Braces and costs: what parents should know
Few topics leave parents feeling as uncertain as the cost of orthodontic treatment. That’s why we keep it short and transparent: you’ll find out at the very first consultation how much it will cost — and the price fixed at the start of treatment will not be increased afterwards.
First, the most important question: free or private?
Before any amounts come into it, one thing is decided: whether health insurance covers the treatment. The yardstick for this is the IOTN — the international Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need, which ranges from 1 to 5.
- IOTN 4 and 5 — free braces (Gratis Zahnspange): If there’s a severe misalignment and treatment begins before the 18th birthday, health insurance covers the treatment in full. Free of charge, with no additional payment and no excess. The Eltz Institut is a certified orthodontic practice for free braces. All about free braces
- IOTN 1 to 3 — private treatment: Here, treatment covered by public health insurance isn’t possible. Treatment is still possible, though — with any method, from fixed braces to invisible aligners, which are suitable for any misalignment. In these cases, many health insurance funds pay a contribution towards the costs.
You can’t assess the IOTN grade yourself. Misalignments that look harmless can be complex, while seemingly severe cases can sometimes be solved easily. We determine the grade at the free consultation — no separate approval from the health insurance fund is needed for this.
A fixed price instead of nasty surprises
In Austria, the Austrian Dental Chamber (Zahnärztekammer) issues fee guidelines once a year, setting out the guide prices for braces, including a variation of 30% depending on complexity. All reputable dentists and orthodontists follow these fair fee guidelines — and so do we.
With private treatment, you’ll find out at the very first consultation how much it will cost. And no matter how long treatment takes and how many aligners, brackets or archwires your child ultimately needs: the price fixed at the start of treatment will not be increased afterwards.
Interest-free instalments for up to 36 months
To keep the financial burden as small as possible, we offer payment in instalments interest-free for up to 36 months, so that treatment costs don’t rise unnecessarily because of interest. At the start, only the material costs have to be paid as a deposit; you can freely choose a payment period of 6 to 36 months.
If you pay the full amount at the start of treatment, we’ll give you an upfront payment discount on the total treatment costs.
Contributions from health insurance funds
Even if there is no entitlement to free braces, health insurance funds often reimburse part of the treatment costs. You don’t have to handle the claim on your own: we support you with all questions about submitting the treatment and cost plan to your insurer. In addition, all payments can be claimed as “extraordinary expenses” (außergewöhnliche Belastungen) in your annual income tax assessment (Lohnsteuerausgleich).
What’s included in the price
A comparison is only worthwhile if you know what you’re comparing. Our prices include, among other things:
- A detailed consultation
- State-of-the-art diagnostics with digital scans, digital panoramic and cephalometric X-rays, and photos
- 3D treatment simulation for invisible aligners
- All treatment appointments during the treatment phase
- All appliances, attachments, brackets and materials that may be needed during treatment
- Treatment with the gentlest and most effective titanium wires currently available
- Comprehensive training in cleaning and a range of cleaning aids that we order specially from the USA
- A braces-off package with various items for the time after orthodontic treatment
The guarantee: we stand by the result
With invisible aligners, the result is simulated in 3D before treatment. We only start treatment once you and your child are happy with it. If this result isn’t achieved, we continue treating your child with brackets free of charge — until you’re satisfied. No patient leaves us without their dream smile.
You can pay by credit card, debit card (Bankomatkarte), in cash or by direct debit for instalment payments.
A word on comparing prices
A common misconception: many parents assume that invisible aligners are much more expensive than classic treatment. That’s not really true — treatment with invisible aligners takes no longer and doesn’t cost much more than treatment with fixed braces.
Come and see us — we’ll tell you what’s possible
What’s an option for your child depends on how severe the misalignment is — and we clarify this in a detailed consultation with our experienced orthodontists. The consultation is free and with no obligation, and appointments are available from Monday to Friday. Just bring your e-card. All the options at a glance or book a consultation straight away.