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Each row is one question a systematic review asked: who, what, compared with what, and which outcome, with the effect it found and how certain that is. Words match anywhere in the field.
515 questions in 19 reviews · cluster CL0076
current versionsNo studies 19 · 3.7%Ungraded 449 · 87.2%Very low 17 · 3.3%Low 23 · 4.5%Moderate 7 · 1.4%High 0 · 0%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
Intervention categories, outcome domains and clusters are a proposed key pending human validation. Clear all filters
| Question | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Visual examination (VE) vs Histological validation of dental tissues (gold standard) Diagnostic accuracy for proximal caries detection (dentin detection level) · Extracted permanent posterior teeth with proximal surfaces (in vitro) · Dentin detection level Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic studies of proximal surface caries. (2021) | Sensitivity 0.09 [0.04, 0.24] | 1 study | Ungraded |
Conventional bitewing radiography, D-speed film vs Histological validation of dental tissues (gold standard) Diagnostic accuracy for proximal caries detection (dentin detection level) · Extracted permanent posterior teeth with proximal surfaces (in vitro) · Dentin detection level Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic studies of proximal surface caries. (2021) | AUC 0.91 | 1 study | Ungraded |
Digital bitewing radiography, phosphor plate (PSP) vs Histological validation of dental tissues (gold standard) Diagnostic accuracy for proximal caries detection (dentin detection level) · Extracted permanent posterior teeth with proximal surfaces (in vitro) · Dentin detection level Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic studies of proximal surface caries. (2021) | Specificity 0.86 [0.11, 0.99] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Digital bitewing radiography, phosphor plate (PSP) vs Histological validation of dental tissues (gold standard) Diagnostic accuracy for proximal caries detection (caries detection level) · Extracted permanent posterior teeth with proximal surfaces (in vitro) · Caries detection level Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic studies of proximal surface caries. (2021) | DOR 5.56 [3.04, 10.16] | 11 studies | Ungraded |
Visual or visual-tactile classification systems (any system: ICDAS, ERK, Nyvad, Downer, Lussi, UniViSS, or unspecified) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, radiographs/microCT, or tooth separation) Sensitivity for detection of enamel caries · Asymptomatic children or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted teeth of children… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Low prevalence of dentine caries (0% to 14%) Visual or visual‐tactile examination to detect and inform the diagnosis of enamel caries (2021) · Cochrane | Sensitivity 0.76 [0.50, 0.91] | NR | Ungraded |
Visual examination (VE) vs Histological validation (serial sectioning, grinding, hemisection, or microradiography) Diagnostic accuracy for occlusal caries detection at the 1/3 dentin caries detection level (Ekstrand; D0-2 versus D3-4) · Extracted human permanent posterior teeth (premolars and molars), occlusal (pit-and-fissure) surfaces Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic methods for occlusal surface caries. (2021) | AUC 0.89 | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Fibre-optic transillumination (FOTI) vs Histological validation (serial sectioning, grinding, hemisection, or microradiography) Diagnostic accuracy for occlusal caries detection at the dentin caries detection level (D0-2 versus D3-4) · Extracted human permanent posterior teeth (premolars and molars), occlusal (pit-and-fissure) surfaces Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic methods for occlusal surface caries. (2021) | Sensitivity 0.49 [0.20, 0.79] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Electrical conductance (e.g. electronic caries monitor, ECM) vs Reference standard: histology or enhanced visual-tactile examination Outcome NR · Adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having root caries (in vivo); extracted teeth of adults (in vitro) Tests to detect and inform the diagnosis of root caries (2020) · Cochrane | Electrical conductance was a pre-specified eligible index test but no diagnostic test accuracy study of electrical conductance was included. A study evaluating the electronic caries monitor (ECM) (Wicht 2002) was… | 0 studies | No studies |
Visual examination vs Reference standard: histology Sensitivity · Extracted molar teeth of adults with resin composite approximal restorations (in vitro; secondary root caries;… Tests to detect and inform the diagnosis of root caries (2020) · Cochrane | Sensitivity 0.75 [0.48, 0.93] | 1 study | Very low |
VistaProof (Durr Dental; blue fluorescence, 405 nm) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity and specificity) for detection of early enamel caries (D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies) Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | Analysed as a separate index test (coupled forest plot and SROC plot, Figure 24 / Figure 25; Appendix 5); no summary DOR or sensitivity/specificity point reported numerically in the text. 18 datasets, 2402 tooth sites. | 17 studies | Ungraded |
Radiograph and visual examination in combination vs Reference standard: histology Specificity · Extracted molar teeth of adults with resin composite approximal restorations (in vitro; secondary root caries;… Tests to detect and inform the diagnosis of root caries (2020) · Cochrane | Specificity 0.54 [0.25, 0.81] | 1 study | Very low |
