A graphic display for the presentation of site-wise odds ratios for score transitions to augment the traditional findings from clinical studies employing dental indexes.
Many of the parameters used in clinical dental research involve the assessment of a condition at each of a number of sites within the mouth. Traditionally, such measurements are averaged over all sites within the mouth (or over all sites of a specified type) for each study participant before statistical analysis. However, a consideration of the original, site-wise scores may provide some additional insights into the performance of therapeutic modalities that might not be made evident through an application of the traditional, means-based approach. A method based on the calculation of site-wise odds ratios of certain types of baseline-to-final examination score transitions was applied to the modified gingival index data from two clinical studies performed to investigate the effect of the daily chewing of a commercially available chewing gum relative to a mint control. A graphical display of these site-specific findings was prepared, which indicated that the chewing gum regimen tended to be associated with a higher frequency of occurrence of favorable score transitions than was the mint control at several measurement sites throughout the mouth.
Proskin
H M
HM
H.M. Proskin & Associates, Inc., Rochester, New York, USA.
Kleber
C J
CJ
Sharma
N C
NC
Nelson
B J
BJ
D002638:Chewing Gum; D003196:Computer Graphics; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010512:Periodontal Index; D017693:Sodium Bicarbonate / Q000627:therapeutic use
D002638:Chewing Gum; D017693:Sodium Bicarbonate