title: The modified Ottawa method to establish the update need of a systematic review: glass-ionomer versus resin sealants for caries prevention.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the application of the modified Ottawa method by establishing the update need of a systematic review with focus on the caries preventive effect of GIC versus resin pit and fissure sealants; to answer the question as to whether the existing conclusions of this systematic review are still current; to establish whether a new update of this systematic review was needed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Application of the Modified Ottawa method. Application date: April/May 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four signals aligned with the criteria of the modified Ottawa method were identified. The content of these signals suggest that higher precision of the current systematic review results might be achieved if an update of the current review were conducted at this point in time. However, these signals further indicate that such systematic review update, despite its higher precision, would only confirm the existing review conclusion that no statistically significant difference exists in the caries-preventive effect of GIC and resin-based fissure sealants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, this study demonstrated the modified Ottawa method as an effective tool in establishing the update need of the systematic review. In addition, it was established that the conclusions of the systematic review in relation to the caries preventive effect of GIC versus resin based fissure sealants are still current, and that no update of this systematic review was warranted at date of application.
authors.affiliation: SYSTEM Initiative/Department of Community Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mickenautsch
authors.forename: Veerasamy
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Yengopal
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D019279:Resin Cements / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012196:Review Literature as Topic; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants; D019279:Resin Cements