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Benefits from the National Health Fund cover certain dental procedures, including orthodontics. Which of them do not differ in quality from the procedures used in private offices? Amadeusz Kuźniarski, Medical Director of the Academic Dental Polyclinic in Wrocław, dispels doubts.
- Some dental procedures can be performed in Poland for free, as part of the NHF services
- It has become common to think that the quality of these services significantly differs from the same treatments in private offices, explains Director Forge
- In practice, however, this is not the case at all. Some procedures within the National Health Fund are performed in exactly the same way
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Dental examination and specialist consultation
Under the National Health Fund, patients are entitled to a free dental examination and dental consultation.
– The mentioned studies do not differ in any way, both in the case of the NHF service and the commercial one – says Amadeusz Kuźniarski. However, there is a fundamental difference in terms of diagnostics, which is the basis of modern medicine, which in the commercial sector may be more perfect and definitely more accurate, which may translate into a more accurate diagnosis of a medical problem.
Teeth scaling
Scaling is a prophylactic dental procedure consisting in the removal of tartar that accumulates around the necks of the teeth. As part of the NHF services, scaling can be performed at least once a year.
– It is one of the hygiene treatments available to each patient once a year. In the case of pregnant women and children admitted as part of a specialist clinic, the number of treatments may be greater due to the increased needs of a given group. The procedure under the National Health Fund looks similar to procedures in a private clinic, but it should be taken into account that commercial procedures often use other equipment and materials, which translate into a less traumatizing procedure for the gums and teeth.
- See also: Sandblasting of teeth – indications, course of the procedure, price
Dentistry of children and adolescents up to 18 years of age
In the case of dental treatment of children and adolescents, the National Health Fund currently offers free services that almost completely cover the needs of young patients. This is a change that was introduced in 2021.
– Basically 90 percent. procedures that are performed in children depending on the needs can be carried out under the National Health Fund. Moreover, from this year on, dental services for children and adolescents up to 18 years of age are not limited. This is a good time to encourage dental units to admit more young patients due to the certainty of financing this treatment. On the other hand, for parents it is important information – regular visits to the dentist’s office are very important in developmental age, because milk and mixed dentition is more exposed to carious processes.
Treatment differences are mainly noticeable in older children and adolescents.
– In children with milk teeth, materials are often used which, thanks to their fluoride release properties, have a positive effect on the condition of the teeth. Glass ionomer material is used both as part of NHF services and in private clinics. In permanent dentition, in many clinical situations, composite light-cured fillings and prosthetic restorations (inlay, onlay, overlay) are a more optimal solution. They are more beneficial for maintaining proper function and often improving aesthetics. Unfortunately, these are very cost-intensive procedures reserved for commercial treatments.
- See also: Dental fluoridation. When to perform, indications and side effects
Amadeusz Kuźniarski also draws attention to the financing of preventive service packages for young patients by the National Health Fund.
– Dental packages include preventive and therapeutic procedures and tests for individual age groups. Each of the procedures is adapted to the specific stages of the development of dentition in children and adolescents. The use of such comprehensive solutions, i.e. dental packages, translates into high efficiency in patient management and subsequent dental treatment. It should be remembered that extensive prophylaxis in children and adolescents is key in the fight against caries, which translates directly to all of us.
For the youngest children and infants, you can reach for fluoride-free toothpaste: banana toothpaste for children, BIO strawberry paste or BIO apple paste.
As part of caries prophylaxis, the most important thing is to brush your teeth thoroughly and regularly. The most recommended are currently sonic toothbrushes, which not only effectively clean the oral cavity, but can also whiten or remove tartar.
Orthodontic treatment of children up to 12 years of age
Children under 12 years of age may receive orthodontic treatment free of charge as part of the NHF services.
– In the field of orthodontics, children are entitled to a medical examination and check-up three times a year, as well as full X-ray diagnostics with their analysis. In a situation where the dentist notices, for example, in a 10-year-old child the need to implement orthodontic treatment, the child can count on such diagnostics as part of the NHF services. Moreover, a young orthodontic patient is also entitled to reimbursement of a removable appliance. Most of these solutions are used in both NHF and commercial procedures. Only adults can consider the use of a fixed appliance, which is obviously not financed from the services of the National Health Fund.
Tooth extraction
The procedure of tooth extraction under the National Health Fund is no different from the same procedure performed in a private office. In the case of some commercial establishments, however, additional treatments are possible aimed at better bone regeneration.
– This is not a standard procedure in every private practice, but it is used in our unit. It is about the use of additional materials used in the so-called regenerative medicine, that is, for example, the use of various methods of bone augmentation, allowing for faster healing and a gentler course of regeneration and preparation in the future for advanced treatments, e.g. implantation.
Anesthesia
Patients treated dentically under the National Health Fund are entitled to anesthesia. Here, too, there is no fear that the quality of the service will be lower than in a private clinic.
– Excluding the use of the computer anesthesia system, the procedure is exactly the same for private clinics as well as those operated under the National Health Fund. Our unit always uses the best local anesthetic for the patient and his clinical situation. Fortunately, the times when pain was an indispensable element of every dental procedure are over.
Also read:
- How to teach a child to care for his teeth?
- Do you brush your teeth often in a hurry? You can hurt yourself
- Everything you need to know about your teeth
- What is the risk of untreated caries?
- How does dental treatment in Poland look like?
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