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Pet Insurance and Dental Care for Dogs and Cats

Just like humans, pets require consistent dental care to keep their teeth clean and healthy. Even if you’ve been diligent about brushing your pet's teeth at home, most dogs and cats require annual or bi-annual dental exams to catch emerging issues and to give tartar stained teeth a proper clean. Fortunately, Pets Best offers flexible Accident and Illness coverage available with optional routine care to help you afford emergency dental care and routine dental care.

Like humans, pets can have unexpected dental emergencies or illnesses, including:

  • Periodontal disease
  • Chipped or broken teeth (dental fracture)
  • Extractions

Combining a Pets Best pet insurance policy with a CareCredit credit card can give you the flexibility you need to provide your pet the best care possible at CareCredit enrolled providers.* Together, Pets Best and CareCredit offer a complete financial solution for a lifetime of care for your pet.

ConditionAverage Cost
Periodontal Disease$763
Dental Fracture$832
Oral Resorptive Lesions$859
Undiagnosed Dental Condition$566
Impacted Tooth$881
(Pets Best Claim Data 2020-3/2021) 

Common Dog and Cat Dental Issues

From the day you bring home your puppy or kitten, dental issues or periodontal disease can affect their overall health. As your pet gets older, the risks become even greater. Dogs and cats can develop a range of dental issues, such as:

  • Periodontal disease
  • Tartar
  • Gingivitis
  • Periodontitis
  • Loss of teeth
  • Organ damage from periodontal disease

Dental Disease Symptoms

Signs of dental disease can present themselves in many ways. Check your pet’s dental health and alert your vet if you discover any of the following symptoms:

  • Difficulty eating or chewing
  • Excessive drooling
  • Loose or missing teeth
  • Red or inflamed gums
  • Sensitivity around the mouth
  • Bleeding gums
  • Bad breath
  • Pus around the tooth
  • Abnormal oral growths

Common Dental Conditions and Treatments

It can be difficult to understand veterinary terminology and while pet insurance isn't true 'dental insurance,' most pet insurers do offer some form of dental coverage. The conditions and treatments below are common dental conditions and treatments found in pet insurance policies. Policy coverage can vary and some of the treatments or conditions below may be excluded from your policy. Always refer to your policy documents for the specifics of your policy. You can also use our dental condition widget below to help you determine if your pet may be eligible for dental coverage under a Pets Best Accident and Illness plan.

Deciduous Teeth

The first set of teeth to develop for a puppy or kitten. Often referred to as baby teeth or milk teeth, these teeth begin to erupt several weeks after birth and are eventually lost and replaced by permanent teeth.

Dentigerous Cysts

An infection caused by a tooth that fails to erupt normally due to an impacted or embedded tooth.

Enamel Hypoplasia

Improper or failed development of the tooth enamel, causing rough, pitted, or yellow teeth.

Endodontic Treatments

Any treatment of the tooth's inner tissue (dental pulp) including blood vessels, nerves,or connective tissue. Common treatments include: vital pulpotomy, pulp-capping, root canal therapy, and others.

Extraction

The removal of a tooth or teeth due to a dental condition.

Gingivitis

Gingivitis is one of the first stages of periodontal disease and is responsible for inflammation and redness of the visible gum tissue.

Malocclusion

Crooked or misaligned teeth.

Oral Resorptive Lesions

Small pits or holes in a tooth that begin from the inside of the tooth as a result of the pet's body resorbing the tooth. The cause for resorbtion is not known.

Periodontal Disease

An infection caused by plaque bacteria, resulting in the inflammation of the gum tissue and bone that surrounds and supports the teeth. Periodontal disease is often the result of unchecked gingivitus that has spread beyond the gum tissue and damages the tissue and bone beneath the visible gums.

Prophylaxis

Procedures that include cleaning, polishing, or scaling of the tooth surface(s).

Root Planing

Cleaning of the periodontal pocket or space beneath the visible tooth surface in order to remove diseased or compromised soft tissue from around the root of the tooth.

Stomatitis

Open sores or ulcers on the gums and inner lips.

Supernumerary Teeth

Extra teeth present in the pet's mouth.

Tarter

Hard calcified deposits that develop on teeth and gums. Lack of regular dental cleanings, breed, and diet can contribute to the build up of tarter on a pet's teeth over time.

Traumatic Dental Fracture

A cracked or broken tooth often caused by inappropriate chewing or trauma sustained during an accident (e.g., being struck by a car).

