Advances In Bioactive Dental Composites

Abstract

Background: The introduction of bioactive dental composites has revolutionized restorative dentistry with features like remineralization, antibacterial activities, and prolonging the lifespan of dental restorations. Adoption in clinical practice, however, is still quite limited due to their costs, difficulty in material handling, and absence of long-term clinical evidence. This study attempts to determine the awareness and adoption of bioactive dental composites as well as their effectiveness and shortcomings among dental professionals. Methods: A cross-sectional survey using quantitative methods was administered to 250 dental practitioners including general dentists, prosthodontists, endodontists, periodontists, orthodontists, dental researchers, and dental students. Data was gathered through a structured questionnaire focusing on bioactive dental composites’ awareness, use, effectiveness, and the barriers surrounding it. Descriptive statistics, Shapiro-Wilk normality test, Cronbach’s Alpha reliability test, and regression analysis were the statistical methods performed to compute the data distribution and internal consistency as well as the relationship of years of experience to the frequency of use. Results: The Shapiro-Wilk normality test performed with the data also noted the variation (p <0.05) in responses, showcasing that the data did not follow the expected normal distribution. The Cronbach’s Alpha reliability test showcased a value of -0.148 which indicates awful internal consistency of the decision-making factors. Regression analysis gave an R² value of 0.00016, which confirms that Despite the number of years of experience one has had, there are no significant shifts in the adoption of bioactive dental composites. In addition, other significant obstacles included great material expense, difficult handling, and a lack of sufficient clinical proof.

Conclusion: The findings show that the more experience clinicians have with composites, the lower the adoption of bioactive dental composites tends to be, suggesting that the transition is more dependent on external variables like material properties and cost. There is an urgent call to enhance education and training to improve material handling and cost-effectiveness to enable the use of these composites. Further studies are needed to address other possible influencing variables, clinical studies, and patient-oriented approaches toward using bioactive composites in everyday dental practice. Solving these issues will ensure that bioactive dental composites increase the efficiency in modern restorative dentistry, which in turn will decrease the cost of treatment increase the longevity of dental materials, and improve patient satisfaction.