more the reason to ditch you current dental insurance and join a dental plan!

Need more of a comparison between Dental Insurance & Dental Plans? Check out our comparison zone.