Red fluorescence devices (DIAGNOdent, DIAGNOdent pen, MidWest; excitation wavelength >655 nm) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) for detection of early enamel caries (D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies) Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | DOR 12.75 [9.74, 16.68] | 68 studies | Ungraded |
All fluorescence-based devices (red, blue, and green fluorescence combined) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) by subgroup: Medium dentine-caries prevalence (15% to 34%) (detection of early enamel caries, D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Medium dentine-caries prevalence (15% to 34%) Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | DOR 15.39 [11.07, 21.41] | NR | Ungraded |
Visual examination vs Reference standard: histology Specificity · Extracted molar teeth of adults with resin composite approximal restorations (in vitro; secondary root caries;… Tests to detect and inform the diagnosis of root caries (2020) · Cochrane | Specificity 0.38 [0.14, 0.68] | 1 study | Very low |
All fluorescence-based devices (red, blue, and green fluorescence combined) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) by subgroup: Histology or excavation reference standard (detection of early enamel caries, D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Histology or excavation reference standard Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | DOR 13.49 [10.25, 17.76] | NR | Ungraded |
Spectra caries detection device (Air Techniques; blue fluorescence) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity and specificity) for detection of early enamel caries (D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies) Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | The Spectra caries detection device fits into the blue fluorescence category but no studies provided data for inclusion in the meta-analysis (Markowitz 2015). | 1 study | Ungraded |
All fluorescence-based devices (red, blue, and green fluorescence combined) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) by subgroup: Permanent/mixed dentition (detection of early enamel caries, D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Permanent/mixed dentition Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | DOR 15.21 [11.35, 20.37] | NR | Ungraded |
All fluorescence-based devices (red, blue, and green fluorescence combined) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) by subgroup: Low dentine-caries prevalence (<=14%) (detection of early enamel caries, D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Low dentine-caries prevalence (<=14%) Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | DOR 11.10 [6.88, 17.91] | NR | Ungraded |
Canary System (Quantum Dental Technologies; red fluorescence, scale 0-100) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Outcome NR · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies) Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | The Canary System was not used by any included study. | 0 studies | No studies |
All fluorescence-based devices (red, blue, and green fluorescence combined) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Sensitivity at fixed upper-quartile specificity 0.90 (detection of early enamel caries, D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies) Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | Sensitivity 0.60 [0.54, 0.65] | 79 studies | Low |
Combined index test: visual examination + radiograph + DIAGNOdent (Alomari 2015) vs Reference standard: histology Sensitivity for detection of early enamel caries (D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies) Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | Sensitivity 0.82 [0.75, 0.88] | 1 study | Ungraded |
All fluorescence-based devices (red, blue, and green fluorescence combined) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) (detection of early enamel caries, D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies) Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | DOR 14.12 [11.17, 17.84] | 79 studies | Low |
All fluorescence-based devices (red, blue, and green fluorescence combined) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) by subgroup: Single site per tooth (detection of early enamel caries, D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Single site per tooth Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | DOR 15.96 [12.26, 20.77] | NR | Ungraded |
All fluorescence-based devices (red, blue, and green fluorescence combined) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) by subgroup: Radiography reference standard (detection of early enamel caries, D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Radiography reference standard Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | DOR 6.21 [2.58, 14.97] | NR | Ungraded |
All fluorescence-based devices (red, blue, and green fluorescence combined) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) by subgroup: Enhanced visual examination reference standard (detection of early enamel caries, D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Enhanced visual examination reference standard Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | DOR 19.32 [12.37, 30.17] | NR | Ungraded |
SoproLife (ACTEON; blue fluorescence) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity and specificity) for detection of early enamel caries (D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies) Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | Analysed as a separate index test (coupled forest plot and SROC plot, Figure 24 / Figure 25; Appendix 5); no summary DOR or sensitivity/specificity point reported numerically in the text. 3 datasets, 1027 tooth sites. | 3 studies | Ungraded |
