---
title: "What Is Frequency limit? Dental Glossary | Town Center Dental"
description: "A frequency limit is a plan rule on how often it will pay for a service, such as two cleanings a year or one set of bitewing X-rays every 12 months."
url: https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/frequency-limit
publisher: Town Center Dental
phone: +1-636-273-5866
quote: https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/request-appointment
---

Insurance and Billing

# Frequency limit

A frequency limit is a plan rule on how often it will pay for a service, such as two cleanings a year or one set of bitewing X-rays every 12 months.

Dental plans often limit how often certain services are covered. Typical examples are two cleanings per year or one set of bitewing X-rays every 12 months. The plan says these limits are based on clinical guidelines and aim to balance care access, quality, and cost.

If you go more often than the limit, you may have to pay the full fee for the extra visit. Plans set their own rules for how the count works.

A limit is not the same as advice from your dentist. Your dentist decides what care you need. The limit decides what the plan pays. Look in your benefit summary, and see [preventive care benefit](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/preventive-care-benefit) and [bitewing X-ray](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/bitewing-x-ray). The [insurance and financing page](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/patients/insurance-and-financing) has this office's information.

## Related terms

-   [Preventive care benefit](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/preventive-care-benefit)
-   [Annual maximum](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/annual-maximum)
-   [Waiting period](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/waiting-period)
-   [Bitewing X-ray](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/bitewing-x-ray)
-   [Recall visit (checkup)](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/recall-visit-checkup)

## Sources

1.  [Cigna Healthcare Newsroom: Dental insurance 101](https://newsroom.cigna.com/dental-insurance-how-plans-work-and-what-to-look-for)

## Ready when you are

[Request an appointment](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/request-appointment)[Call (636) 273-5866](tel:+1-636-273-5866)