Journal of dentistry
-
Journal of dentistry · Aug 2014
ReviewRandomized controlled trials in dentistry: common pitfalls and how to avoid them.
Clinical trials are used to appraise the effectiveness of clinical interventions throughout medicine and dentistry. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are established as the optimal primary design and are published with increasing frequency within the biomedical sciences, including dentistry. This review outlines common pitfalls associated with the conduct of randomized controlled trials in dentistry. ⋯ Optimal reporting of randomized controlled trials within dentistry is necessary to ensure that trials are reliable and valid. Common shortcomings leading to important forms or bias are discussed and approaches to minimizing these issues are outlined.