| Abstract [eng] |
Relevance of the problem and aim of the study. Nowadays, dentists can choose from a wide range of adhesive systems in their daily practice. Adhesive system generations continue to evolve, with ongoing changes in their application techniques and composition. Studies conducted in various countries have shown that dentists choose adhesive systems according to individual criteria. The aim of the study is to find out what adhesive systems dentists working in Lithuania use and whether they pay attention to generations of adhesive systems and their differences. Material and methods. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted involving 110 dentists practicing in Lithuania. The study was based on voluntary convenience sampling. Data were collected using an anonymous online questionnaire (www.apklausa.lt). Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 31.0. Descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation, and the chi-square test were applied. Results were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05. Results. The most commonly selected adhesive systems were 8th-generation (universal) systems: 35.5% (n = 39), followed by 5th-generation (total-etch) systems: 25.5% (n = 28). A statistically significant association was found between the chosen etching technique and dentists’ specialization as well as years of clinical experience (p < 0.05). Dentists with longer clinical experience tended to select 8th-generation systems more frequently, whereas those with shorter experience preferred 5th-generation systems. A significant association was also identified between the criteria used when selecting adhesive systems and their evaluation according to adhesive system generation (p < 0.05). Conclusions. The 8th-generation (universal) bonding systems were most commonly selected by dentists in Lithuania, with total-etch being the predominant etching approach. Dentists consider the 4th and 8th generation adhesive systems to be the most reliable for the durability of restorations. When comparing the results according to the specialization of dentists, it was found that these groups differed only in one aspect, the most reliable generations of bonding systems for the durability of restorations - general dentists indicate the 8th generation, and specialists - the 5th generation adhesive systems. When comparing the duration of clinical experience between the groups, the responses of dentists with up to 5 years of experience differed the most both in choosing the type of etching of the bonding system and which bonding system they consider the most reliable for the durability of restorations. |
