<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-05-14</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000884847</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MATRITECH INC/DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MZT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001310611</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Musket David B</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O MATRITECH, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>330 NEVADA STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEWTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02460</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-05-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>C</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>42505</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>108070</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-05-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>C</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>393569</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1710570</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By various ProMed Funds</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series A Convertible Promissory Notes</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-05-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>C</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionTotalValue>
                    <value>17172.43</value>
                </transactionTotalValue>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>42505</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <valueOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>106875</value>
                </valueOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series A Convertible Promissory Notes</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-05-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>C</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionTotalValue>
                    <value>159004</value>
                </transactionTotalValue>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>393569</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <valueOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>989583.33</value>
                </valueOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By various ProMed Funds</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares acquired as a result of Issuer's conversion of $17,172.43 of principal and accrued interest on outstanding Series A Convertible Promissory Notes at a conversion price of $0.404005 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Shares acquired as a result of Issuer's conversion of $159,004 of principal and accrued interest on outstanding Series A Convertible Promissory Notes at a conversion price of $0.404005 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">By ProMed Partners, L.P., ProMed Partners II, L.P., ProMed Offshore Fund, Ltd. and ProMed Offshore Fund II, Ltd.  The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest in the Funds, and this report shall not be deemed to be an admission that the reporting person is the beneficial owner of the securities for purposes of Section 16 or any other purpose.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Disposition of $17,172.43 of principal and accrued interest on outstanding Series A Convertible Promissory Notes as a result of the Issuer's conversion of the principal and accrued interest on the Notes into shares of common stock at a price of $0.404005 per share.  The reporting person still holds $106,875 of Series A Convertible Promissory Notes which are convertible by the reporting person at a price of $0.63 per share and which are convertible on specific installment payment dates at the option of the Issuer into shares of common stock at the lower of the conversion price, currently $0.63 per share, or 85% of the 10-day volume-weighted average trading price of the common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Disposition of $159,004 of principal and accrued interest on outstanding Series A Convertible Promissory Notes as a result of the Issuer's conversion of the principal and accrued interest on the Notes into shares of common stock at a price of $0.404005 per share.  The various ProMed Funds still hold $989,583.33 of Series A Convertible Promissory Notes which are convertible by the ProMed Funds at a price of $0.63 per share and which are convertible on specific installment payment dates at the option of the Issuer into shares of common stock at the lower of the conversion price, currently $0.63 per share, or 85% of the 10-day volume-weighted average trading price of the common stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Patricia Randall, under power of attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-05-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
