Knowledge and attitude of dental students regarding etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of peri-implantitis

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to assess the level of knowledge and attitude of dental students about the etiology, diagnosis, and management of peri-implantitis.MethodsAn online cross-sectional study that targeted senior undergraduate dental students at the College of Dentistry was conducted. A closed-ended survey consisting of 28 questions was designed. Three sections were created: 1) participants' characteristics; 2) Knowledge of peri-implantitis etiology, risk factors, diagnosis, and complications; 3) The use of antibiotics in peri-implantitis, diagnosis, and treatment methods. SPSS version 22 (IBM Corp.) was used for data analysis. Counts and percentages were calculated for correct answers in each section.ResultsA total of 267 dental students responded to the questionnaire. The majority of the participants (81.6%) were knowledgeable about peri-implantitis being an inflammatory reaction, and a lesser percentage (77.9%) knew that bacterial plaque is an etiologic factor for peri-implant diseases. 82.0% of the participants identified smoking as a risk factor, followed by periodontitis (80.5%). Regarding implant complications, 57.3% of the participants considered implant mobility as a definitive indication for implant removal. More than half of the participants reported using crater-like bone defects surrounding implants to diagnose peri-implantitis. The most commonly used antibiotic was amoxicillin (34.1%), followed by amoxicillin combined with metronidazole (26.9%).ConclusionMost participants had a basic understanding of the etiology and risk factors of peri-implantitis. On the other hand, more courses addressing peri-implantitis diagnosis are needed.