title: Web-based randomised controlled trials in orthodontics.
abstract: Randomised controlled trials (RCT) are considered the best source of scientific evidence--the gold standard--when evaluating the efficacy of orthodontic treatments. Frequently, RCT are planned as multicentre trials, with the intention of increasing statistical power and raising the precision of outcome estimates. The management of large-scale RCT, however, requires even more thorough organisation than conventional RCT. Indeed, the need for high accuracy and standardisation in data collection, research aids, secretarial skills, staff and patient training, and organisational meetings, make these studies time-consuming, expensive and, in general, relatively complex to carry out well. A website was developed to support a large scale-orthodontic RCT which aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a functional appliance(www.ortodonzia.unina.it). Websites such as this can increase the quality of data collection, simplify the randomisation process, speed up data collection, and improve trial monitoring. Web-based RCT have the potential to help globalise orthodontic research and also increase our rate of acquisition of evidence in orthodontics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics and Temporomandibular Disorders, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Iacopo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cioffi
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martina
authors.forename: Ambrosina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Michelotti
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chiodini
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tagliaferri
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farella
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic / Q000379:methods; D009970:Orthodontics; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods*