Care services

General dentistry

On your first visit, we will carry out an oral examination. If necessary, we will also take X-rays. We will check the condition of your teeth and draw up a personal treatment plan.

The general dentistry team also carries out check-ups. The check-up appointment is an essential part of your care. That is why we invite you for a check-up every year or six months. This way, you follow the health insurance care schedule, your teeth remain healthy and you stay happy.

We also offer the following treatments:

• Fillings
• Scale and polish
• Repair of chipped teeth
• Simple extractions
• Referrals to other services (orthodontics, periodontics etc.)

Paediatric dentistry

Care of children's teeth (between the ages of 0 and 14)

Children are generally not difficult patients, but they do require a special approach. Our paediatric dentists are extremely patient and take a firm but caring approach.

The dentist highlights the importance of regular and proper tooth brushing, a healthy diet and efficient use of fluoride. Catch them young! Baby teeth are so small that a cavity can quickly reach the root canal, which makes treatment particularly difficult.

The support of parents and relatives is important to reassure very anxious and restless children. Children at high risk of cavities should be supported by their families. Well-meaning grandparents or carers should be aware that sweets and soft drinks pose a high risk of causing caries, resulting in pain and misery for the child.

Day in, day out, our paediatric dentists strive to treat children as gently as possible while carrying out the necessary treatments. As a result, most young patients walk into our dental clinic with a smile.

Laughing gas and general anaesthesia

Sometimes a child is in severe pain or very scared or restless due to previous experiences. In this case, treatment takes place under sedation (by administering laughing gas) or general anaesthesia. This requires additional equipment or an operating theatre at the hospital. It goes without saying that such treatments should remain the exception to the rule. They are only offered if recommended by the dentist.

Periodontology

Periodontology is a recognised dental speciality which involves the study of the tissues surrounding the teeth. In practice, a dentist who specialises in periodontology - the periodontologist - treats patients with gum disease. They are usually referred by the general dentist, although patients may come of their own accord.

The most common periodontal diseases are:

• Gingivitis or inflammation of the gum
• Periodontitis, or gum disease, which also affects the underlying bone

Oral implantology is also a part of periodontology. This is a speciality within dentistry that focuses on repairing lost teeth by anchoring dental implants into the jawbone. In the practice, the periodontologist and the oral surgeon are both able to place implants. This department also offers innovative treatment options.

Endodontics

Endodontics is the treatment of dental nerve problems. An endodontist is a dentist who has completed two years of additional training and specialises in carrying out complex root canal treatments.

Is the nerve of a tooth inflamed or infected? Then a root canal treatment is required to prevent pain and further infections. As a patient, you are always referred to the endodontist by your own dentist. You will be given a referral letter with the tooth number to be treated. Always mention this number when booking an appointment.

Simple root treatments can be carried out by a general dentist. However, some practitioners feel that they do not have sufficient practice or experience in this field and prefer to refer their patients to a more experienced colleague. With accuracy and precision, the chance of success of such treatments is significantly higher. This is why at the University Dental Centre we carry out these treatments under a microscope. Given the duration and complexity, we charge an extra fee for such cases.

Orthodontics

We have a dedicated orthodontics department.

Orthodontics is a speciality within dentistry that treats deviations in the position of the teeth and jaws. Teeth that are crooked are much harder to keep clean because it is harder to brush them properly. If you have a deviating jaw and/or tooth position corrected, your teeth will be less subject to wear and tear, and you can enjoy properly functioning and beautiful teeth for years to come.

Orthodontic treatment is available for children and adults with good oral hygiene and a healthy mouth. The orthodontic specialist places braces to correct the position of the teeth to ensure their proper functioning. In growing children, any abnormal jaw growth can still be corrected by means of braces. So, early intervention is key. In adults, orthognathic surgery may be necessary. In this case, part of the treatment is carried out by a maxillofacial surgeon.

Would you like to start a treatment process? Then we will ask you to come for a consultation. We will examine your teeth, listen to your questions and inform you about the possibilities.

The treatment of schisis (cleft lip, cleft or groove in the jaw or palate) and other craniofacial disorders is carried out in close cooperation with the European Cranio-Maxillo-Facial surgery Centre at the UZ Brussels university hospital.

Aesthetic dentistry

Aesthetic dentistry improves the shape, position and colour of the teeth. It is a very complex discipline that requires a variety of techniques:

• Tooth-coloured fillings
• Crowns
• Facings
• Bleaching of discoloured teeth

Sometimes, however, we have to carry out extensive treatments to change the colour, shape and position of the teeth. Our goal? A natural-looking result, with the teeth fitting harmoniously into the smile of a satisfied patient.

