InquiryMaterial choices
Section snippets
Background
The choice of a material to fabricate a single-unit crown can depend on factors related to the patient, the tooth, esthetics, masticatory factors, finances, and dentist-related factors. To better understand the influence of dentist and practice factors on the choice of material for a single-unit crown, dentists in the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network first completed a questionnaire. Specific dentist-related and practice-related characteristics were evaluated to see if there were
Methods
The network is a consortium of dental practices and dental organizations with the goal of improving the scientific basis for clinical decision-making. When the practitioners join, they complete an enrollment questionnaire that gathers information about themselves, their practice(s), and the patient population(s) they serve. For the study, participating dentists who were currently practicing and treating patients in the United States, were in the network’s limited or full network participation
Results
The response rate was 83%. The top three anterior tooth choices were lithium disilicate (54%), layered zirconia (17%), and leucite-reinforced glass ceramic (13%). Significant differences were noted related to dentist gender, race, years since graduation, region, practice busyness, hours worked/week, and location type. Insurance coverage was not significantly associated. Dentists who graduated more than 15 years previously were more likely to choose PFM than those who graduated 5 to 15 years
Discussion
The selections made by these dentists were significantly different from those made 30 years ago, which were generally PFM crowns and metal crowns rather than porcelain jacket crowns. These changes likely reflect the improvements made to dental ceramics, patient desires for more esthetic results, and the high cost associated with metal-based crowns. Most importantly, material choice is related to factors other than the patient’s clinical presentation. Among these factors are practice type, years
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Makhija SK, Lawson NC, Gilbert GH, et al: Dentist material selection for single-unit crowns: Findings from the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network. J Dent 55:40-47, 2016
Reprints available from SK Makhija, Dept of Clinical & Community Services, UAB School of Dentistry, SDB Room 111, 1919 7th Ave South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0007; e-mail: [email protected]