Hi Everyone,
New poster (jaw surgery is in 14 days). I worked for a medical insurer that operates world wide for 7 years so I can maybe give you some advice about what might be covered. This varies plan to plan, insurer to insurer likewise in public systems there's a lot of variation too so this is just a guide.
In regard to private insurance, orthodontics (the actual braces) usually come from the routine dental benefit on the policy. This means if you have dental coverage the braces could be covered. In regard to surgery, this includes xrays, consultations with the surgeon & the procedure, they usually base coverage on the following: the condition causes pain, interferes with normal function or causes damage. This means that if your bite doesn't close properly & so you can't chew this would interfere with function. Chewing is the first step of your digestive system so it's a bit more of an issue than you might think. Also if your jaw isn't doing it's job it can hurt.
Doctors are normally pretty savvy about what is covered under insurance so they can usually provide any information the insurer needs to confirm that your bite is causing pain or an inability to chew or bite.
They usually will not consider surgery for cosmetic reasons such as appearance affecting your mental health. They also sometimes have exclusions such as TMJ (bruxism). This is not to be confused with the problems you have due to your jaw just growing incorrectly so don't mention it if you do contact your insurance. If you do have insurance locate a copy of your policy terms, you can ask for one you're entitled BEFORE calling them to ask. As boring as small print is to read it is all in there somewhere.
If you do have insurance call to get approval to see a dentist or oral surgeon to discuss jaw pain & problems chewing after you've had a look at the policy to see if there's anything they expressly mention not being covered. You might have to see a dentist out of pocket to get the recommendation for braces / surgery out of your own pocket to start the whole process off.
Once you've been assessed & have a course of treatment your insurer will then be able to tell you what they will cover so you'll know before you start what you might have to pay for treatment. If you're not insured currently & don't plan to have this looked at for a year or two due to not wanting to be off work you might consider getting a plan now, this means in 2 years when you do start to have treatment they won't necessarily spot it as something which was pre existing to your policy. If you've never seen a doctor for this there's no record to show that its been a problem for so long, you can just say its been a problem for a year at which point you've been insured for 2 so it won't necessarily be picked up. In a way its like a saving scheme for your surgery.
In regard to public systems, the country in which you're normally resident ie pay tax will be the country where you might possibly be eligible under the public system for treatment.
Here in the UK, braces are free on the NHS if you're above a certain grade (gap size). If you're in europe the public system tends to be a bit more favourable in terms of cover but can have a wait. If you are eligible to any free care you might need to be insistent to get the referral to see an orthodontist. This means being very clear with your dentist that your bite & jaw problems are causing severe problems in your daily life from the chewing on to mental health issues, they have a duty of care to refer you if you need treatment. Sometimes as resources are stretched they don't offer it if you seem ok with the way you are.
My braces are on the public system but I was referred by a private surgeon after having my wisdom teeth out. I don't think my NHS dentist would have referred me without a bit of prodding. Usually oral surgeons work in both public & private systems, they need to be a qualified dentist AND surgeon so they train for a very very long time more than other specialities so don't worry, there aren't a lot of bad ones as they literally train to be a doctor AND a dentist.
I've recently been laid off so I had the same concerns about time out of work. My surgeon says it's 3-4 weeks not working, 1-2 weeks of that you will need some help at home. You need to weigh up any time you might have off for surgery with time you might need off because of your mental health. Also braces take 1-2 years so getting started now still means you'll have a long time before you're not working.
If it's bothering you I would suggest getting assessed & making a plan from there. There's a lot of stuff on the internet so it can be confusing a visit to a public & private dentist will give you all the information you need in terms of what treatment you need to have, what you're eligible for under the public system, the costs & potential waiting times. It'll put your mind to rest, it's a slow process but getting on the way might well lift a lot of stress.
I'm not sure if you're based in Germany from your previous posts but expat blogs are great for info on public health options. If you are paying tax there you definitely have entitlements.
http://www.expatica.com/de/healthcare/Your-guide-to-the-German-healthcare-system_103359.htmlSorry for the long post, I talk a lot, I type a lot
SR
