Evidence-Base for Minimum Intervention (MI) in Dentistry - Now with META-Analyses Available Online

The emerging evidence-base, including the results of systematic reviews and META analyses, to questions related to Minimum Intervention (MI) in dentistry has been made available online: in form of the 'MI Compendium' in English, Spanish and Chinese language http://www.midentistry.com/compendium.html.

(PRWEB) August 30, 2008 -- The emerging evidence-base to questions related to Minimum Intervention (MI) in dentistry has been made available online: http://www.midentistry.com/compendium.html in form of the 'MI Compendium' in English, Spanish and Chinese language.

The MI Compendium has been developed as comprehensive systematic literature review and includes the results of META analyses to topics (http://www.midentistry.com/secure-folder/content/3/mic6.asp ), such as:

-The caries preventive effect of glass ionomer cement as fissure sealants in comparison to resin-based materials

-Caries incidence on teeth restored with glass ionomers as compared to teeth restored with amalgam

The MI Compendium aims to assist in the development of evidence based undergraduate MI courses and to be source of information for the general dental practitioner. Its full content is available for an annual subscription fee of ten Euro. Subscribed users can access the compendium directly online at: http://www.midentistry.com/secure-folder/

The MI Compendium has been developed and is continuously updated by dental academics and practitioners from four dental schools in Brasilia, Johannesburg and Sao Paulo. Its underlying systematic review of scientific publications according to Evidence-based standards comprises the search of 11 main databases (including Cochrane Library, PubMed, Lilacs) and the review of identified articles published in English, German, Portuguese and Spanish. So far, over 125 individual MI concepts have been included: Saliva based caries risk assessment, Diagnodent, Chlorhexidine, Dental Chewing Gum, Tooth Mousse, GIC Fissure sealing, Carisolv, ART vs Amalgam, The Wand, GIC antibacterial action, QLF, Dental Microscope for caries diagnosis, Triclosan, Ozone, Diammine silver fluoride, GIC hyper-mineralisation/remineralisation, Air abrasion, Sono-abrasion, Laser treatment, Sandwich technique, Bacteria (SM, LB) tests-, Sugar intake- Past caries experience for caries risk prediction.

In addition the found evidence of MI is illustrated trough related clinical observations by Dr Graham Mount (see: http://www.midentistry.com/secure-folder/content/3/mount10.asp ).

MI is a philosophy of professional care, concerned with risk, earliest detection and earliest possible treatment of disease on micro (molecular) levels, followed by the most minimal invasive and patient friendly options to repair irreversible damages caused by such disease. MI aims to empower patients (through information, skills and motivation) to be in charge of their own oral health, so that they only require minimal intervention from the dental profession.

Evidence-based dentistry aims to encourage dentists to make clinical decisions based on good evidence used in conjunction with their clinical expertise. The Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, Oxford has provided well-accepted guidelines on how to rate the quality and strength of published papers that deal with interventions for therapy, diagnosis or prognosis. Much of these principles have been adopted for use in the MI Compendium.

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