COMMON MATERIALS USED BY DENTISTS FOR PEDIATRIC RESTORATIONS - A SURVEY

Abstract

The aim of this article was to conduct a questionnaire based survey on the choice of material used by dentists in Chennai for paediatric restorations. The prevalence of dental caries in the pediatric population is on the rise due to the changing dietary habits with current lifestyle trends. As a result, dentists have to choose the most appropriate restorative material based on criteria such as site of the lesion, patient cooperation, aesthetics, anti-cariogenicity, biocompatibility and mechanical properties. A questionnaire was prepared and randomly distributed to 114 dentists (general practitioners and specialists) in Chennai working in teaching institutions, government hospitals, private hospitals and private dental clinics. The survey form consisted of 10 questions in multiple choice format. The data was tabulated in spreadsheets and statistical analysis was done to obtain the results. Group responses were summarized and comparisons were made made using Pearson Chi Square test. The results showed that 109 dentists (95.6%) used glass ionomer cement most frequently for restoring primary teeth whereas 5 dentists (4.4%) used composite. Significant variation (p=0.018) was seen in the choice of material for restoring proximal lesions where GIC is used by 57.9% dentists followed by SSC (33.3%). As a wide range of restorative materials are now available, this survey will provide a better understanding about the most convenient and preferred materials by dentists.