Evaluating augmented reality e-typodont to improve a patient's dental implant health literacy

Cortino Sukotjo; Dominique Erica Bertucci; Javid Yunus Patel; Judy Chia-Chun Yuan; Markus Santoso

doi:10.1016/j.prosdent.2023.08.012

Evaluating augmented reality e-typodont to improve a patient's dental implant health literacy

J Prosthet Dent. 2023 Sep 13:S0022-3913(23)00539-5. doi: 10.1016/j.prosdent.2023.08.012. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Cortino Sukotjo¹, Dominique Erica Bertucci², Javid Yunus Patel³, Judy Chia-Chun Yuan⁴, Markus Santoso⁵

Affiliations

¹ Professor and Director, Predoctoral Implant Program, Department of Restorative Dentistry, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Ill. Electronic address: csukotjo@uic.edu.
² Resident, Pediatric Dentistry, Children's Hospital Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colo.
³ Private practice, Milwaukee, Wis.
⁴ Associate Professor and Interim Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs, Department of Restorative Dentistry, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Ill.
⁵ Assistant Professor, Digital Worlds Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.

PMID: 37714746
DOI: 10.1016/j.prosdent.2023.08.012

Abstract

Statement of problem: Information regarding dental implants can be difficult to understand for participants. Improving patients' dental implant health literacy remains a challenging process.

Purpose: The purpose of this clinical study was to develop and evaluate patients' understanding of the implant treatment procedure, components, and sequences using traditional typodont and augmented reality (AR) applications (e-typodont), with the goal of improving their oral health literacy.

Material and methods: Participants who had sought dental implant treatment at the group practice and implant clinic at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) College of Dentistry were invited to enroll in this study. Participants were asked to fill out the first questionnaire (Q1) assessing their understanding of implant treatment procedures, components, and sequences. The participants were randomly exposed to 1 of the 2 modes of delivering education, typodont or AR e-typodont. The participants were asked to complete the additional 2 questionnaires (Q2 and Q3), and the posttest questionnaire (Q1) to re-evaluate their understanding of the implant treatment procedure, components, and sequences. All data were entered and coded into a spreadsheet. Descriptive (mean) and statistical (Wilcoxon Signed Ranks and Mann-Whitney U test) analyses were used (α=.05).

Results: Both interventions significantly increased participants' understanding of implant treatments (typodont: P=.004; e-typodont: P<.001), implant components (typodont: P=.003; e-typodont: P<.001), and implant treatment sequences (typodont: P=.001; e-typodont: P<.001). The e-typodont group significantly improved participants' understanding of implant treatments (P=.006), implant components (P=.023), and implant treatment sequences (P=.008) compared with the typodont group. Participants perceived the e-typodont mode of delivery to be significantly more interesting (P=.002), interactive (P=.008), educational (P=.002), user-friendly (P=.016), and "Wow" (P=.002) compared with the traditional typodont mode of delivery.

Conclusions: Both interventions improved participants' understanding of implant treatment procedures, components, and sequences. The e-typodont showed better improvement in participants' understanding of dental implants compared with the traditional typodont.

Published by Elsevier Inc.