Adjunctive Dental Care

TRICARE may cover adjunctive dental careDental care you need to treat a covered medical condition, injury, or disease..

What is adjunctive dental care?

You need adjunctive dental care to treat a covered medical condition, injury, or disease. TRICARE only covers it when treating that medical condition. For example: 

  • If you fall and crack your tooth, TRICARE won’t cover fixing it. But TRICARE will cover removing tooth fragments from the tongue or cheek.  
  • If you break your jaw and get a tooth removed to stabilize your jaw, TRICARE will cover it. In this case, TRICARE would also cover your prosthodontic restoration of the missing tooth.

TRICARE requires you to get pre-authorizationWhen your regional contractor approves your care before you go to your appointment. If you’re being referred, your provider will get you a referralWhen your primary care manager or provider sends you to another provider for care that they don’t provide. and pre-authorization at the same time. for adjunctive dental care, unless it’s a medical emergency.

Disclaimer:

This list of covered services isn’t all-inclusive. TRICARE covers services that are medically necessaryTo be medically necessary means it is appropriate, reasonable, and adequate for your condition. and considered proven. Some services have special rules or limits, and some services are excluded. Learn how a benefit becomes covered.

Last Updated 5/22/2025