title: Systematic reviews in dental research. A guideline.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A systematic review aims to combine outcome data from published studies in a population. It is based on a number of steps and although there are numerous advantages in systematic review studies, dentists have been finding difficulties in performing them.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Taking into account the misconceptions and difficulties in conducting this kind of study, this article aims to guide readers for understanding, performing, and interpreting comprehensive systematic reviews in dental research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. rorefa@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Lucianne C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Maia
authors.forename: Andréa G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Antonio
mesh_terms: D057225:Data Mining / Q000379:methods; D018865:Dental Research; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D012107:Research Design; D012196:Review Literature as Topic