Instagram As an Information Source in Resin Infiltration: Reliability and Usefulness Analysis

Objective: This study aims to analyze the content of Instagram posts regarding the resin infiltration technique and ICON, which represent a minimally invasive clinical approach. Methods: The three most frequently used hashtags were selected for the investigation: #icondmg, #iconinfiltration, and #resininfiltration. The "Top 200 posts" listed by the Instagram search algorithm were recorded for each hashtag (n=200). Out of a total of 600 posts, 508 were deemed relevant to the research topic. The reliability of the general information in the posts was assessed using a modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) scale based on five questions, while the usefulness score was evaluated across six criteria by two independent examiners. Descriptive statistics were computed, and group comparisons were performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Mann-Whitney U test (p = 0.05). Results: Overall, 83.8% (n=426) of the posts were uploaded by specialist/general dentists, 9.7% (n=49) by dental clinics, and 6.5% (n=33) by commercial accounts. Regarding the reliability of general information, a statistically significant difference was observed between posts uploaded by specialist dentists and those by other groups (p<0.001). Significant differences were also found between interaction indices and mDISCERN and usefulness scores (p<0.001). A positive correlation was identified between the mDISCERN and usefulness scales (p<0.001). Overall, the general reliability and usefulness of the analyzed posts were found to be remarkably poor (93.3% and 92.3%, respectively). Conclusion: The findings of this study demonstrate that social media platforms cannot serve as a substitute for verified medical consultation. It is crucial to emphasize that patients should exercise caution regarding online content and base their final treatment decisions on clinical evaluations conducted by qualified dental professionals.