The perceived prognosis of endodontic treatment and implant therapy among dental practitioners.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to understand if practicing dentists appreciate the difference in criteria for success used in the endodontic and implant literature, to evaluate the perceived outcome of implant therapy compared with endodontic treatment, and to evaluate current and projected utilization of implant and endodontic treatment.


METHODS
A 16-question survey was distributed to 648 dentists who graduated from the University of Connecticut Dental School over the past 30 years.


RESULTS
The response rate was 47%. Forty-nine percent of respondents did not know that different criteria are used in the literature to evaluate implant and root canal treatment. Thirty percent of respondents thought root canal treatment of teeth with necrotic pulp was superior to implants, and only 16% thought retreatment was preferable.


CONCLUSIONS
A shift in utilization toward implant treatment was not found; however, a perceived superior outcome of implant compared with endodontic treatment does exist among the dental community.
Division of Endodontology, Department of Oral Health and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut 06030, USA. rstockhausen@yahoo.com
Rachel
R
Stockhausen
Robert
R
Aseltine
J Greg
JG
Matthews
Blythe
B
Kaufman
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003657:Decision Making; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011379:Prognosis; D019233:Retreatment; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016019:Survival Analysis