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Evidence - based dentistry is part of the initiative referred to as evidence- based health care that includes EBM and EBN. Evidence based dentistry is the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decision about the care of individual patients. The practice of EBD means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available clinical evidence from systematic clinical research.

"In practice this would help individual clinicians to judiciously adopt treatment strategies and purchase material that have the best clinical effects for their patients. Patients will also not be wrongly advised by their dentists to undergo a line of treatment that may not be the most appropriate to their need."

Meta-analysis was performed on the dental literature since 1970, presenting clinical data of conventional bridges.

42 publications were found. They dealt with 33 different samples. The data of 4118 conventional

bridges were analyzed. The calculated overall survival rate was 74± I % after 15 years.

Evidence based dentistry is not a threat to clinical freedom since it is not supposed to replace individual expertise, experience and judgment; but instead meant to complement the above.

EBD- Evidence based dentistry; Meta analysis; Cohort study; Randomized trials; Clinical trials; Fixed partial denture; Removable partial denture; Cantilever bridge; Resin bonded prosthesis; EBM Evidence based medicine, EBN- Evidence based Nursing