What do systematic reviews say?

Clear aligners (Invisalign / thermoformed aligners) vs Fixed appliances

A single study found no significant difference in S. mutans counts between aligners and fixed appliances in adolescents at 1 month (MD -2.22, 95% CI -6.82 to 2.38; ungraded).

• Impact of Aligners and Fixed Appliances on Oral Health during Orthodontic Treatment: A Systematic Review and… 2021 All outcomes

  1 month · Adolescents
  MD -2.22 [-6.82, 2.38]
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Extraction of the primary (baby) canine (single primary tooth extraction) vs No extraction (non-intervention control)

It is very uncertain whether extraction of the primary (baby) canine (single primary tooth… changes number of participants referred for surgical exposure of the PDC compared with no extraction (non-intervention control) (very low certainty).

• Interventions for promoting the eruption of palatally displaced permanent canine teeth, without the need for surgical… 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  12 months
  RR 0.61 [0.29, 1.28]
  1 study · 45 participants
  Very low

Cervical pull headgear vs Minor interceptive procedures (control)

Cervical pull headgear showed no clear difference in lower incisors to mandible at 2 years compared with minor interceptive procedures (control); GRADE not reported.

• Orthodontic treatment for crowded teeth in children 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 years
  MD 1.4 [-0.42, 3.22]
  1 study · 64 participants
  GRADE not reported

Hall technique vs Non-restorative cavity control (NRCC)

It is very uncertain whether hall Technique (sealing with a preformed metal crown) changes failure of therapy compared with non-restorative cavity control (NRCC) (very low certainty).

• Interventions for treating cavitated or dentine carious lesions 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  30 months · Cavitated lesions, primary dentition
  OR 0.19 [0.05, 0.74]
  1 study · 84 participants
  Very low

Female sex vs Male sex

Female sex was associated with higher DMFT.

• Oral Health of Children and Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review of the Past Decade. 2021 All outcomes

  Overall
  Regression coefficient 0.41 [0.01, 0.81]
  1 study · 803 participants
  GRADE not reported

Systemic antibiotic prophylaxis (any regimen; topical therapy excluded) administered before and/or after tooth extraction vs Placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Antibiotics to prevent complications following tooth extractions 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No studies: none of the 23 included trials evaluated tooth extraction in immunocompromised patients; subgroup analysis based on immune status was not possible as no such studies were identified.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Systemic antibiotic prophylaxis (any regimen; topical therapy excluded) administered before and/or after tooth extraction vs placebo

It is very uncertain whether systemic antibiotic prophylaxis (any regimen; topical therapy… changes fever (6th-7th day) compared with placebo (very low certainty).

• Antibiotics to prevent complications following tooth extractions 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6th to 7th day
  RR 0.66 [0.24, 1.79]
  4 studies · 475 participants
  Very low

Xylitol-only sugar-free chewing gum vs Pooled controls: no gum, placebo/control gum, probiotic, or fluoride varnish

Xylitol-only sugar-free gum significantly reduced Streptococcus mutans load versus pooled controls (SMD -0.46, 95% CI -0.64 to -0.28; 12 trials, I2 43%); certainty not formally graded.

• A systematic review and meta-analysis of the role of sugar-free chewing gum on Streptococcus mutans. 2021 All outcomes

  Final/end-of-study time point (follow-up 2 weeks to 18 months) · Schools, kindergartens, universities and community settings; adults and children; multiple countries · Overall (vs all controls)
  SMD -0.46 [-0.64, -0.28]
  12 studies · 1295 participants
  GRADE not reported

Non-selective carious tissue removal and conventional restoration (CR) vs Non-restorative cavity control (NRCC)

It is very uncertain whether non-selective carious tissue removal and conventional restoration (CR) changes failure of therapy compared with non-restorative cavity control (NRCC) (very low certainty).

• Interventions for treating cavitated or dentine carious lesions 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  30 months · Cavitated lesions, primary dentition
  OR 1.16 [0.5, 2.71]
  1 study · 102 participants
  Very low

Intervention not reported

Caries prevalence was lowest in Tanzania at 30.7% (95% CI 21.5 to 39.9); certainty not graded.

