Retrospective Evaluation of Treatment Planning for Dental Implant

This retrospective study investigates the diagnostic rationale for the extraction of teeth and their replacement with implants in a dental school setting. Most of the teeth were extracted for restorative reasons (62.7%). The other reasons for extraction were periodontal (35.1%) and endodontic (1.3%). A panel of endodontists disagreed with the treatment-planning dentists' decisions in 40.3% of the cases. Slightly more than half, 52.9%, of the disagreements were for restorative reasons. Most of the decisions in disagreement were made by general dentists (60.6%), far fewer by prosthodontists (25.5%), periodontists (12.2%), and oral surgeons (1.6%). An extensive review of the literature is provided.