engleski

Restorative treatment decisions of dentists in Split and Dalmatia County on approximal and occlusal caries: a pilot study

Objective of work: The aim of this pilot study was to identify treatment thresholds, restorative methods and materials for approximal and occlusal caries lesions used by dentists in Split and Dalmatia County. Materials and Methods: The questionnaire of Espelid et al. (2001) was translated from English to Croatian and distributed to a random sample (n=100) of dentists in Split and Dalmatia County. Responses were collected from 28 dentists. Figures, included as an addition to questions, illustrated different clinical and radiographic stages of approximal, occlusal and questionable carious lesions. Results: The majority of dentists would perform restorative treatment for an approximal carious lesion which reached dentin-enamel junction (39%) or would not restore the lesion until it penetrated dentin (39%). The preferred cavity design was the tunnel preparation technique chosen by 61% of dentists. The majority of dentists (75%) stated that they would intervene surgically for occlusal carious lesions in dentin. The majority (46%) of the dentists judged tooth A like having a carious lesion confined to the enamel while tooth B was judged “ sound” by 39% of the respondents. Conclusions: Dentists in this pilot study tend to restore carious lesions at the moment the lesions reached dentin-enamel junction or just penetrated dentin, but further studies are necessary to conclude about the restorative decisions of dentists in Split and Dalmatia County.

treatment decisions; Split and Dalmatia County

nije evidentirano