Evaluation of awareness toward various treatment modalities for replacement of teeth in local population of Sundar Nagar, District Mandi, Himachal Pradesh: A survey report

Abstract

Background: The purpose of the study was to collect information from local population of Sundar Nagar, District Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, to assess their attitude toward replacement of teeth. Materials and Methods: An analytical, cross-sectional, epidemiological survey was conducted on 522 individuals randomly selected from a local population of Sundar Nagar, to determine attitude toward various treatment modalities for the replacement of teeth. A self-designed closed-ended questionnaire was prepared to assess the attitude of the patient, and collected data were analyzed statistically using the Chi-square test at the significance level of P < 0.05. Results: Around 87% of patients showed positive attitude for the replacement of missing teeth. Almost 78.2% of patients liked to replace missing teeth even although it is an expensive treatment. Around 47.1% of patients believed that they socialized less with a removable prosthesis because of poor stability and retention. Eighty-eight percent of patients of 40–59 years showed a positive attitude toward fixed prosthesis as compared to older age, who preferred removable prosthesis due to lack of interest in esthetics and low perceived need of prosthesis. Forty-seven percent of patients showed a positive attitude toward acceptance of implant. Conclusion: It is essential to evaluate attitude toward treatment as treatment expectations may influence treatment planning and perceived value by the patient and its outcome.

Keywords

• Attitude
• mastication
• questionnaire
• replacement of teeth