Effective Factors in Implant System Selection by Dentists in Kerman in 2018: A Cross-Sectional Study

Since different implant systems are available, dentists are confronted with the question of which criteria are essential for a proficient implant system selection. This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting implant system selection by dentists in Kerman.

A questionnaire inspecting the key factors in implant system selection was distributed among 120 dentists. Fisher's exact test was used to analyze the data.

Most dentists used two implant systems at the office (52.5%). For the majority of dentists (40.8%), the first factor in choosing an implant system was the implant support services. The price of each implant (25.8%) and the satisfaction of previous cases (23.3%) were the second and third factors, respectively. For most dentists (59.2%), the least important reason for choosing an implant system was the manufacturing country. Recommendation from colleagues (24.2%) was of minor importance in implant system selection. Sixty-one (50.8%) dentists had a history of abandoning an implant system because of failure (59.0%) and lack of support from the importer (27.9%). The quality of the implant was the major cause of system selection for 68.8% of dentists and 75% of specialists (P<0.05).

The most important reason for choosing an implant system was post-sales services. The cost of each implant and the satisfaction of previous cases were other important factors. The least important factor was the system's manufacturer.