Effect of Religious Belief on Selecting of Graft Materials Used in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

PURPOSE Various graft materials, such as synthetic and biological products, are used routinely in maxillofacial surgery. These materials are usually derived from porcine, bovine, and human tissues; some religious beliefs forbid the dietary use of substances from certain animal sources. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of religious belief on selecting different graft types used in maxillofacial surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS In total, 203 participants were included in this survey. Data were collected using a questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics and different graft types and the Revised Religious Fundamentalism Scale for religious belief levels of participants. The purpose of the study and the origins of different graft types were explained to participants, and their opinions for the acceptance or rejection of each type were recorded. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY). RESULTS The most preferred grafts were autologous grafts (88.7%), followed by alloplastic grafts (65%), bovine-derived xenografts (60.1%), allografts (53.2%), and porcine-derived xenografts (7.4%). One hundred fifty-nine participants (84.6%) rejected the porcine-derived xenografts for religious reasons, and there was a statistical difference in religious belief levels between participants who accepted and those who rejected porcine-derived xenografts. CONCLUSIONS Autogenous grafts were the most preferred grafts and porcine-derived xenografts were the least preferred grafts. Porcine-derived xenografts were refused specifically for religious reasons, and religious belief and dietary restrictions affected graft selection.