Definition
Orthodontics is constantly evolving and trying to adapt to the aesthetic requirements of the patients. Internal braces or lingual technology is an innovative form of orthodontic therapy that appears invisible to outsiders. Customized brackets are attached to the inner surface of the teeth, so that the wire is also located behind the teeth and shapes the teeth. Especially for adult patients, lingual technology is a popular option to integrate an unnoticed therapy into their everyday life without the surrounding environment seeing anything. Lingual technology represents a highly aesthetic therapy option that is rarely used for children and adolescents, as it is a private service provided by the health insurance company.
Indications for braces behind the teeth
In general, braces behind the teeth have the same indications as an external appliance and the results of both therapeutic approaches are the same. What is different is that lingual technology represents a highly aesthetic form of therapy, which, by positioning the brackets, makes the therapy almost invisible to the surrounding area. For patients who, for example, are in public, lingual technology is the perfect way to provide orthodontic treatment.
Furthermore, it must be taken into account that speech disorders can develop during the familiarization period (6-12 weeks). In general, this form of therapy is particularly popular with adolescents and adults. Malpositioned teeth, such as a rotation of the teeth or tilting of the roots of the teeth, can be regulated by the lingual technique. Even a movement of the entire body of the tooth is possible through the internal braces. Therefore, there are hardly any cases that lingual technique does not indicate.
What is the cost of braces behind the teeth?
The costs for lingual technology are much higher than for external braces. In general, health insurance companies only pay for orthodontic treatment in childhood and adolescence, adult treatment is a complete private service. It should be noted that the health insurance only covers the basic care, other materials of the brackets and other techniques are not covered.
As a rule, a cost increase of 30% to 100% must be expected, which means a price range of 8000 – 16000 Euro, since the procedure and the time span are much more complex and longer. Furthermore, this technique is only offered by orthodontists with certain training and a lot of experience, because it is much more complicated to plan and the attachment of the appliance is difficult. These factors explain the difference in costs to achieve the planned dental situation. In general, it must be considered individually whether the therapy, which is invisible to the environment, justifies the massively higher time and cost expenditure.
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