Orthodontics for adults in Cologne – even if your teeth have shifted again

Misaligned teeth or jaws are not only noticeable visually – they can also affect the temporomandibular joints (jaw joints), the muscles or even your posture. Orthodontic treatment in adulthood can help to lastingly reduce complaints such as jaw popping, tension headaches or nighttime teeth grinding – and at the same time it lets your smile shine. Adults have particular requirements here, because treatment must be adapted to the firm structure of the jawbones.

We advise you openly and honestly about all treatment options, about the costs and about possible reimbursement by private or statutory health insurance. In exceptional cases, statutory health insurance covers the costs – for example in the case of severe jaw anomalies or a medical necessity such as functional disorders of the jaw. Our team will be glad to explain individual additional services, alternatives and installment payment options – for maximum transparency and reliable planning.

Whether you have been thinking about correcting the position of your teeth for a long time or have only recently noticed symptoms: it is never too late for a healthy, beautiful smile. Arrange your personal consultation appointment at JUST KFO today – and start into a new quality of life with us.

You are the focus of our attention. With modern diagnostics, an experienced team and a great deal of sensitivity, we work together with you to develop a treatment path that fits your life. Good oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment is essential in order to avoid inflammation and irritation in the mouth.

Let’s take the first step together – for more well-being, self-confidence and joy in life.

Teeth keep shifting throughout life. They slowly move forward and toward the middle, most visibly in the lower front teeth. As long as a retainer is holding them, nothing happens. If the bonded spot comes loose unnoticed, if a removable retainer gets lost, or if it was simply left out after a few years, the shifting starts again. Erupting wisdom teeth and the natural remodeling of bone also play a part.

The good news: A second correction like this is usually much shorter and less involved than the treatment back then – the jaws already fit together correctly, so it is only about the position of the teeth. Often a few months are enough.

At the first appointment we look at how far the teeth have shifted, whether a retainer is still in place and what condition it is in. Then we discuss what would be needed – and what would not. This time, the result is retention that stays, with regular checkups instead of hope.

With adults, we never start from scratch. What is already in the mouth helps determine what is possible.

Gums and bone first

Teeth can only be moved in healthy tissue that is free of inflammation. If periodontitis is present, it is treated first and has to be stable. After that, orthodontics can even help: front teeth that have splayed out, as they do after bone loss, can be brought back into order and are then easier to clean. Professional dental cleanings at set intervals are part of the entire treatment.

Crowns, bridges and implants

One important difference from treating adolescents: implants do not move. They are firmly anchored in the bone and therefore become a fixed point that the planning has to work around. Existing crowns and bridges also influence which teeth can be moved and how – and whether dental restorations should be renewed at the end.

Wisdom teeth, roots, grinding

Before we start, we look at the roots and the bone, in three dimensions if needed. Nighttime teeth grinding also needs to be recognized beforehand, otherwise it works against every correction. What we use for our findings is described on our page on digital diagnostics.

A large share of our adult patients come on the recommendation of their own dental practice – because a problem can only be solved together:

• A gap is to be restored with an implant, but it has become too narrow because the neighboring teeth have tipped into it.
• After years without an opposing tooth, a molar has tipped and needs to be uprighted before a crown makes sense.
• After treatment for periodontitis, the front teeth are to be brought back into line.
• Before a larger prosthetic restoration, the available space should be distributed sensibly.

We coordinate the treatment plan with your dentist and send it to their office – so that everyone knows what happens when. For colleagues, there is a separate page with the referral procedures.

Why statutory health insurance stops paying at 18 – and the one exception

Standard orthodontic coverage under statutory health insurance ends on your 18th birthday. Adults who undergo treatment therefore pay for it themselves as a rule. The exception concerns severe jaw discrepancies that can only be resolved through a combination of orthodontics and jaw surgery – in those cases the insurer contributes. Whether your findings fall into this category is something we will tell you at the initial consultation.

Private insurance, supplemental insurance, payment in installments

Patients with private health insurance submit the treatment plan to their insurer in advance; how much is reimbursed depends on the policy. Supplemental dental insurance only applies if it was taken out before a diagnosis was made – once a case is under way, it is too late for that. Treatment costs can be paid in installments; we discuss the options before treatment begins.

The order of magnitude

How much a treatment costs depends less on the appliance than on the effort involved: correcting only the lower front teeth after a relapse is in a completely different range than realigning an entire jaw. Before treatment begins, you receive a written cost plan from us – no surprises on the invoice.

Which appliance is used is determined by the findings. Four typical starting points:

• Only the front teeth have shifted again. Usually a short correction of a few months with clear aligners – details on our page about clear aligners.
• Crowding or gaps throughout the jaw. A more comprehensive correction with fixed braces or Invisalign, depending on the findings and on your daily routine.
• Preparation for dental restorations. Uprighting teeth, creating space, distributing gaps sensibly – before an implant, crown or bridge is placed.
• Misalignment with a surgical component. Combined treatment together with an oral and maxillofacial surgery practice; here statutory insurance does contribute, by way of exception.

Treatment in adults usually takes between 6 and 24 months – longer when a great deal has to be moved, often shorter when only the front teeth are involved. Check-up appointments are generally every six to eight weeks and rarely take longer than 20 minutes.

People who speak a lot professionally usually ask about pronunciation first: with clear aligners, getting used to them takes a few days, after which neither you nor the person you are talking to will notice. We schedule appointments in the early or late hours of the day whenever possible.