Green fluorescence devices (quantitative light-induced fluorescence, QLF; wavelength ~370-405 nm) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) for detection of early enamel caries (D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies) Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | DOR 19.49 [9.01, 42.18] | 9 studies | Ungraded |
All fluorescence-based devices (red, blue, and green fluorescence combined) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Sensitivity at fixed median specificity 0.78 (detection of early enamel caries, D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies) Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | Sensitivity 0.70 [0.64, 0.75] | 79 studies | Low |
Radiographic examination (bitewing radiographs) vs Reference standard: histology Sensitivity · Extracted teeth of adults with restored approximal surfaces (in vitro studies; secondary root caries; Switzerland) Tests to detect and inform the diagnosis of root caries (2020) · Cochrane | 2 in vitro studies (59 root surfaces) using extracted, restored teeth and a histological reference standard investigated the accuracy of radiographs. Reported estimates of sensitivity ranged from 0.40 to 0.63 and… | 2 studies | Very low |
Combined index test: visual examination + radiograph + DIAGNOdent (Alomari 2015) vs Reference standard: histology Specificity for detection of early enamel caries (D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies) Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | Specificity 0.65 [0.38, 0.86] | 1 study | Ungraded |
Radiographic examination (bitewing radiographs) vs Reference standard: histology Specificity · Extracted teeth of adults with restored approximal surfaces (in vitro studies; secondary root caries; Switzerland) Tests to detect and inform the diagnosis of root caries (2020) · Cochrane | 2 in vitro studies (59 root surfaces) using extracted, restored teeth and a histological reference standard investigated the accuracy of radiographs. Reported estimates of sensitivity ranged from 0.40 to 0.63 and… | 2 studies | Very low |
Radiograph and visual examination in combination vs Reference standard: histology Sensitivity · Extracted molar teeth of adults with resin composite approximal restorations (in vitro; secondary root caries;… Tests to detect and inform the diagnosis of root caries (2020) · Cochrane | Sensitivity 0.81 [0.54, 0.96] | 1 study | Very low |
Blue fluorescence devices (VistaProof, SoproLife, Spectra; wavelength 400-450 nm) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) for detection of early enamel caries (D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies) Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | DOR 18.47 [10.59, 32.20] | 20 studies | Ungraded |
All fluorescence-based devices (red, blue, and green fluorescence combined) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) by subgroup: High dentine-caries prevalence (>=35%) (detection of early enamel caries, D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), High dentine-caries prevalence (>=35%) Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | DOR 14.59 [9.18, 23.22] | NR | Ungraded |
All fluorescence-based devices (red, blue, and green fluorescence combined) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) by subgroup: Primary dentition (detection of early enamel caries, D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Primary dentition Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | DOR 12.34 [8.44, 18.04] | NR | Ungraded |
Fibre-optic transillumination (FOTI, including white light scattering and near infrared) vs Reference standard: histology or enhanced visual-tactile examination Outcome NR · Adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having root caries (in vivo); extracted teeth of adults (in vitro) Tests to detect and inform the diagnosis of root caries (2020) · Cochrane | Fibre-optic transillumination was a pre-specified eligible index test but no diagnostic test accuracy study of fibre-optic transillumination was included. | 0 studies | No studies |
MidWest (DENTSPLY; red fluorescence, red/green light and sound signal) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity and specificity) for detection of early enamel caries (D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies) Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | Analysed as a separate index test (coupled forest plot and SROC plot, Figure 22 / Figure 23; Appendix 5); no summary DOR or sensitivity/specificity point reported numerically in the text. 4 datasets, 356 tooth sites. | 4 studies | Ungraded |
All fluorescence-based devices (red, blue, and green fluorescence combined) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) by subgroup: Multiple sites per tooth (detection of early enamel caries, D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Multiple sites per tooth Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | DOR 9.46 [5.91, 15.14] | 18 studies | Ungraded |
All fluorescence-based devices (red, blue, and green fluorescence combined) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) by subgroup: Smooth or secondary-caries surfaces (detection of early enamel caries, D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Smooth or secondary-caries surfaces Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | DOR 13.41 [5.58, 32.25] | NR | Ungraded |
All fluorescence-based devices (red, blue, and green fluorescence combined) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) by subgroup: Proximal surfaces (detection of early enamel caries, D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Proximal surfaces Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | DOR 13.06 [7.52, 22.67] | NR | Ungraded |
