Factors for post-operative sensitivity in dental caries treatment according to practicing dentists--application of network analysis.
BACKGROUND
The postoperative tooth sensitivity is a dental caries post-treatment complication of unknown origin. The variety of clinical symptoms of this condition, the contributing factors and their interactions may be presented by means of network analysis.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to apply network analysis to present the relationships between factors contributing to post-operative sensitivity according to practicing dentists.


METHODS
We carried out an anonymous questionnaire survey of 213 dentists to assess their experience with diagnosed post-operative sensitivity. The duration and kind of the condition was studied to find its correlation with the type of restorative material, the location of carious defect, and the depth of carious defect. The respondents gave their opinions about the probable causes of post-operative sensitivity. Multiple answers to one question were allowed. Data was processed with the help of SPSS and UciNet.


RESULTS
806 ties between factors for post-operative sensitivity were investigated. Their absolute size (C) ranged from -16 to +175. The most significant relationships, defined at C > or = 0.3, comprised 20% of all ties.


CONCLUSIONS
The following relationships between factors associated with post-operative sensitivity were found: cold-induced pain of up to 1 week duration after treatment of caries profunda acuta and placement of an amalgam restoration; pressure-induced pain of up to 3 weeks duration after treatment of caries profunda chronica, class II cavities and placement of a composite resin restoration. The visualized structures of interrelated factors represented only the clinical experience of the questioned dentists. Their confirmation in clinical practice is a matter of future investigations.
Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry,Medical University, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Stoyan B
SB
Vladimirov
Neshka A
NA
Manchorova
Donka A
DA
Keskinova
D003731:Dental Caries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003807:Dentin Sensitivity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D016571:Neural Networks, Computer; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists'