Radiographic Examination before Dental Extraction from Dentists' Perspective

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Oral Radiology

Background:

• Radiographic examination is crucial for assessing tooth roots and surrounding tissues before dental extraction.
• Current practices lack a universally adopted protocol for pre-extraction radiography, with varied preferences for imaging techniques like periapical radiographs, orthopantomography, or cone beam computed tomography.
• The specific type of radiographic technique is not consistently specified in practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate dental professionals' perspectives on the necessity and type of radiographic examination prior to conventional dental extraction.

Main Methods:

• A Google Form questionnaire was distributed to dental professionals via ResearchGate and social media platforms.
• Data were collected from 145 dentists, categorized by their country of practice (national, regional, international).

Main Results:

• A majority of respondents (n=86) affirmed the need for dental radiography in all extraction procedures; only 11 dentists disagreed.
• A significant relationship (P<0.01) was observed between the country of practice and the decision to use X-rays before extraction.
• Periapical radiographs were preferred by 76 dentists, while 35 favored orthopantomography, with country of practice also significantly influencing technique choice (P<0.01).

Conclusions:

• No universal protocol exists for dental radiography before extraction; practice location influences decisions on necessity and technique.
• Periapical radiographs are the preferred method for posterior teeth prior to dental extraction.