Let's face it-- many of our dental insurance plans leave something to be desired. When you realize that you haven't been to the dentist in a few years, and your teeth are paying the price, what are some things you can do to get back on track? Read on to find out.

Deal with Decay

Likely, there are a couple of cavities. If you're lucky, they are surface cavities that can be repaired with a simple filling. If they go deeper, consider stopping the problem here by getting them replaced with dental implants. While root canals and dental bridges could also be options, these have a larger chance of failure. At this stage, it's probably best to choose dental implants because they are more likely to be a permanent solution that doesn't require multiple repeat fixes. 

Get Teeth Whitening

Thankfully, if it's only been a few years since your last dental cleaning, the plaque on your teeth might not have done such extensive damage to your teeth that you can't recover. You may want to speak with your dentist about professional teeth whitening at this stage. Coupled with a deep cleaning, this procedure will help lift the forming stains out of your teeth before they become more ingrained.

Consider Veneers

Do you have teeth that have been chipped or stained and the above options are not recommended by your dentist? Veneers could be the best solution. The veneers would place a porcelain cover over the front of your tooth; if its appearance is not ideal but it is a medically sound tooth, a veneer will be the solution with the smallest adverse impact. Veneers are a great option when tobacco or nicotine stains are present, since teeth whitening does not work on these.

Set Up a Follow Up Appointment

You may have a couple of dental appointments this year to get caught up on all of your dental hygiene. But don't make the mistake of considering this a one-off visit to the dentist; your yearly checkups are what's going to keep you from getting off track again. You may well want to follow up with your insurance company and get a better dental insurance plan after shelling out a few thousand dollars for dental treatment this year. Just don't forget to talk to your dentist about when they'd like to see you back in the office for your next cleaning.

For more information, contact companies like Summit Oral Surgery.