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Dental practitioners’ views on the need to treat developmental defects of enamel
Author(s) -
Wong Hai Ming,
McGrath Colman,
King Nigel M.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
community dentistry and oral epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1600-0528
pISSN - 0301-5661
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0528.2007.00309.x
Subject(s) - medicine , enamel paint , dentistry
Objectives: To assess dental practitioners' views on the need to treat developmental defects of enamel (DDE). In addition, to identify factors associated with practitioners’ treatment decision (tooth factors and dentist‐related). Methods: A random sample of 300 Hong Kong dentists were sent a booklet containing computer‐generated images of various forms of DDE and asked to rate the treatment need. In addition, some dentist‐related information was collected. Results: The response rate was 79% (237/300). The majority of the dental practitioners considered that aesthetic treatment was indicated for people with DDE subtypes of brown demarcated opacities (51.0%), confluent/patchy plus staining and/or loss of enamel (80.2%), missing enamel (67.1%) and the combination of discolouration and diffuse opacities (83.1%); their decisions were in relation to the type ( P < 0.001), size ( P = 0.001) and colour ( P < 0.001) of the enamel defects. Dental professionals who were older, self‐employed, graduated from institutions overseas, or had postgraduate qualifications, tended to consider aesthetic treatment for the teeth that exhibited the milder forms of enamel defects ( P < 0.05). Conclusions: Dentists frequently perceive that DDE constitutes a ‘great need’ for dental treatment. Dentists’ perceptions of the need to treat DDE is influenced by type, size and colour of DDE and associated with dentist‐related factors, principally the age of the dentist.