• Prevalence of Dental Caries and Associated Factors in East Africa, 2000-2020: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2021 All outcomes

  Community- and school-based populations, East Africa · Tanzania
  Prevalence 0.307 [0.215, 0.399]
  Studies not reported
  GRADE not reported

Visual examination (VE) vs Reference standard: examination and clinical evaluation by a physician/clinician with specialist knowledge or training (long-term follow-up accepted for those screened negative)

• Clinical assessment for the detection of oral cavity cancer and potentially malignant disorders in apparently healthy… 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Summary of findings 1 (no pooled analysis): for the 7 studies with low prevalence (<=10%) sensitivity ranged from 0.50 (95% CI 0.07 to 0.93) to 0.99 (95% CI 0.97 to 1.00); for the 3 higher-prevalence studies…
  10 studies · 25568 participants
  Low

Expansion plate with conventional expansion screw vs Expansion plate with spring-loaded expansion screw

• Orthodontic treatment for posterior crossbites 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Oshagh 2012: no significant differences in discomfort and arch size changes; results inadequately reported (no usable data)
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Fluoride-releasing resin-based bonding agent vs Non-fluoride resin-based bonding agent

For resin-based bonding agents, fluoride release did not significantly change WSL initiation (RR 0.97); subgroup not separately GRADE-rated.

• Efficacy of sealants and bonding materials during fixed orthodontic treatment to prevent enamel demineralization: a… 2021 All outcomes

  1-24 months follow-up · Patients undergoing fixed (multibracket) orthodontic appliance treatment; clinical/dental setting; analysis at tooth level · Resin-based bonding agents
  RR 0.97 [0.79, 1.19]
  5 studies · 3517 participants
  GRADE not reported

Sealing using sealant materials vs Non-selective carious tissue removal and conventional restoration (CR)

It is very uncertain whether sealing using sealant materials changes failure of therapy compared with non-selective carious tissue removal and conventional restoration (CR) (very low certainty).

• Interventions for treating cavitated or dentine carious lesions 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  48 months · Cavitated lesions, permanent dentition
  OR 5.0 [0.51, 49.27]
  1 study · 41 participants
  Very low

ARP with allograft plus synthetic cell-binding peptide P-15 vs ARP with allograft without P-15

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for replacing missing teeth: alveolar ridge preservation techniques for dental implant site development 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 months
  Outcome not reported
  0 studies
  No studies found

Down syndrome vs Healthy controls

Mean DMFT was 2.73 in children with Down syndrome versus 1.65 in controls.

• Oral Health of Children and Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review of the Past Decade. 2021 All outcomes

  Children with Down syndrome
  MEAN 2.73
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Bone-borne expansion vs Fixed tooth-borne expansion (Hyrax)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Orthodontic treatment for posterior crossbites 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Not measured (SoF 7)
  0 studies
  No studies found

Sealing using sealant materials vs no treatment

It is very uncertain whether sealing using sealant materials changes failure of therapy compared with no treatment (very low certainty).

• Interventions for treating cavitated or dentine carious lesions 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  12 months · Non-cavitated lesions, permanent dentition
  OR 0.05 [0.0, 2.71]
  2 studies · 103 participants
  Very low

Systemic antibiotic prophylaxis (any regimen; topical therapy excluded) administered before and/or after tooth extraction vs Placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Antibiotics to prevent complications following tooth extractions 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No studies in general dental practice for removal of decayed teeth. PUB3 added one routine intra-alveolar extraction trial and one complex oral surgery trial (2 of 23 non-third-molar), but the single intra-alveolar…
  0 studies
  No studies found

Self-ligating brackets vs Conventional brackets

• Orthodontic treatment for crowded teeth in children 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  up to 9 months
  No evidence of differences between self-ligating and conventional brackets for discomfort (Atik 2014, Miles 2010), plaque/gingival index and probing depth (Atik 2014), or maxillary incisor root resorption (Aras 2018).…
  3 studies
  GRADE not reported