Knowledge, attitude, and practice of autotransplantation among the practicing pediatric dentists in Chennai - A questionnaire study.

Background: Autotransplantation is a minor surgical procedure which involves transplantation of teeth within the same oral cavity. For children, autotransplantation may be considered as a provisional measure with good survival probability. It offers a viable biological approach for replacing the missing teeth and also for orthodontic treatments in children.

Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of autotransplantation among pediatric dentists in Chennai, India.

Methods: An 18-item questionnaire was developed, piloted, and distributed among 100 practicing pediatric dentists in Chennai, India. Descriptive statistical analysis was done using Chi-square test.

Results: Seventy valid responses from the practicing pediatric dentists were obtained. Among them, 39.7% had an experience of 5-10 years, 47.1% practiced less than 5 years, and 13.2% had experience more than 10 years. Analysis of the responses showed that 76.5% of the pediatric dentists were aware of the procedure but have not observed autotransplantation being done. Among the respondents, 95.6% have not performed this technique and 40.6% of them were not sure of the prognosis. Atraumatic extraction of donor tooth was considered to be a major limitation in autotransplantation by 41.8% of the pediatric dentists. From the responses received, 95.6% were interested in gaining more information with majority opting for more hands on workshops on the technique of autotransplantation.

Conclusion: Though most of the respondents were aware of autotransplantation procedure, they have not practiced it due to inadequate training.