Awareness and knowledge of patients toward dental implants as an option in replacing missing teeth: A survey in Kerman, Iran

Abstract

Background. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the level, sources and quality of information on implant treatment as an option for replacement of missing teeth, among a selected sample of dental patients in Kerman, Iran. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 305 subjects who attended the 6 main dental clinics in Kerman, Iran during January and February 2014. A standardized self-administered closed-ended questionnaire, pretested through a pilot survey, was used in the study. The questionnaires were distributed among the subjects during their regular dental visits. Data obtained from the questionnaires were scored and analyzed with SPSS 16.0. Results. The results showed that 76.7% of the subjects had heard about dental implant as a treatment modality. Regarding dental implants, dentists were the main source of information (40.7%), followed by the relatives and friends (17.0%). Lack of precise knowledge about implant therapy was the major factor preventing the subjects from choosing this kind of treatment in 35.7% of the subjects and the high cost of implant procedure (31.5%) was the second obstacle. Concerning the subjects’ opinion about the quality of implant therapy, 73.1% of the subjects indicated "excellent" or "good" and just 14.1% of them mentioned "poor" or "very poor" option. Conclusion. The results of this survey showed that the majority of the participants were aware about dental implants as an option for replacing missing teeth. It also showed the important role of dentists in providing accurate information for the patients about this treatment option.

Knowledge and attitude in implant dentistry training courses amongst undergraduate dental students at Tehran University of Medical Sciences

“…However, dental implant treatments are well established amongst patients and routinely performed in Iran. 12 In this study, over half of the students (60% and 65%, respectively) had a positive attitude towards the adequacy of theoretical instructions. In contrast, less than half (50% and 45%, respectively)…”

“…Chaudhary et al 10 in 2013 evaluated the knowledge and attitude of dental interns about dental implant courses in the state of Karnataka, India, and reported that due to the high cost of implant treatment in India which limits the usage of this treatment as a tooth replacement option, students had poor knowledge about the costs of dental implant treatment. However, dental implant treatments are well established amongst patients and routinely performed in Iran 12 …”

“…10 Therefore, even if the general dentist wishes or is not trained to provide implant-based treatments, it is necessary for him/her to receive sufficient training to provide the patients with sound and indicative information and be able to counsel the patients and refer them to a specialist. 6,[11][12][13] Since the acceptance of implants in the dental field by the National Institutes of Health, the inclusion of continuing education of this area into the dental curricula has become indisputable. 14 The trend toward incorporating implant therapy in the predoctoral dental curriculum began around 2000.…”

“…It has also been shown that dentists, followed by friends, media and general practitioners, are the primary source of patient information on dental implants 10 . Therefore, even if the general dentist wishes or is not trained to provide implant‐based treatments, it is necessary for him/her to receive sufficient training to provide the patients with sound and indicative information and be able to counsel the patients and refer them to a specialist 6,11–13 …”

Libyan Patient's Awareness and Attitude Towards Dental Implants

“…This finding aligns with another study conducted by AlQahtani [14] , where 58.3% of participants shared the same perception. Esfahani et al [15] also obtained similar results, with 47.4% of individuals expressing a similar viewpoint.…”