Assessment of Dentists' Knowledge of Space Maintainer Indications After Primary First Molar Extraction: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Space maintainer appliances can potentially reduce the need for extensive orthodontic treatment in the future for children. However, they can also lead to various complications, such as an increased risk of dental caries and gingival diseases. It is crucial for dentists to carefully evalu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) CA), 2024-06, Vol.16 (6), p.e61738
Main Authors: Babakurd, Farah, Al Shammary, Nawaf H, Azrak, Lilian, Al-Nerabieah, Zuhair, Alkhouli, Muaaz, Dashash, Mayssoon
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Children & youth
College students
Consent
Cross-sectional studies
Dental care
Dentistry
Dentists
Knowledge
Medical Education
Oral hygiene
Pediatrics
Public Health
Questionnaires
Response rates
Self evaluation
Teeth
Validity
Citations: Items that this one cites
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Summary:Background Space maintainer appliances can potentially reduce the need for extensive orthodontic treatment in the future for children. However, they can also lead to various complications, such as an increased risk of dental caries and gingival diseases. It is crucial for dentists to carefully evaluate a decision each child's specific situation before deciding whether to apply a space maintainer or not. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge of dentists at Damascus University, both at undergraduate and specialist levels, regarding when space maintainers should be recommended. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 158 dentists (151 at the undergraduate level and seven at the specialist level). The questionnaire included 13 questions, covering demographic information and self-assessment, and 10 scenarios that are commonly encountered in clinical practice. Results The response rate was 50%. A majority of the participants (85, 53.8%) demonstrated inadequate knowledge. No significant correlations were found between knowledge level and gender (P = 0.853), practice experience (P = 0.171), or self-assessment (P = 0.383). Conclusions Most dentists exhibited a lack of knowledge about space maintainers, with no correlation identified between knowledge level, gender, practice experience, and self-assessment. It is recommended that educational curricula be updated to ensure that clinicians have a better understanding of when to use space maintainers in children.
ISSN:2168-8184
2168-8184
DOI:10.7759/cureus.61738