APPLICATION OF BASICS FIXED PROSTHODONTICS PRINCIPLES BY DENTAL PRACTITIONERS IN SAUDI ARABIA

Objective: To characterize the methods and materials used in fixed prostheses in Saudi Arabia.
 
Methods: A questionnaire was developed and distributed in 2014-2015 to a simple random sample of 200 dental practitioners and distributed among private and governmental sectors in 12 different Saudi Arabian cities. The questions were designed to provide understanding of the awareness and knowledge of dentists regarding the new materials and modern techniques that exist in the practice of fixed prosthodontics. Completed questionnaires were analyzed in terms of a simple summary statistic.
 
Results: a total of 86.4% of the practitioners responded. The majority of respondents reported using porcelain fused to metal as crown and bridge materials. Powder/liquid glass based system to construct fixed prostheses  was the method of choice for 69.6% of respondents. Among those who indicated using direct prefabricated post, 44% use a fiber glass post. Only 7.9%, however, used Zinc Phosphate cement, while 35.6% used Resin cement and the majority used traditional glass ionomer cement as a permanent cement.
 
Conclusion: In Saudi Arabia, there are traditional trends in practice that do not appear to be supported by scientific evidence. The results of this survey demonstrate the importance of integrating evidence-based practice concepts into teaching curriculums, continuous education courses, and postgraduate studies. However, further studies are necessary to evaluate this trend.