Choice of Restorative Materials by Dental Practitioners and Students in Saudi Arabia for Endodontically Treated Teeth: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: There are several elements to consider when determining the optimal procedure for restoring teeth that have undergone endodontic treatment, including the choice and requirement of a post, the kind of coronal restoration, how much coronal structure is still there, and the kind of cementing agent. The ideal restoration procedure for teeth that have undergone endodontic treatment is yet unknown. The goal of this systematic review was to evaluate the restorative material choices and factors that affect the decision-making on endodontically treated teeth (ETT) among dental professionals and students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods: Studies that evaluated the choice or preference of dental professionals for restorative materials for teeth that had undergone endodontic treatment were chosen from surveys that were published between 2012 and 2022 in English. Selected keyword searches were conducted in the Science Direct, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases. The data (theme-related questions and response rates for each survey question) were extracted using a standardized outline, and the likelihood of bias was evaluated. The information gathered was subjected to descriptive analysis. Results: There were 11 articles in total, encompassing 2192 respondents. The response rates ranged from 30% to 98%. The study population consisted of general dental practitioners (n = 1018), followed by dental students (n = 598), specialists (n = 475), and 101 dental surgeons. The years of experience range from 1 to > 30 years, with the majority claiming to have fewer than 10 years. Moreover, 55% of the studies preferred prefabricated posts, such as fiber posts following metal posts. Most of the respondents preferred resin-based cementing agents (22% to 82%). Over 60% of respondents chose composite resin over amalgam as the material for the core foundation Conclusion: The study results from Saudi Arabian data showed that dentists favored using prefabricated posts, such as fiber and metal-based posts, to restore ETTs and resin-based cementing agents. The preferred material for the core foundation built for ETT by regular dentists, specialists, and students is regarded as composite. The amount of coronal tooth structure that is still present is crucial when choosing the post type and restorative material.