Treatment of traumatic dental injuries : evaluation of knowledge among Italian dentists

Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of knowledge in the management of different scenarios of dental trauma in a population of Italian dentists. Materials and methods A closed-ended questionnaire consisting of 5 clinical cases of common traumatic dental injuries was asked to be filled out by dentists in the area of Milan, Italy. A total of 500 questionnaires were collected; after a descriptive analysis of the population, results of correct answers were expressed in frequency distribution and computed in percentages. To examine possible associations between the level of knowledge for each question (number/percentage of correct answers) and independent variables of the population (sex, number of years after graduation, attendance of dental trauma courses, type of clinical activity) appropriate correlation tests were performed (Pearson chi-square, or Fisher’s exact; level of significance = 0.05) for identification of statistically significant differences. Results More than 75% of participants answered correctly to the questions regarding crown fracture and extrusive luxation injuries; only 40% of dentists responded correctly about the duration and type of splinting following avulsion; 60% of participants incorrectly chose immediate invasive therapies (tooth extraction or endodontic procedures) for horizontal middle-root fracture. There was a trend towards slightly better knowledge (in 7 out of 9 questions) for dentists 1) working in hospitals and 2) who hadattended a post-graduate course in traumatology. Conclusion The level of knowledge in the group of dentists considered was heterogeneous; problems in the management of traumatic dental injuries were restricted to specific clinical cases and topics. Keywords Italian dentists; Knowledge; Questionnaire; Traumatic dental injuries.