Exploring furcation involvement diagnosis and treatment practices: a cross-sectional survey among general dentists in southern Santa Fe Province, Argentina.

Abstract

The risk of losing a tooth with furcation involvement is twice as high as that of losing a multirooted tooth with good periodontal status. Early diagnosis of furcation involvement increases the likelihood of retaining the tooth in the oral cavity.

Aim: To explore the behavior and limitations of general dentists in the southern region of Santa Fe Province in the detection and clinical management of furcation lesions.

Materials and method: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an anonymous online questionnaire consisting of 32 questions to assess general dentists' experience in diagnosis and management of furcation lesions (instrumental, classification and treatment), how likely they were to refer patients, and their self-perception regarding certain topics. Invitations to participate were extended twice between November 2022 and March 2023 via email sent by the Dental Association of the 2nd District of Santa Fe Province. The invitation emails contained a link to the questionnaire on the Google Forms platform, which participants accessed after reading the information sheet and providing informed consent to participate. Once the survey was completed, the responses were exported as a matrix from the Google Forms platform and anonymized.

Results: Most of the 121 surveyed dental professionals reported difficulties with diagnosis, limitations in handling instruments, and challenges in selecting appropriate treatments.

Conclusions: As reported by similar studies in other countries, there is a clear need for further training and development of continuous education programs for general dentists in the region.