Patients' Management Patterns for Restorative Treatment Procedures: A 4-Year Overview at the Restorative Clinic of a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Abstract Objective: To determine the patients' management pattern for restorative treatment procedures at the Restorative Dentistry Clinic at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). Material and Methods: A descriptive and retrospective study design was employed to determine patients' management patterns for the restorative treatment procedures at the Restorative Dentistry Clinic at LASUTH. Treatment records of patients who attended the Restorative Clinic at the Lagos State University Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, from 2011 to 2014 were reviewed; the effective treatments during the period under review were recorded as treatment procedures and were recorded as operative, endodontic, fixed prosthodontics, and removable procedures. Results: A total of 14,437 (75%) operative; 1,353 (7.0%) endodontic; and 559 (2.9%) fixed prosthodontics and 2,852 (14.9%) removable prosthodontic procedures were carried out during the period under review. This study showed that operative procedures were the most performed restorative procedures, whereas removable prosthodontics and endodontic procedures ranked second and third, respectively, to operative procedures. Fixed prosthodontics procedures were the least performed restorative procedures. Conclusion: This study showed that more efforts were being expended by dentists on operative services compared to endodontic, removable, and fixed prosthodontics services combined. Comprehensive studies, embracing all disciplines of dentistry, should be carried out to determine the level of demand and clinical relevance of procedures in clinical dental practice and hence to set specific and general objectives of dental education for the populace. Access to dental health Insurance services should also be increased in the country.