A practical approach to evidence-based dentistry: VII: How to use patient management recommendations from clinical practice guidelines.

BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW: Clinical practice guidelines represent highly processed evidence with associated recommendations to inform clinical practice and optimize patient care. Appropriately developed, evidence-based recommendations will integrate the best evidence regarding benefits and harms, the certainty of the evidence, patients' values and preferences, and resource utilization. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The authors provide a structure for clinicians to critically appraise clinical practice guidelines to determine whether the guidelines offer trustworthy recommendations.