Patients' perspectives on dental implant and bone graft surgery: questionnaire‐based interview survey

PURPOSE: To assess up-to-date expectations and preferences of patients seeking dental implants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and fifty consecutive patients (66 male and 84 female interviewees) were asked to rank their concerns regarding implant therapy and answer a questionnaire on implant and bone graft surgery, cost and time considerations and second-opinion behaviour. RESULTS: Treatment predictability and avoidance of removable dentures were ranked high priority (compared with time and cost efficiency or avoidance of bone grafts). Patients' estimation of the 10-year implant success rate was 84%, and 59% of patients expected implants to last for a lifetime. Total treatment time was estimated to be 4 months on average, and only 12% would tolerate increased risk of implant failure for the sake of shortening treatment duration. 61% of interviewees accepted autologous bone grafts (the majority favouring the retromolar area), while only 23% were willing to undergo bone harvesting from the hip. 43% opted for bone substitute material to avoid donor site morbidity. 67% would accept the additional costs associated with computed tomography, software-based treatment planning and guided implant placement to avoid bone graft surgery. Motivation for second-opinion seeking was high (46-62%), especially in young and male patients. CONCLUSION: Patient expectations on implant success and predictability are high compared with their reluctance towards treatment costs and duration. Acceptance of treatment morbidity is high among patients reporting low denture satisfaction; however, minimally invasive treatment alternatives are generally preferred.