Assessment of patientrsquo;s knowledge and expectations regarding dental implants: A survey based research

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the level of knowledge, attitude, and source of information regarding the use of dental implants as treatment option compared to other conventional treatment modalities. A descriptive cross sectional study among adult dental patients attended the selected dental clinics of Nanded and Hingoli districts of Maharashtra, India. The level of knowledge, source of information, and attitude regarding the use of dental implants were evaluated through standardized self-explanatory questionnaires which were handed to the patient during their regular dental visits. 200 patients were selected randomly to be included in this survey. Among the 200 participants included in this study, 91.5% of the respondents heard about implants and their source of information were dentists (36%), 34.5% thought that the implants need more care compared with natural teeth. Regarding expected mean of durability of dental implants in present study, 37.7% of the subjects had no idea about the durability of dental implant treatment. The most important outcome of the present study is that about 70% of the subjects thought that the cost of the implants is beyond the reach of common people. The survey concluded that an acceptable level of awareness regarding using dental implants as a treatment option for replacing missing teeth, with dentists being the main source of information.