Factors influencing dentists’ choices of restorative materials in Saudi Arabia: a web-based online cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: There is a variety of restorative materials, from dental amalgam to the more recent introduction of resin and tooth-colored restorations, which makes choosing the most suitable restorative material a complex task for dentists. Dentists evaluate each case individually and make their selection decision based on several factors which have different degrees of clinical significance. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the patients’ teeth, and dentist’s factors related to the selection of restorative materials among dentists working in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted using simple random sampling method in Saudi Arabia in 2018. The questionnaire was adopted from other studies, which were pretested using pilot studies to ensure reliability. The questionnaire consisted of demographic data, multiple-choice questions measuring the most commonly used materials and the reasons behind that, along with 5-point Likert-scale questions identifying the attitudes of dentists regarding the factors influencing their choices of restorative materials. The questionnaire was completed by 229 dentists. Using IBM-SPSS version, the data were analyzed in descriptive statistics and Chi square test. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant in examining the study hypotheses. Results: Composite was the most commonly used material to restore primary carious lesions in class I, class II and class V. Conservative preparation was the main reason for using composite (55.9%). Esthetics was the main limitation of using amalgam (52%). The number of male dentists not using amalgam was significantly higher than their female peers (p=0.032). Conclusion: The trend of using composite is increasing in Saudi Arabia and has been reported worldwide in various conditions even in the more challenging circumstances such as large cavities and molars, mainly because its preparation is conservative. However, composite is still not preferred for patients with high caries activity and poor oral hygiene. Further research is required to negotiate more factors such as the material factors and socioeconomic status of the patient.