RESUMO
BACKGROUND Material selection is crucial in restorative dentistry, influenced by aesthetics, material properties, and tooth location. This understanding is key for advancing dental practices and patient outcomes. The present study aimed to assess dentists' preferences for restorative materials in single-tooth crowns (SC) and how abutment tooth location and preparation margins influence these choices. MATERIAL AND METHODS A web-based pre-validated questionnaire survey was conducted among 811 actively practicing dentists in Saudi Arabia. RESULTS In posterior teeth, we found that ceramic was the most preferred material for SC regardless of the abutment tooth location and location of margins, followed by porcelain fused to metal (PFMs). In anterior teeth, ceramics were preferred, followed by CAD/CAM-based resin SC. Among the choice of ceramics in teeth for both supra-gingival margins, monolith zirconia was the most-preferred material for SC fabrication in posterior teeth, followed by zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate ceramic. Similarly, for sub-gingival margins, monolith zirconia crowns were the most popular option in posterior teeth among the respondents, with the highest in the mandibular molar region. In the anterior region, layered zirconia was the least preferred, and lithium disilicate ceramics was the most-favored option. A statistically significant difference existed between supra- and subgingival preparation for teeth 11 (P=0.01), 16 (P=0.03), and 34 (P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS Ceramic was the material of choice among Saudi dentists for replacement of SC, irrespective of the location and preparation margin. Monolith zirconia was usually selected for posterior teeth and lithium disilicate ceramics was the top choice in anterior teeth.