Professional Variability in Decision Making in Modern Dentistry: A Pilot Study

SUMMARY Dental treatment planning is usually expected to take account of the individual patient's clinical risks and benefits. Ideally, the therapeutic choice for each and every patient should be based on adequate clinical diagnostics and risk assessment that facilitates stabilization of the patient's clinical condition as well as prevents further oral impairment. However, identification of the most suitable approach tends to become more and more challenging as the number of therapeutic alternatives continues to increase due to medical innovation. In this study, the challenge of decision making in modern dentistry is illustrated using the example of bounded edentulous spaces. Many therapeutic alternatives exist for such clinical scenarios, including a noninvasive monitoring approach, minimally invasive tooth recontouring, orthodontic and prosthodontic treatment, and implant placement. The findings of this pilot study highlight the utmost relevance of incorporating individual patients' needs and risks into clinical treatment planning and providing appropriate guidelines.