Clinical trials in orthodontics I: demographic details of clinical trials published in three orthodontic journals between 1989 and 1998.

Full Abstract

Aim:
To test the hypothesis that there is insufficient evidence available, from clinical trials, to allow evidence-based decisions to be made on the effectiveness of orthodontic treatment.

OBJECTIVES:
To identify reports of orthodontic clinical trials and assess their demographic characteristics.

DESIGN:
A retrospective, observational study.

SETTING:
The American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, British Journal of Orthodontics, and European Journal Orthodontics.

DATA SOURCE:
Clinical trials published between 1989 and 1998.

METHOD:
A hand-search was performed to identify all clinical trials. The journal and year of publication, research method, interventions, and sample size of the trials reported were recorded.

RESULTS:
One-hundred-and-fifty-five trial reports were identified of which 56 (36.1%) were published from 1989 to 1993 and 99 (69%) from 1994 to 1998. Ninety-nine (69%) reports were published in the AJO-DO, 18 (11.6%) in the BJO and 38 (24.5%) in the EJO. Eighty-five (54.8%) were reports of randomized controlled trials and 70 (45.2%) of controlled clinical trials. The interventions most frequently assessed were bonding materials (21.9%), growth modification treatments (21.3%), and oral hygiene procedures (9.0%). The median sample size was 32 (IQR 19.5, 50).

CONCLUSION:
There is sufficient evidence available from clinical trials to warrant doing systematic reviews of orthodontic clinical trials to aid decision-making.

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Author information

Author/s: Harrison, J E (JE);

Affiliation: Department of Cinical Dental Services, Liverpool University Dental Hospital and School of Dentistry, UK. Jayne.Harrison(-atsign-)rlbuh-tr.nhs.uk

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Review

Journal: Journal of orthodontics (J Orthod), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-Mar; vol 30 (issue 1) : pp 25-30; discussion 21

Dates: Created 2003/03/19; Completed 2003/08/22; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 12644604, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic - statistics & numerical data
Decision Making
Demography
Evaluation Studies as Topic
Evidence-Based Medicine
Humans

Humans
Journalism, Dental
Orthodontics - standards; statistics & numerical data
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic - statistics & numerical data
Reproducibility of Results
Retrospective Studies

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