Zirconia Covered Too Now? Dental Insurance Benefits You Can Enjoy Starting in February!

Hello^^

This is Haruplant Dental Clinic, where your day begins with comfort.

When a new year begins, many changes come into daily life.

In particular, as laws and systems are revised in various ways,

they can have big and small effects on our lives.

Among them, there is noteworthy news in the dental field as well.

Starting this year, the scope of implant insurance coverage for people aged 65 and older

is scheduled to be expanded to include zirconia prosthetics.

Until now, implant insurance coverage had been limited to PFM,

but now you will be able to receive high-quality treatment

without the financial burden.

So naturally, you may have some questions.

‘How was implant insurance applied until now?’

‘What is PFM, and what is zirconia?’

‘Why did insurance coverage suddenly become possible?’

And ‘When can we start benefiting from insurance coverage?’

Now that the system change has just begun,

you may need clear answers to these questions.

From here on, we will explain zirconia’s features and advantages,

as well as what changes with insurance coverage,

one by one in detail.

How was implant insurance applied until now?

In Korea, treatment costs for two implants are supported for citizens aged 65 and older.

However, the type of prosthetic material is limited to PFM.

PFM has a structure in which porcelain is layered over metal,

and it is used as one of the most basic materials in implants.

It is strong and relatively inexpensive,

but it has some shortcomings in feel and aesthetics.

Because of the metal material, sensitive patients may feel it is heavy

or even experience allergies,

and over time, corrosion can occur,

causing the gum line to become darkly discolored.

In addition, if it receives a strong impact,

the porcelain part may break or the bond between the two materials may separate.

If these drawbacks are burdensome and you want to use another material,

insurance support is limited, so you must pay an additional cost. What are the advantages and disadvantages of zirconia prosthetics?

Zirconia is one of the materials used for prosthetics,

and it is a material with excellent biocompatibility,

widely used not only in dental treatment but also in various medical fields,

such as artificial joints and heart valves.

It is said to be like artificial diamond because of its very high strength,

and it has a natural color and translucency

that make it almost indistinguishable from natural teeth.

In addition, it is highly resistant to contamination from bacteria and inflammation,

so you can maintain comfortable oral health after treatment.

Its durability is also excellent, so if it is properly cared for,

it can practically be used semi-permanently.

Thanks to these features and advantages,

many dentists and patients prefer it as the prosthetic material of choice instead of PFM.

However, compared with PFM, it is relatively more expensive,

which makes it difficult to recommend readily. Why did insurance coverage suddenly become possible?

Korea’s implant insurance system

has been in effect since July 2014.

In fact, there have long been ongoing demands

that the range of prosthetic options should be expanded from PFM to zirconia.

Since implants can be used semi-permanently after a single surgery,

zirconia is more suitable when considering safety, aesthetics, and durability.

In addition, social consensus supported the need to expand the prosthetic range to zirconia

in order to meet diverse patient needs

and broaden the range of choices.

Furthermore, zirconia production technology has advanced compared with the past,

reducing the financial burden,

and its safety and usefulness have been sufficiently proven

through continuous research and the accumulation of long-term clinical results.

As a result, through these background factors,

starting in February 2025, zirconia prosthetics will also be covered

under implant insurance.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare held the 25th Health Insurance Policy Review Committee on December 27, 2024,

and passed a plan to expand dental coverage.

Accordingly, it announced that legislation would be proposed in January 2025

and insurance support would be implemented in February.

However, the detailed insurance coverage content and implementation timing are expected to be announced separately

by detailed departments such as the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.

It has now been more than 10 years since Korea’s implant insurance coverage system was introduced.

At first, support was provided for people aged 75 and older,

but now the age limit has been eased to 65 and older,

and the range of prosthetic options, which was limited to PFM,

has now been expanded to zirconia.

Insurance benefits are gradually improving,

moving in a direction that reduces the burden on older adults.

In particular, it is very encouraging that, in line with the aging society,

social systems are gradually becoming more diverse,

and efforts to improve people’s quality of life are noticeably increasing.

We hope that these changes continue in the future,

so that more patients can relieve their financial burden

and enjoy a healthy life.

Haruplant Dental Clinic always listens to patients’ voices

and does its best to provide the best possible results.

If you have any questions about implants,

please feel free to contact us at any time.

With delicate and precise treatment, we will make your day

brighter and full of smiles. Haruplant Dental Clinic is led by its chief director,

a graduate of Seoul National University with 25 years of experience,

and provides trustworthy care through a collaborative system across specialties,

with more than 10 verified medical professionals, including specialists certified by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in prosthodontics,

integrated dentistry, oral and maxillofacial surgery, periodontics, and prosthodontics.