I think this whole thing could go either way. It depends on what the paperwork said and what you signed. When I had my wisdom teeth out, the dentist got a pre-approval from the insurance company, but he told me up front I would have to pay the difference between what they paid and what he normally charged. Because I wanted that guy, I paid the difference. If you go to a place that is "In Plan" for Delta or one of the dental plans, then they should take whatever delta (or your plan) pays. If they are not in plan, then technically you might owe it, although they will have to justify why the original number changed.
I am shocked that your dentists did not do a pre-approval. I don;t let a dentist touch my mouth for anything other than a cleaning without one. I would look at your paperwork in detail and compare the procedure codes (not sure what the technical term is) for the pre-approval compared to what the dentist is charging you for. Your own insurance should have been sending you "Explanation of Benefits" statements too. Those should have some clues as to what the dentist is asking them for and what they actually paid for. Compare the EOB's to the dentist bills and see if they Jive in terms of costs and codes.
Also, I had a dentist recently screw up a pre-approval. They got a crown approved, but then the insurance wouldn't cover the enamel coating because it was on one of my back molars. I told them to pound sand and they ate it, because they screwed up the pre-approval. It was only $100, but I told them it was their mistake not mine and I wasn't paying.
Good luck!
-Geoff
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