Knowledge and awareness about dental implant as an option for replacement of teeth: a survey among students of Oral and Dental Health Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Baha University

Abstract Background: The loss of natural teeth due to various reasons, such as trauma, decay, or periodontal disease, can have profound physical, psychological, and social impacts on an individual’s quality of life. Over the years, dentistry has made significant advancements in the field of restorative dentistry, offering various solutions to address tooth loss. One of the most innovative and effective methods for replacing missing teeth is dental implantation. Dental implants have emerged as a groundbreaking solution, providing individuals with a permanent and functional alternative to conventional dentures or bridges. These small titanium posts, surgically inserted into the jawbone, serve as artificial tooth roots to which crowns or prosthetic teeth are attached. Dental implants not only restore aesthetics and functionality but also promote oral health by preventing bone loss and preserving adjacent teeth. Despite their many advantages, the awareness and understanding of dental implants among the general population remains somewhat limited. Objectives: The present study was carried out to assess thwe knowledge and awareness among students of Oral and Dental Health Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Baha University. Materials and methods: This is a survey was conducted among students of Oral and Dental Health Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Baha University. An electronic questionnaire was distributed using a new technology of social media. This questionnaire was adopted from some previous studies. The form consists of two sections; the first one relates to the demographic information including sex, age group, and education level. The remaining questions relate to the knowledge and awareness of dental implants. One question relates to the presence or absence of missing teeth among the students, one question about if the participant has implant, and another question relates to the source of information about dental Implants. The data will be collected in the form of Excel file and then it will be coded, entered, and analyzed using SPSS software program. The demographic data will be presented in the form of frequency and percentage. Χ 2 tests will be utilized to test the significance of responses among participants according to their sex, age, and education. A P value less than 0.05 will be considered significant. Results: A total of 105 questionnaires were electronically received. All participants were males because no female section. Participants from the age group 21–40 years were 61.9% and only 38.9% of the participants were from the age group less than 20 years. Twenty (19%) participants were at first grade, 22 (21%) participants at the second grade, 22 (21%) participants at the third grade, 20 (19%) participants at the fourth grade, and 21 (20%) participants at the fifth grade. All the participants (100%) had missing teeth. Seventy (66.7%) participants reported that they had no dental implants while 35 (33.3%) participants reported that they had dental implants. Dentists were the most common source of information reported by 70.5% followed by media (29.5%). The fixed bridge was the choice for replacement of the missing teeth for all participants. There was no significant difference ( P > 0.05) found between the different education levels for this question. Conclusion: Within the limitation of the present study, it can be concluded that the level of knowledge and awareness about dental implant is high among students of Oral and Dental Health Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Baha University, but the detailed information is missing. The study also showed the need for more organized program to correct and to provide more information about treatment with dental implants.