All fluorescence-based devices (red, blue, and green fluorescence combined) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) by subgroup: Occlusal surfaces (detection of early enamel caries, D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Occlusal surfaces Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane | DOR 14.29 [10.92, 18.72] | NR | Ungraded |
Colour clinical examination (visual shade categorization: yellow, light brown, dark brown, black) vs Hardness clinical examination (tactile texture categorization: soft, medium/leathery, hard) Discriminant power for caries severity: effect size (f) for microbial load (log10 CFU) between lesion categories · Patients with dentine carious lesions (deciduous/permanent teeth; children and adults) Reliability of colour and hardness clinical examinations in detecting dentine caries severity: a systematic… (2019) | Effect size (f) colour f=0.46; hardness f=2.62 | 5 studies | Ungraded |
color contrast: black vs dark brown/light brown/yellow vs hardness contrast: soft vs medium/hard total microbial load (log10 CFU) · humans with open primary dentine caries · B-DB/LB/Y vs S-M/H Reliability of colour and hardness clinical examinations in detecting dentine caries severity: a systematic… (2019) | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 59 participants | Ungraded |
Colour clinical examination (visual shade categorization: yellow, light brown, dark brown, black) vs Hardness clinical examination (tactile texture categorization: soft, medium/leathery, hard) Discriminant power for caries severity: mean difference in log10 CFU (microbial load) between lesion categories · Patients with dentine carious lesions (deciduous/permanent teeth; children and adults) · B/DB/LB-Y (colour) vs S-M/H (hardness) Reliability of colour and hardness clinical examinations in detecting dentine caries severity: a systematic… (2019) | WMD -3.867 [-4.461, -2.874] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Colour clinical examination (visual shade categorization: yellow, light brown, dark brown, black) vs Hardness clinical examination (tactile texture categorization: soft, medium/leathery, hard) Discriminant power for caries severity: mean difference in log10 CFU (microbial load) between lesion categories · Patients with dentine carious lesions (deciduous/permanent teeth; children and adults) · B/DB/LB-Y (colour) vs S/M-H (hardness) Reliability of colour and hardness clinical examinations in detecting dentine caries severity: a systematic… (2019) | WMD -4.446 [-5.241, -3.650] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Colour clinical examination (visual shade categorization: yellow, light brown, dark brown, black) vs Hardness clinical examination (tactile texture categorization: soft, medium/leathery, hard) Discriminant power for caries severity: mean difference in log10 CFU (microbial load) between lesion categories · Patients with dentine carious lesions (deciduous/permanent teeth; children and adults) · B-DB/LB/Y (colour) vs S/M-H (hardness) Reliability of colour and hardness clinical examinations in detecting dentine caries severity: a systematic… (2019) | WMD -0.067 [-1.877, 1.743] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Colour clinical examination (visual shade categorization: yellow, light brown, dark brown, black) vs Hardness clinical examination (tactile texture categorization: soft, medium/leathery, hard) Discriminant power for caries severity: mean difference in log10 CFU (microbial load) between lesion categories · Patients with dentine carious lesions (deciduous/permanent teeth; children and adults) · B-DB/LB/Y (colour) vs S-M/H (hardness) Reliability of colour and hardness clinical examinations in detecting dentine caries severity: a systematic… (2019) | Only one study (Beighton et al.) permitted this comparison: the mean log10 CFU difference was 2.32 for the colour contrast (black vs rest) versus 3.72 for the hardness contrast (soft vs medium/hard); hardness appeared… | 1 study | Ungraded |
Colour clinical examination (visual shade categorization: yellow, light brown, dark brown, black) vs Hardness clinical examination (tactile texture categorization: soft, medium/leathery, hard) Discriminant power for caries severity: mean difference in log10 CFU (microbial load) between lesion categories · Patients with dentine carious lesions (deciduous/permanent teeth; children and adults) · B/DB-LB/Y (colour) vs S-M/H (hardness) Reliability of colour and hardness clinical examinations in detecting dentine caries severity: a systematic… (2019) | WMD -4.741 [-4.979, -4.502] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Colour clinical examination (visual shade categorization: yellow, light brown, dark brown, black) vs Hardness clinical examination (tactile texture categorization: soft, medium/leathery, hard) Discriminant power for caries severity: mean difference in log10 CFU (microbial load) between lesion categories · Patients with dentine carious lesions (deciduous/permanent teeth; children and adults) · B/DB-LB/Y (colour) vs S/M-H (hardness) Reliability of colour and hardness clinical examinations in detecting dentine caries severity: a systematic… (2019) | WMD -3.369 [-3.595, -3.143] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Visual caries detection vs Reference standard (often histological; also invasive opening) All occlusal carious lesions · Permanent molar surfaces in diagnostic accuracy studies (mostly in vitro; clinical) · Tailored meta-analysis (Egypt) Visual and radiographic caries detection: a tailored meta-analysis for two different settings, Egypt and… (2018) | Specificity 77.0 [73, 81] | 51 studies | Ungraded |