Brazilian dentists' restorative treatment decisions.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the pattern of decision-making by southern Brazilian dentists regarding the use of restorations in the treatment of dental caries.


METHODS
A cross-sectional survey involving 840 dentists, randomly selected in three southern Brazilian states, was performed. Telephone interviews were conducted by three previously trained dentists, in which clinical situations with different-depth radiolucencies, based upon bitewing radiographs, were described. Two other situations, including dark fissures and white spots, were also described. The main outcome measures were the tendency in clinical decision-making in comparison with the number of years elapsed since qualification and attendance on postgraduate courses.


RESULTS
The overall response rate was 89.4%: 31.5% of dentists would restore cavities in the outer half of the enamel; 54.5% when the cavity reached the inner half of the enamel, but not the enamel-dentine junction (EDJ); 79.0% when cavities reached the EDJ; and 96.9% when cavities reached the outer half of the dentine. Furthermore, 21.8% of dentists would restore dark fissures without signs of demineralization. Dentists qualified for less than 10 years and those who had attended postgraduate courses were less interventionist.


CONCLUSIONS
It was concluded that dentists have an interventionist attitude in the making of treatment decisions for dental caries and may be over-treating in several situations.
Traebert
Jefferson
J
School of Dentistry, South of Santa Catarina University, Tubarão-SC, Brazil. jtraebert@unisul.br
Marcenes
Wagner
W
Kreutz
Jorge Vítor
JV
Oliveira
Rosana
R
Piazza
Carlos Henrique
CH
Peres
Marco Aurélio
MA
D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004498:Education, Dental, Continuing; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005792:General Practice, Dental / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011859:Radiography; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012494:Sampling Studies