Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42286167›Full record

ArticleEvidence-based dentistry2026

"Spin" in randomized controlled trials of digital implant surgery: a meta-epidemiologic study.

Ming Yang, Liandi Cheng, Tiqian Liu, Tianqi Wang, Shiwen Zhang, Xin Xiong

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In one paragraph

Article in Evidence-based dentistry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Ming YangState Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Liandi ChengState Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Tiqian LiuState Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Tianqi WangState Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Shiwen ZhangState Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Xin XiongState Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. drxiongxin@scu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2175-0970

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

background"Spin" refers to the manipulation of language to suggest benefits when none exist, commonly observed in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). This study investigates the extent, strategies, and reporting quality of spin in digital dental implant RCT abstracts, and explores study characteristics associated with spin.

methodsRCTs related to digital dental implants were retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library. Spin was identified using predefined strategies, and logistic regression was performed to assess factors associated with its occurrence. Reporting quality was evaluated with the original 16-item CONSORT checklist for abstracts.

resultsWe analyzed 19,795 articles, and a total of 127 abstracts were finally included in the reporting quality analyses, with spin identified in 51 abstracts (40.2%), where 24 abstracts (18.9%) exhibited spin in both "Results and conclusions" sections. A significantly lower presence of spin was observed in studies reporting exact p-values (OR: 0.317; 95% CI: 0.134-0.727; p = 0.007) and shorter abstract word limits for journal submission (moderate: OR = 0.185, p = 0.01; low: OR = 0.138, p = 0.02).

conclusionsThe prevalence of spin in digital implant surgery RCTs is concerning. Given that busy clinicians often rely solely on abstracts for clinical interpretation, such distorted reporting may mislead practitioners into adopting expensive or complex digital technologies without robust evidence of superiority. It is essential for all stakeholders to prioritize transparent reporting to prevent biased clinical decision-making and safeguard the integrity of evidence-based dentistry.

Identifiers

PMID42286167

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.