Public awareness, knowledge, attitude and acceptance of dental implants as a treatment modality among patients visiting dental college setups in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India: A pilot study

Abstract

: Edentulism is one of the most commonly encountered condition affecting the oral cavity. Dental implants have emerged as a widely accepted prosthetic treatment option. However, lack of public awareness and cost of the treatment act as barriers which limit their applicability.A questionnaire-based survey was conducted in five dental colleges in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India to assess the knowledge, attitude and perception of participants regarding the importance of replacing missing teeth and dental implants.Epi-info software version 7.Majority of the patients were partially edentulous and believed that replacement of missing teeth is important but only half of participants had undergone treatment for the same. A large number of patients were aware about tooth replacement options but the awareness regarding dental implants was scarce. High cost and lack of information seem to be the major barriers in delivering dental implant treatment. Efforts are needed to educate and spread the awareness about implants among general population.