INSIGHTS OF DENTAL PRACTITIONERS WITH RESPECT TO GENDER ON COMPOSITES AS A RESTORATIVE MATERIAL: REASONS FOR SELECTION AND CAUSES OF FAILURE

Background: Composite resin restorations have become the preferred choice in modern restorative dentistry due to their esthetic appeal, conservative preparation requirements, and reliable bonding to tooth structure. Despite these advantages, the selection of restorative material may be influenced by various practitioner-related factors, including clinical training, experience, and demographic variables such as gender. Understanding whether such factors affect clinical decision-making is vital for improving educational strategies and standardizing care. Objective: To assess the association between the gender of dental practitioners and their reasons for selecting and perceived causes of failure of composite resin restorations. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the College of Dentistry, Sharif Medical and Dental College, Lahore, over a one-year period from July 2020 to July 2021. A total of 150 dentists were enrolled using convenience sampling. Data were collected through a pre-validated structured questionnaire after obtaining ethical approval (SMDC/SMRC/199-21) and informed consent. Inclusion criteria required at least six months of clinical experience with composites. The association between gender and both the reasons for choosing and perceived failure causes of composite restorations was analyzed using the Fisher exact test via SPSS version 23, with a p-value ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Out of 150 participants, 59% were male and 91% female. A statistically non-significant association was found between gender and the reason for choosing composites (p = 0.457). Most males (57.6%) and females (59.3%) selected composites due to tooth structure conservation. Similarly, polymerization shrinkage was identified as the leading cause of failure by 57.6% of males and 65.9% of females (p = 0.580). Conclusion: Although no statistically significant gender-based differences were observed, both male and female dentists largely preferred composites for their conservative nature, and identified polymerization shrinkage as the main clinical challenge.