The costs for orthodontic treatment depend on the severity and complexity of the treatment and cannot be listed as a lump sum. In order to be able to create an individual treatment plan and the corresponding treatment costs, we orthodontists require detailed diagnostics (diagnostic documents) for every treatment and cost plan. These diagnostic documents include current X-rays of the jaws (not older than 12 months), impressions of the jaws and photos. On the basis of these documents, an individual treatment and cost plan is drawn up for each patient, regardless of age, according to the findings (e.g. crossbite, overbite, underbite, crowding, step, gaps between teeth, etc.), complexity, severity and desired type of treatment (type of braces such as WIN lingual braces, ceramic brackets, metal brackets, aligners, loose braces, transparent splints, bite splints, retainers, etc.).

Statutory health insurance covers the costs of orthodontic treatment by a specialist orthodontist if the insured patient is under 18 years of age and the orthodontic findings (e.g. crossbite, gaps between teeth, overbite, displaced tooth, missing teeth, …) are of a certain degree of severity. The assumption of costs by the statutory health insurance is directly related to the degree of severity of the oral and jaw anomaly. The degree of severity diagnosed by the orthodontist is assigned to a 5-level KIG system (orthodontic indication groups). From a severity level of 3, the statutory health insurance will cover the costs.

There are visible and invisible fixed braces and there are visible and invisible loose braces. Visible fixed braces include fixed braces that are attached to the teeth from the outside. This type of braces includes fixed braces made of metal brackets or ceramic brackets. The invisible fixed braces are the lingual technique, in which the braces/brackets are attached to the inside of the teeth and are completely invisible. The loose visible braces are all colorful, unique pieces from our own dental laboratory, which are used in childhood and teenage years, e.g. to correct the teeth. to create space or perform an orthodontic bite adjustment. Invisible loose braces include all types of aligners, which are manufactured in our own dental laboratory or in America and can be used for orthodontic tooth correction in teenagers or adults.

How long a fixed brace has to be worn depends on the individual severity of the orthodontic condition, individual factors (e.g. age and state of health) and the type of brace. For example, the lingual technique is the fastest type of fixed braces, as lingual braces are completely customized. Treatment with fixed braces can last from a few months to several years. The expected treatment period is estimated before each treatment so that each patient has a goal in mind.

Specialist dentists for orthodontics are dentists (5-6 years of study) who have completed special further training to become a specialist dentist for orthodontics. The training lasts at least 3 years and must be completed both in an orthodontic practice and at a university clinic. There are only around 4,000 specialist orthodontists in Germany.

A fixed retainer (palatal retainer in the upper jaw or ligual retainer in the lower jaw) should remain behind the front teeth “for life” in order to prevent a retraction of the teeth, as the teeth have a tendency to move throughout life due to structural ageing processes. The retainer should be checked regularly by an orthodontist.