Patients' Perceptions Regarding Acceptance of Dental Implants as an Option for the Replacement of Missing Teeth: An Observational Study.

Introduction: Dental implants enhance the self-assurance and overall well-being of individuals by providing oral comfort during mastication and a notable degree of contentment. The objectives of the present study were to assess patients' perception of opting or non-opting for dental implants as a replacement for missing teeth and to determine the correlation between various factors and perceived demand for dental implant treatment.

Materials And Methods:  A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 214 partially edentulous individuals aged between 21 and 50 years. These patients sought treatment to replace their missing teeth. The participants were provided with detailed information regarding various options for replacing their missing teeth, including removable prostheses, fixed partial dentures, and dental implants. The researchers recorded and evaluated the reasons behind the patients' decision to opt for or decline dental implant treatment using the chi-squared test. Categorical variables were summarized as percentages (n %). The association between variables and binary data was examined using point biserial correlation, whereas, for continuous data, the Pearson correlation coefficient was employed.

Results: About 65 (30.4%) patients opted for dental implant treatment and 149 (69.6%) patients did not opt for dental implant treatment. Missing teeth were found in 120 women (56.08%) and 94 men (43.92%). The main reason for seeking dental implant treatment was the need for improvement in functions such as chewing in 65 (100%) patients, followed by the need for improvement in oral health in 57 (88%), aesthetics in 54 (83%), need for bone and adjacent teeth preservation in 52 (80%), and durability of dental implants in 46 (71%) patients. The main reasons for not seeking dental implant treatment and opting for fixed prostheses other than dental implants or removable prostheses cost 149 (100%), fear of surgery 132 (91%), underlying health issues 121 (81%), lack of knowledge about dental implants 120 (80.5%), and time management issues 92 (62%). Gender, age, and number of missing teeth showed a negative correlation, whereas level of education, social status, and oral health awareness showed a positive correlation with the perceived need for dental implant treatment.

Conclusion: Dental implant treatment was preferred by 30.4% of patients, which was influenced by gender, sex, level of education, social status, awareness of oral health, and number of missing teeth. Cost, fear of surgery, underlying medical conditions, lack of knowledge, and time management are some reasons for not opting for dental implant treatment.