Funding an adult's braces: Making costs bearable with installment payments
3 Jul 2025
12
Minutes
Katrin Straub
CEO at nextsure
The cost of braces for adults can quickly amount to €6,000 or more, a sum that is off-putting. However, there are smart ways to finance this investment in your quality of life. This article shows you how to significantly reduce the financial burden through instalment payments, insurance benefits, and tax advantages.
The topic in brief and concise terms
The cost of braces for adults is usually between €3,500 and €10,000 and is only covered by statutory health insurance in rare medical exceptions.
An instalment plan directly with the orthodontist is often available interest-free for six to twelve months.
Dental insurance and special medical credits are common ways to cover costs, with attention to waiting periods and benefit scales.
Cost Analysis: Why Braces for Adults Can Reach Four to Five-Figure Sums
The cost of orthodontic treatment in adulthood typically ranges between €3,500 and €8,000. In complex cases or if you desire invisible appliances, expenses can even exceed €10,000. Various factors influence the final price, including the duration of the treatment, the type of braces—from metal brackets to ceramic or lingual techniques—and the severity of the misalignment. Many clinics offer interest-free financing for the first six to twelve months. You will receive a detailed breakdown through an individual treatment and cost plan, of which you should ideally obtain two to three different versions. This transparency forms the basis for further financial planning.
Limits of Coverage: When Health Insurances and Supplementary Insurances Pay
Statutory health insurance (GKV) only covers the cost of braces for adults in cases of severe jaw anomalies that require a combined orthodontic-surgical intervention. This applies to less than five percent of cases. For everyone else, the treatment is a purely private service. This is where private dental insurance comes in, which can cover 50 to 100 percent of the costs depending on the policy. Be aware of waiting periods of up to eight months and graduated benefits that limit reimbursement in the first few years to, for example, 1,000 euros per year. Signing up early, long before any treatment is recommended, is therefore crucial for full entitlement to benefits.
Direct financing options: installment plans and medical loans compared
The most common method of financing is direct installment payment through the orthodontist, often in cooperation with external billing centers. These models often offer interest-free payment over a period of up to twelve months. An alternative is a special medical loan from a bank, which often provides lower interest rates than a regular installment loan. An example calculation: With treatment costs of 7,000 euros and a term of 48 months, a monthly rate of approximately 158 euros results with an interest rate of four percent. The advantage of a loan lies in the immediate settlement of the doctor's bill and the clear, monthly burden. This flexibility allows for the treatment to begin without delay.
Expert Tips: How to Actively Reduce Overall Costs
In addition to direct financing, there are other ways to reduce the financial burden. Our expert tip: Have your orthodontist certify the medical necessity of the treatment. This allows you to claim the expenses as exceptional costs on your tax return. Although a reasonable personal contribution is offset, which depends on income and family status, often several thousand euros can be deducted. Plan larger expenses within a single calendar year to safely exceed the threshold of reasonableness. Additional savings can be made by carefully reviewing your insurance contract and soliciting multiple quotes to compare the costs of dental treatment.
Here are four steps to optimize costs:
Obtain at least two treatment and cost plans from different orthodontists.
Clarify coverage with your dental insurance in writing before treatment begins.
Discuss with your doctor about more affordable yet equally effective treatment methods.
Gather all receipts and submit the costs in your tax return to receive a refund.
Combining these strategies can significantly reduce the financial burden and pave the way to your new smile.
The right term: Adjust monthly installments to fit your budget
Choosing the right term for your instalment payment or loan is crucial for financial affordability. A longer term, for example, 72 instead of 36 months, significantly reduces the monthly payment but increases the total cost due to interest. Ideally, an instalment should not exceed more than five percent of your monthly net income to avoid financial bottlenecks. Many providers offer flexible special repayments, allowing you to reduce the remaining debt more quickly and cost-effectively. A loan with a long term can reduce the monthly burden to under 100 euros. Carefully consider what monthly burden will remain comfortable for you over several years.
Request a personalised risk analysis now
Orthodontic treatment is an important investment in your health and well-being. Financing should be carefully planned to suit your life situation. Let us check your insurance situation free of charge and provide you with concrete suggestions for optimisation to ensure the best possible coverage for your treatment.
More useful links
Sparkasse provides information on the costs of braces for parents and children.
Verbraucherzentrale offers explanations on personal contributions, benefits covered by health insurance, and additional costs at the orthodontist.
Bundeszahnärztekammer provides data and figures on the dental profession in Germany.
Bundeszahnärztekammer informs about a study on dental and jaw misalignments in children.
Bundesgesundheitsministerium provides access to the IGES report on orthodontics (KfO).
Barmer provides the Dental Report 2024.
Bundesgesundheitsministerium offers information on dental treatment.
Das Gesundheitsportal des Bundes informs about dental services.
Verbraucherzentrale NRW offers information on advance payment and installment agreements at the orthodontist.
FAQ
What financing options are available for adult braces?
The three main options are: direct installment payments to the orthodontist (often with interest-free periods), taking out additional dental insurance (before treatment begins), or obtaining a special medical loan from a bank.
Does statutory health insurance (GKV) cover the costs for braces in adults?
No, generally not. Coverage by the statutory health insurance is only provided in very rare and severe medical cases that require a combined oral and maxillofacial surgery and orthodontic treatment.
Is dental supplemental insurance worth it for planned braces?
A supplementary dental insurance is only worthwhile if it is taken out before an orthodontist has recommended treatment. Most policies have waiting periods of eight months and do not cover pre-diagnosed misalignments.
Can I deduct the cost of my braces from my taxes?
Yes, if the treatment is medically necessary, you can declare the costs you cover yourself as exceptional expenses in your tax return. The tax office deducts a reasonable burden, which depends on your income and marital status.
What is better: instalment plan at the doctor or a bank loan?
An instalment payment at the doctor's is often interest-free and straightforward for up to 12 months. A bank loan offers more flexibility through longer terms and potentially lower overall costs if the interest rates are better than after the interest-free period at the doctor's.
What are the interest rates for an installment plan for braces?
Many practices offer interest-free instalment payments for 6 to 12 months through billing centres. For longer terms or bank loans, interest rates typically range between three and seven percent per year, depending on creditworthiness and the provider.
