Survey of general dentists regarding posterior restorations, selection criteria, and associated clinical problems.
This survey was designed to provide insight concerning the materials that general dentists use for direct and indirect posterior restorations. A stratified random sample of dentists (n = 2,880) from the Academy of General Dentistry's membership list received a questionnaire that elicited information on the clinician's current use of amalgam, direct, and indirect composite materials; reasons for material selection; and reported complications with composite restorations. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics as well as t-test, Mann-Whitney, and chi square for group comparisons. A total of 714 dentists (26.3%) responded. Direct composite was the material used most commonly for posterior intracoronal restorations. Dentists in amalgam-free practices (31.6%) were significantly more likely (p = 0.001) to use direct composite than dentists whose practices used amalgam. Both groups weighed clinical decision factors and ranked perceived complications differently. Dentists in amalgam-free practices were less likely (p = 0.001) to consider caries rate, patient demand, and moisture control as important clinical decision factors and were more likely to report never experiencing complications.
Haj-Ali
Reem
R
Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Missouri-Kansas City, USA.
Walker
Mary P
MP
Williams
Karen
K
D001641:Bicuspid; D003188:Composite Resins; D003657:Decision Making; D003710:Demography; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D003763:Dental Leakage / Q000209:etiology; D003776:Dental Porcelain; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D003807:Dentin Sensitivity / Q000209:etiology; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007284:Inlays; D008963:Molar; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists'; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D003188:Composite Resins; D003776:Dental Porcelain; D003723:Dental Amalgam