CLINIC | DPC patient Janina says that her dentures have given her back not only her smile, but also her ability to fully chew her food. “At our age, beauty is not so important. It’s all about health. And to stay healthy, you have to eat well. When teeth are missing, the choice of food becomes very narrow. Every day it’s just porridge and soup. What I missed most was fresh fruit and vegetables. But I couldn’t chew them. Dentures put back on my table the dishes I had forgotten. Now I can chew a variety of foods again, and the pleasure of eating has returned, as well as my appetite,” says the senior citizen.
A treatment plan was drawn up for Janina. She was ready to start her smile journey, but her dentist suggested that she check whether she could get funding from the Territorial Patients’ Fund (TPF) for prosthetic teeth. It turned out that Janina was not aware that she could be reimbursed, so the treatment she chose was much cheaper. The clinic team took care of all the paperwork and Janina was delighted with the excellent service and advice that helped her save money.
“I want to encourage my peers – don’t miss the opportunity to chew and smile again. It doesn’t cost us anything to see if we can get compensation for dentures,” says a senior citizen.
Who is entitled to compensation?
“We are very concerned – we have been approached by many people in need of prosthetic services. Most of them are seniors. For them, removable dentures at no extra cost are a chance to chew again, to eat their favorite foods, to smile, to talk and to communicate. This is extremely important in everyone’s life. We see that the number of people interested in this service is not decreasing, so we are ready to continue to provide this service so that more of our patients can live a full, healthy and comfortable life,” says Laura Bukaveckienė, Sales Manager of CLINIC | DPC. – People are often unaware that they are entitled to money from the Compulsory Health Fund to pay for prosthetic work. They can check whether they can fully or partially finance their treatment plan by visiting one of our clinics. The reimbursement of prosthetics is not only for removable dentures, but also for other types of dentures, both on teeth and on implants, except for digitally manufactured dentures.
Pensioners, children under 18, people who are unable to work or are partially able to work, and cancer patients who have suffered from diseases of the face, mouth and jaws are eligible for denture reimbursement. Previously, if you wanted to have your teeth replaced with a prosthetic at the expense of the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund, you had to visit your family doctor, who would issue a referral to a dentist. After the dentist’s visit, the patient had to go to the National Dental Council. The clinic network CLINIC | DPC has an agreement with the TLK, so you can go to any clinic in any of Lithuania’s eleven cities. Now you can check whether you are entitled to reimbursement by visiting any CLINIC | DPC clinic without a referral from your GP and providing the necessary data.
Teeth – not just for beauty
In our country, around 30% of the world’s population is in the EU. Over 30 % of people over the age of 65 suffer from tooth loss. Most of them have difficulty chewing. Food that is not well chewed is difficult to digest. Studies show that this can lead to gastrointestinal problems. As a result, most seniors and other people who have lost their teeth give up some foods. This usually leads to malnutrition, which is also the cause of many diseases.
In this context, dentures are financed by the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund. If you have already started treatment and currently have temporary dentures, you can apply for permanent dentures. The CLINIC | DPC team will check whether there is a possibility of accessing the TLK funds and help you save money.
“We must strive to ensure that everyone in our society can feel a sense of dignity and have their basic needs met. We want to contribute to a better life, health and well-being. After all, by sharing kindness and caring for each other, we create a better emotional climate for ourselves,” says Laura Bukaveckienė.
Methods of prosthetics
Dentures made by CLINIC | DPC’s experienced specialists are comfortable, easy to maintain and durable. They are the perfect solution for multiple tooth loss. There are usually two types of dentures – removable and fixed. The latter are more advanced and cause virtually no discomfort. They do not need to be taken out and require no additional maintenance, so the person feels as if he or she has natural teeth. Fixed dentures protect the jawbone from deterioration, which is very important in case of tooth loss.
Fixed dentures can be fixed on the teeth or on implants. CLINIC | DPC produces high quality fixed metal ceramic crowns and denture bridges. The world’s leading and most effective method of tooth restoration to date is the so-called “All-on-4”. This technique provides for the possibility of restoring a single jaw tooth on four implants, even in very difficult clinical situations. It avoids complex, time-consuming bone grafting procedures. This is very important because bone grafting is a very tedious process for the patient. Immediately after the dental implant procedure, temporary teeth are placed, which perfectly serve as real teeth for the entire healing period, so that patients are able to chew immediately after the procedure.
Removable dentures require more care. They are divided into standard plates, elastic plates and arch-supported dentures. Although they cause some discomfort, they fully restore chewing function and allow you to smile confidently again. The dentures are made from allergy-free, certified human-friendly materials.
For those who are undecided about which prosthesis to choose or who are unsure about the compensation they are entitled to, CLINIC | DPC specialists will be happy to help. All formalities are taken care of and the procedures are carried out on site, saving the patient time and energy. A remote dental consultation is also available. During the virtual visit, the patient’s problem is clarified, the best treatment option is selected, a plan is drawn up and appointments are scheduled.
CLINIC | DPC staff in contact with patients are already vaccinated against COVID-19. Staff are doing everything possible to ensure your safety: rooms are constantly ventilated, disinfectant liquids and wipes are available in all accessible areas of the clinics, and handles and other surfaces are constantly disinfected.
Dentures at no extra cost – this is an opportunity for seniors, the disabled and cancer patients to get removable dentures free of charge. CLINIC | DPC provided this service throughout the first quarter of this year. Seeing the huge demand, the Clinic team decided to extend the free removable prosthesis service until 31 May.
