Biostatistics: Its Relevance in Orthodontics

Statistics is the science of compiling, classifying and tabulating numerical data and expressing the results in a mathematical or graphical form. Biostatistics is that branch of statistics concerned with mathematical facts and data are related to health, preventive medicine and disease. Understanding biostatistics is very important as it helps in research study as well as in clinical analysis.Almost all clinical investigations in medicine and dentistry involve the investigation of some individuals treated in the past or present for the purpose of accumulating information that can be applied to the care of other individuals who will be treated in the future. Statistical test methods and analysis provide to communicate research findings and to support hypothesis and give credibility to research methodology and conclusion. Use of appropriate statistical test is utmost important. Without proper statistical analysis even a well conducted study is not able to conclude with concrete results. In the era of information overload, biostatistics lays down the scientific foundation for rational thinking and also clinical application in orthodontics.