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Can I get dental insurance to cover part of a nightguard?

I grind my teeth pretty bad at night, and since I'm going to be getting two crowns put on teeth I had root canals on, my dentist strongly reccomends I get a nightguard so I don't do further damage to my teeth or to the crowns once they're put in. However, when I got back a coverage quote from my dental insurance (Delta) they won't pay anything for a nightguard ($469!!), because according to them it's not a covered benefit of my program. What I want to know is if there is any way I can get my insurance to cover at least a portion of my nightguard, as I need these crowns because my teeth are chipping due to the root canals, but there's a good chance I'll damage the crowns without a nightguard to keep me from grinding down on them... or is 'not a covered benefit' an absolute thing, no matter what? Also, would it help if I had my dentist call and talk to them?

Public Comments

1. Probably not. Insurance does not like to cover pre-existing conditions. You will end up paying more to change insurance or get additional insurance than the cost of the night guard (none will cover the cost completely). You could try having the dentist call; it can't hurt.
2. It depends partly on how your dentist describes the claim. I have a mouthguard, and it's my third one. I chewed through the first two. The last time I got a filling redone, I ate through it in two years and had to have it replaced with enamel. I seem to remember I paid about $200 out of pocket, but the insurance covered the rest. The other thing we did was that I paid to have all my old mercury fillings replaced, and when my dentist did this, he leveled out the surfaces of my teeth so my bite matched up again. I haven't ground my teeth in two years! Anyway, insurance companies will often reject a claim for a procedure the first couple times it is made. You have to be prepared to fight with them if you want them to pay. Or you can save up and pay for it, because it's definitely worth it to protect your teeth (and not get headaches from grinding so much).
3. Usually insurances do not cover nightguards. In some extreme situations I have heard of the dentist writing a letter and even then they may or may not approve it. Its definitely something you will need because otherwise your teeth will start chipping away from the grinding. But my experience has been this is all out of pocket for patients. The only one who has covered it on one certain plan is metlife