Comparison of treatment choices among endodontists, postgraduate students, undergraduate students and general dentists for endodontically treated teeth

Abstract

ObjectivesTo compare the decision-making choices among Turkish dentists with different educational backgrounds. MethodsEighty endodontically treated teeth were selected from the authors' private archives and placed into four case groups of equal size: case-group 1, symptom/periapical lesion (n = 20); case-group 2, symptom/no periapical lesion (n = 20); case-group 3, no symptom/periapical lesion (n = 20); and case-group 4, no symptom/no periapical lesion (n = 20). The respective periapical radiograph of each tooth was scanned and, together with a leaflet containing relevant information, was distributed to the participants. Participants comprised undergraduate students (n = 20), general dentists (n = 20), endodontic postgraduate students (n = 20) and endodontists (n = 20). Each participant was requested to choose only one option, from five previously determined treatment alternatives, for each tooth: no treatment, wait and see; non-surgical root canal treatment; only apical surgery (apical resection and retrofilling or only apical curettage); retreatment and apical surgery; or extraction. The results were expressed as frequency and percentage. Kendall's W test was used to determine the differences among the participant groups. ResultsThere was a statistically significant difference among the practitioners in the preferred treatment options for different case-groups (P < 0.05). For case-groups 1, 2 and 3, the postgraduate students and endodontists preferred non-surgical retreatment more frequently than did the undergraduate students and general dentists. However, in case-group 4, all participants suggested the first treatment option, no treatment, wait and see' more frequently than the other treatment options. ConclusionsWithin the limitations of this survey study it was concluded that endodontists and graduate programme students tend more towards conservative treatment (retreatment) compared with general dentists and undergraduate students.