Diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to endodontic-periodontal lesions: A survey among dental surgeons in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Abstract

Introduction: Endodontic-periodontal lesions (EPLs) continue to be a challenge for clinicians in terms of diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic approaches to EPLs by dental surgeons in Burkina Faso. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with a descriptive purpose. The study population consisted of dental surgeons practicing in the city of Ouagadougou. The data were collected using a self-Administered questionnaire and analyzed with R Commander version 3.6.0 software. Results: Fifty practitioners participated in the survey. The level of knowledge of the diagnosis was above average for 70% of the practitioners surveyed, while 98% of the practitioners had an above-Average level of knowledge regarding therapeutic and prognostic approaches to EPLs. The overall level of awareness of EPL management was average to good for 85.5% of the practitioners. Having a postgraduate degree was significantly associated with the overall level of knowledge (P = 0.01). Conclusion: The overall theoretical knowledge of dental surgeons regarding EPLs appears to be good. Nevertheless, there are deficiencies in the knowledge of diagnostic parameters. This could result in failures in terms of how this pathology is managed.