| Summary: | Background and Aim: 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.
Materials and Methods: 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.
Results: 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).
Conclusion: 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.
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