Perceptions, expectations, and satisfaction of patients undergoing dental implant therapy in the Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University

Abstract

The aims of this study were to evaluate patient’s perception before and after receiving dental implant therapy and to investigate patient’s perception, expectation, and satisfaction of dental implant treated by postgraduate dental students and faculty members. This study was designed with a quantitative cross-sectional technique. The data were collected by 3 questionnaires, from patients who intended to receive dental implant treatment during September 2017 to February 2019. Two hundred and fifty participants participated in this study. Most of them were female, aged 55-64 years, graduated bachelor’s degree, and facial and teeth appearance did not affect their career. The proportion of monthly income was quite equally between groups. Most of participants were treated by faculty members and most likely to receive only 1 dental implant placement without bone augmentation. Most common site for implanting was posterior region. The perceptions after dental implant insertion were generally more accurate than prior treatment perceptions, except the higher level of agreement with statement “Dental implant therapy is appropriate for all patients.” after the treatment. In addition, the expertise of dentist significantly affected patient’s perceptions toward dental implant therapy. In conclusion, there were statistically significant differences between pre- and post-treatment perception of patients in almost all statements. Most participants improved their realistic perception after dental implant treatment. However, some patients still had improper perception and unrealistic expectation. Therefore, the appropriate information about dental implant including surgical procedure, post-operative difficulties, and preparation for maintenance program should be more intense provided to prevent the wrong conception, which might affect their satisfaction to the treatment outcome.