It is impossible to start such treatments if the patient does not practice good oral hygiene. We need to start with a sound foundation. Complicated restorative or cosmetic treatments are therefore often carried out in collaboration with experts from various fields. Before proceeding to a complete 'make-over', we may also need to make moulds and take X-rays in order to plan the treatment carefully.

Crowns and bridges

Crowns and bridges offer a solution when one or more teeth have been eroded and there is not enough support for an ordinary filling. They can also improve the patient’s appearance (e.g. in case of discoloured or malformed teeth). Crowns and bridges are durable and look natural.

Crowns and bridges are generally not reimbursed by the health insurance fund, but a private insurance, supplementary insurance or employer social-service may offer reimbursement. Please contact the relevant authorities in consultation with your dentist for assistance with the necessary procedures.

Prosthetic dentistry

Problems with missing teeth

In some cases, the teeth are damaged to such an extent that preservative treatment is not sufficient to achieve a quality result. In such cases, prosthetic restoration can be a solution.

A tooth can be replaced by a permanent structure or removable prosthesis. The dentists at the Dental Clinic will guide you through the options.

Removable prosthesis

If a bridge or implant is not feasible or possible, a removable prosthesis is recommended.

The simplest example is a synthetic resin-plate prosthesis. It is reimbursed by the health insurance fund after the age of 50.

A prosthesis on a metal base (skeletal prosthesis) is more expensive because of the manufacturing cost of the metal base. The health insurance fund provides reimbursement, but only for the price of the simple synthetic resin prosthesis. So, keep in mind there is a supplement to be paid out of pocket for the metal structure.

Full prosthesis

If all the teeth have gone, a full prosthesis is necessary. Of course, such prostheses have a lot less grip. After a while you develop the necessary muscle reflexes to keep the prosthesis in place, which is why many patients end up functioning well with such a prosthesis. With the right chewing technique, you will be able to eat almost anything.

A complete prosthesis in your upper jaw is usually not a problem because the supporting surface is much larger than in the lower jaw. In the lower jaw there must be room for the tongue.

If the lower jaw does not have enough bone to support a prosthesis, 2 or 4 implants can be used to keep the prosthesis in place with a rod, a push button or a magnet.

Are you missing more than one tooth? Then we can place several implants and attach a bridge to them. Don’t have any teeth at all? Then we can make a full prosthesis (better known as a set of false teeth or dentures).

A fully fixed bridge is another possibility. We place this on several implants in the jaw, so that it remains in the mouth and feels like real teeth. Another option is removable, snap-in dentures, which are attached to several implants and which you can easily remove and insert.

For patients aged 70 and over, the health insurance fund provides reimbursement for two implants to support a total prosthesis.

MRA

A Mandibular Repositioning Appliance (MRA) is a mouth brace or dental prosthesis that moves the lower jaw forward to a limited extent during sleep. This gives the upper airway more space, which reduces or stops snoring and reduces the number of respiratory arrests and/or breathing delays.

Patients eligible for an MRA include:

1. Patients who snore: An MRA can help reduce or stop snoring.
2. Patients with a mild form of sleep apnea (apnea index 5 - 15): For mild cases of sleep apnea, an MRA can be an effective treatment option.
3. Patients with moderate to severe sleep apnea who are refractory to CPAP treatment: If continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is inappropriate or not tolerated, an MRA may be an alternative approach.
4. Patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (15 - 30 osas).

The treatment with an MRA is not painful. First and foremost, it is examined whether the patient may benefit from the treatment. The severity is determined via sleep research: is it only snoring or also osas, which type and to what extent. Once the ENT doctor has determined where the obstruction is, it is the orthodontists or specialized dentists who subject the jaw and teeth to further examination.

Your teeth must be good to form a good basis for the braces. The MRA is therefore not suitable for everyone. You must have healthy teeth and molars. If you wear dentures, an MRA can now even be made, provided the lower denture is attached to implants. This is not even a requirement for the upper denture.

If it turns out that an MRA is a good solution for a particular patient, dental impressions are made by the specialized dentist (in our case via Intra oral scans!). The bracket can be made based on this. That often takes several weeks. The brace is then fitted, with instructions for the patient.

In a sense, the MRA doesn't really fix anything. Your physical limitations (a narrow throat and/or too much loose tissue in the mouth and throat) are circumvented and the apneas are reduced. The patient must therefore continue to sleep with this brace every night for the rest of his life. On the other hand, no irreversible intervention takes place. If you have apneas due to being seriously overweight, MRA therapy can often be stopped when you lose enough weight.

Please note that the health insurance fund will not intervene in the case of a mild form of sleep apnea. The treatment of moderate to severe sleep apnea is done through a convention and the health insurance fund then intervenes directly under strict conditions.

The patient can make an appointment for this at the UTC counter (tandheelkunde@vub.be or 02/477 49 20). Consultations are only possible on Thursdays.