The cost of professional teeth cleaning by the dentist
As already mentioned, professional tooth cleaning (PZR) is not among the services covered by statutory health insurance. Patients must therefore pay the entire cost of treatment without the help of health insurance. The cost of treatment depends on various factors:
1. factor: the health of the teeth
A decisive cost factor of PZR is the health situation in the patient's oral cavity. Basically, the healthier and better cared for the teeth and gums are, the less expensive the professional dental cleaning in the dental practice will be. Dentists generally recommend one to two professional dental cleanings a year for their adult patients. The urgency or number of treatments is measured by the patient's brushing habits.
The costs of dental cleaning are calculated in the course of health with the help of the so-called scale of fees for dentists (GOZ). Dentists are obliged to bill dental cleaning according to GOZ 1040. The scope of billing is minimized if the dental cleaning is simple due to positive dental health. Important for the calculation is a dental hygiene, which contains the condition as well as the type, quantity and cause of dental plaque. Thus, good dental hygiene can reduce the cost of treatment.
Factor 2: The dental cleaning method of the practice
PZRs are considered ideal preventive treatments against tooth decay, gingivitis and other dental diseases. Furthermore, dentists like to recommend them as a follow-up treatment after procedures such as periodontitis treatment. The reason for its popularity is its promising success in improving dental hygiene and health as much as possible, as well as strengthening the protective power of teeth.
Dental cleaning as a pre- or post-treatment is not performed in the same way in all dental practices. Different precautions and methods influence the duration and cost of professional teeth cleaning. Depending on the procedure, the cost of dental cleaning can be lower or higher. In order to keep the costs as low as possible, it is advisable to check in the preliminary consultation whether the most important steps of the dental cleaning are followed by the dentist. The most important steps include an assessment of the teeth and gums, removal of soft and hard plaque, polishing of the teeth, and application of a fluoride-containing varnish or gel. Furthermore, after the treatment, the dentist should go into more detail about the strengths and weaknesses of oral hygiene and provide tips for better oral hygiene at home.
