Restorative Treatment Decisions on Approximal Caries Among Practicing Dentists in the College of Dentistry Clinics, Ajman University, United Arab Emirates

To assess restorative treatment decisions on approximal caries by dental practitioners in College of Dentistry at Ajman University regarding treatment threshold, restorative techniques and restorative materials, and to evaluate the characteristics of dentists relative to their treatment decisions.

Questionnaires were completed by a population of 180 dentists working in the university’s clinics. The questionnaire assessed responses to the treatment threshold for a hypothetical approximal carious lesion, the most preferred types of cavity preparation and restorative materials.

Out of the 180 participants, 57.9% were females, and 42.2% were males. Eighty-three percent were 35 years old or less, 12.2% were between 36 and 50 years, and 4.4% were 50 years or older. Most participants were UAE graduates (84.4%). Majority of the participants would delay surgical intervention of the approximal carious lesion until it reaches the dentine-enamel junction (41%), and 27% would wait further until it reaches into the outer dentine, while only 21% would intervene when the lesion is limited to enamel. The majority of the participants preferred simple box preparation (72.8%), and most of them chose composite as the restorative material (85%).

There is some variation among restorative treatment decisions of approximal caries by Ajman University’s dentists, but the majority tend to delay restorative intervention until caries reaches dentine, they prefer minimally invasive restorative techniques, and prefer composite as a restorative material.