evidencegaps
Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

Refine by population, intervention, comparison or outcome
More filters
Evidence found and GRADE certainty

3,323 questions · 5,762 findings · 263 reviews · Dental caries

Sort:Best matchNewestHighest certaintyDownload CSV
No studies found 321 · 5.6%GRADE not reported 4,450 · 77.2%Very low 455 · 7.9%Low 297 · 5.2%Moderate 200 · 3.5%High 39 · 0.7%

Ranked among the 5,000 newest matching findings; add words or filters to narrow the search.

Fluoride gel (topically applied; operator- or self-applied; any fluoride agent/concentration; frequency at least once a year) vs no treatment

Caries increment in permanent teeth · Children or adolescents

The NMR reported a difference between fluoride in gel and no treatment at every displayed randomisation year; no GRADE assessment was reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Slow-release fluoride device (fluoride glass beads) vs placebo or usual care

Caries increment, tooth index D(M)FT · Children with high risk of dental decay

It is very uncertain whether slow-release fluoride device (fluoride glass beads) changes increase in DMFT at 2 years compared with baseline compared with placebo or usual care (control) (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Radiographic caries detection (bitewing radiography) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted)

Sensitivity for detecting advanced proximal caries · Proximal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly in vitro)

In the meta-analysis tailored to Egypt, pooled sensitivity of radiographic detection for advanced proximal caries was 44.4% (95% CI 38 to 51) (ungraded).

3 findings from 1 review

Visual caries detection (ICDAS visual/visual-tactile inspection) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted)

Positive LR for detecting advanced occlusal caries · Occlusal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly in vitro)

In the conventional (all-studies) meta-analysis, the positive lr of visual detection for advanced occlusal caries was 7.09 (95% CI 5.6 to 8.9) (ungraded).

3 findings from 1 review

OrthoMTA vs RetroMTA

Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth

OrthoMTA showed no clear difference in clinical failure compared with retroMTA; GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Formocresol (FC)

Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth

Calcium hydroxide (CH) may leads to higher clinical failure compared with formocresol (FC) (low certainty).

2 findings from 1 review

HDI (quantitative) vs Populations in countries with a higher Human Development Index (very high, HDI >=0.800)

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · Adults aged 19-60 years

Pooled caries experience (DMFT) was similar in very-high-HDI and high-HDI countries, and meta-regression found no significant association between national HDI and DMFT; ungraded observational evidence with very high heterogeneity.

3 findings from 1 review

Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) vs Gutta-percha / AH-Plus

Outcome not reported · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Silver diamine fluoride twice annually vs Other network treatments

Caries lesion arrestment · Primary teeth with dentin caries lesions on occlusal and smooth surfaces

Silver diamine fluoride twice annually ranked first for caries lesion arrestment in the occlusal- and smooth-surface network (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Extraction of a maxillary first permanent molar vs Extraction of a mandibular first permanent molar

Spontaneous space closure · Children aged 5 to 15 years undergoing first permanent molar extraction

Spontaneous post-extraction space closure did not differ significantly between the maxilla and mandible (pooled OR 2.06, 95% CI 0.46 to 9.28; 3 studies; I2 = 72%); ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review

Radiographic caries detection (bitewing radiography) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted)

Specificity for detecting advanced occlusal caries · Occlusal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly in vitro)

In the meta-analysis tailored to Germany, pooled specificity of radiographic detection for advanced occlusal caries was 91.4% (95% CI 88 to 94) (ungraded).

3 findings from 1 review

Slow-release fluoride devices vs Alternative fluoride therapy (topical fluoride: toothpaste, mouthrinse, gel, or varnish)

Outcome not reported · Children or adults

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Post-secondary education vs University education

Prevalence of fair/poor self-rated oral health · Adults aged 25 years and older in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States

In Canada, post-secondary versus university education differed by 2.4 percentage points in prevalence of fair/poor self-rated oral health.

4 findings from 1 review
Show 1 more finding

Medium income vs High income

Mean number of decayed teeth (mean DT) · Adults aged 25 years and older in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States

In United States, medium versus high income differed by 0.1 decayed teeth in mean number of decayed teeth.

4 findings from 1 review
Show 1 more finding