Dental Conditions1-5 Years6-10 Years11-15 Years16-20 Years
Tooth Impaction17100
Undiagnosed Dental Condition9446194
Periodontal Disease14895320
Oral Resorptive Lesions81185878
Fracture - Dental7687021475
(Pets Best Claim Data 2020-3/2021)

What Dental Conditions Does Pets Best Insurance Cover?

Pets Best dental coverage helps make dental treatments more affordable, so your pet can continue to have good dental health. To qualify for dental coverage in most cases, pets enrolled in a Pets Best accident and illness policy must be free of any dental disease signs or symptoms prior to the start of the policy and during any waiting period. For more information about dental coverage, use our Dental Coverage tool:

Choose a condition(s) below to check if your pet may be eligible for dental coverage.

Was your pet enrolled in a Pets Best Accident & Illness Policy prior to becoming 6 months old?

If your pet is or was free of any signs or symptoms of the conditions below prior to the policy start date or during any waiting period, they may be eligible for extractions for:

  • Deciduous teeth
  • Dentigerous cysts
  • Enamel hypoplasia
  • Unerupted/impacted teeth

Pets must be enrolled in a Pets Best Accident & Illness Policy prior to becoming 6 months old and be free of any signs or symptoms of the condition prior to the policy start date or during a waiting period to qualify for extractions for these conditions.

If your pet is or was free of any signs or symptoms of repetitive inappropriate chewing behavior prior to the policy start date or during any waiting period, they may be eligible for:

  • Endodontic treatment for canine or carnassial teeth
  • Extractions for all teeth caused by traumatic dental fractures or other oral traumas

Select your state to learn more

If your pet is or was free of any signs or symptoms of periodontal disease prior to the policy start date or during any waiting period, they may be eligible for:

  • Endodontic treatment for canine or carnassial teeth
  • Extractions for canine or carnassial teeth

Is your pet under 3 years of age?

If your pet is or was free of any signs or symptoms of periodontal disease prior to the policy start date or during any waiting period, they may be eligible for:

  • Endodontic treatment for canine or carnassial teeth
  • Extractions for all teeth

In the last 13 months, has your pet had a dental cleaning and examination under general anesthesia by a veterinarian?

Beginning at age 3, your pet must have a dental cleaning and examination under general anesthesia by a veterinarian in the 13 months prior to any periodontal disease signs or symptoms occur to be eligible for endodontic treatment for canine or carnassial teeth and extractions for all teeth caused by the condition. Any periodontal disease found during the exam must be treated before coverage becomes available.

Were any signs or symptoms of periodontal disease found during the exam?

Any periodontal disease found during the exam must be treated in order for your pet to qualify for coverage, including endodontic treatment for canine and carnassial teeth, extractions for all teeth, or for future periodontal diseases claims.

If your pet is or was free of any signs or symptoms of periodontal disease prior to the policy start date or during any waiting period and it has not been more than 13 months since the pet’s last cleaning/exam under anesthesia, they may be eligible for:

  • Endodontic treatment for canine or carnassial teeth
  • Extractions for all teeth

Routine Care for Dogs and Cats

Routine dental exams can be expensive, and often require an extra trip to the vet. However untreated issues can rapidly turn into a serious health concern when pet owners skip routine dental care.

With pet insurance, you can turn to any licensed veterinarian to catch dental problems before they affect your pet’s wellbeing. We offer optional routine care packages that can help with the costs of dental care, including up to $150 for teeth cleaning (prophylaxis).

What is Unique About Pets Best Insurance Dental Coverage?

Dental issues can often be overlooked, leading to a range of health problems for pets. The best treatment for dental conditions is prevention. With optional routine care benefits available for dental cleanings and dental coverage included in Pets Best Accident and Illness plans you’ll have help affording the best care for your pet when it comes to their dental health. We’re committed to providing pet insurance plans that have options for your pet’s entire health, including their dental health.

Compared to other insurance companies, Pets Best has an insurance plan designed with you and your pet in mind: Let us know how we can help you find a pet insurance plan to help keep your pets smiling and happy.

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This content is subject to change without notice and offered for informational use only. You are urged to consult with your individual medical providers with respect to any information presented. Pets Best and any of its affiliates, including CareCredit, (collectively, “Synchrony”) makes no representations or warranties regarding this content and accept no liability for any loss or harm arising from the use of the information provided. Your receipt of this material and/or participation in this presentation constitutes your acceptance of these terms and conditions.