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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.
104 questions in 13 reviews · cluster CL0204
current versionsNo studies 2 · 1.9%Ungraded 69 · 66.3%Very low 9 · 8.7%Low 13 · 12.5%Moderate 11 · 10.6%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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Calcium vs Control Immediate (24 h) resin-dentin bond strength (MPa) · permanent human teeth with artificial caries-affected dentin · 24 h, Etch-and-Rinse; chemical ACAD Biomimetic Remineralization Strategies for Dentin Bond Stability-Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. (2025) | MD -0.508 [-8.207, 7.191] | 3 studies | Very low |
Hydraulic calcium silicate cements (HCSC; MTA or Biodentine) vs Calcium hydroxide (CaOH) Clinical and radiographic success · Vital permanent teeth (mature or immature) with deep or extremely deep caries and asymptomatic pulp or reversible… · 36 months, 36-month follow-up Effectiveness of calcium hydroxide compared to hydraulic calcium silicate cements for direct pulp capping in… (2025) | OR 2.34 [1.43, 3.84] | 2 studies · 379 participants | Ungraded |
Partial pulpotomy with tri-calcium silicate material (MTA or Biodentine) vs No comparator Clinical and radiographic success rate · Adults aged 18 years or older with mature permanent teeth and carious pulp exposure · At least 1 year, MTA or Biodentine Partial pulpotomy for carious pulp exposure in adult mature permanent teeth: a systematic review and… (2025) | Success rate (%) 86.8 [83.78, 89.82] | NR | Ungraded |
Hydraulic calcium silicate cements (HCSC; MTA or Biodentine) vs Calcium hydroxide (CaOH) Clinical and radiographic success · Vital permanent teeth (mature or immature) with deep or extremely deep caries and asymptomatic pulp or reversible… · 12 months, 12-month follow-up Effectiveness of calcium hydroxide compared to hydraulic calcium silicate cements for direct pulp capping in… (2025) | OR 4.44 [1.63, 12.07] | 3 studies · 174 participants | Ungraded |
Calcium phosphate vs Fluorine Immediate (24 h) resin-dentin bond strength (MPa) · permanent human teeth with artificial caries-affected dentin · 24 h, Etch-and-Rinse; chemical ACAD Biomimetic Remineralization Strategies for Dentin Bond Stability-Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. (2025) | MD -1.224 [-5.931, 3.482] | 1 study | Low |
Calcium-based agent vs Fluoride agent (e.g., NaF/SDF/KF/CaF2) Immediate (24 h) resin-dentin bond strength (MPa) · Artificial caries-affected dentin (ACAD) in extracted permanent human teeth (in vitro) · 24 h (immediate), Self-Etch + chemical ACAD Biomimetic Remineralization Strategies for Dentin Bond Stability-Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. (2025) | MD -0.523 [-5.404, 4.358] | 3 studies | Low |
Partial pulpotomy with calcium hydroxide vs No comparator Clinical and radiographic success rate · Adults aged 18 years or older with mature permanent teeth and carious pulp exposure · At least 1 year, Calcium hydroxide Partial pulpotomy for carious pulp exposure in adult mature permanent teeth: a systematic review and… (2025) | Success rate (%) 34.3 [24.93, 43.67] | NR | Ungraded |
Calcium phosphate vs Control Immediate (24 h) resin-dentin bond strength (MPa) · permanent human teeth with artificial caries-affected dentin · 24 h, Etch-and-Rinse; biological ACAD Biomimetic Remineralization Strategies for Dentin Bond Stability-Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. (2025) | MD -21.209 [-25.954, -16.463] | 2 studies | Moderate |
Hydraulic calcium silicate cements (HCSC; MTA or Biodentine) vs Calcium hydroxide (CaOH) Clinical and radiographic success · Vital permanent teeth (mature or immature) with deep or extremely deep caries and asymptomatic pulp or reversible… · >=12 months Effectiveness of calcium hydroxide compared to hydraulic calcium silicate cements for direct pulp capping in… (2025) | OR 2.68 [1.7, 4.22] | 5 studies · 552 participants | Moderate |
Calcium vs Fluorine Immediate (24 h) resin-dentin bond strength (MPa) · permanent human teeth with artificial caries-affected dentin · 24 h, Etch-and-Rinse; chemical ACAD Biomimetic Remineralization Strategies for Dentin Bond Stability-Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. (2025) | MD -0.628 [-8.504, 7.248] | 4 studies | Moderate |
Partial pulpotomy (PP) with calcium hydroxide vs Direct pulp capping (DPC) with calcium hydroxide Clinical and radiographic success rate · Adults (>=18 y) with mature permanent teeth, carious exposure and normal/reversibly inflamed pulp · 1 year Partial pulpotomy for carious pulp exposure in adult mature permanent teeth: a systematic review and… (2025) | Success rate (%) 34.5 vs 31.8 | 1 study · 51 participants | Ungraded |
Partial pulpotomy (PP) with calcium hydroxide vs Direct pulp capping (DPC) with calcium hydroxide Clinical and radiographic success rate · Adults (>=18 y) with mature permanent teeth, carious exposure and normal/reversibly inflamed pulp · 5 years Partial pulpotomy for carious pulp exposure in adult mature permanent teeth: a systematic review and… (2025) | Success rate (%) 11.1 vs 5.9 | 1 study · 44 participants | Ungraded |
Partial pulpotomy with tri-calcium silicate material (MTA or Biodentine) vs Partial pulpotomy with calcium hydroxide (CH) Clinical and radiographic success rate · Adults (>=18 y) with mature permanent teeth and carious pulp exposure (irreversible pulpitis or normal/reversible) · >=1 year (subgroups at 1, 2, 5 years), Capping material (tri-calcium silicate vs calcium hydroxide) Partial pulpotomy for carious pulp exposure in adult mature permanent teeth: a systematic review and… (2025) | MD 52.5 | NR | Ungraded |
Partial pulpotomy with tri-calcium silicate material vs Partial pulpotomy with calcium hydroxide Clinical and radiographic success rate · Adults aged 18 years or older with mature permanent teeth and carious pulp exposure · Meta-regression Partial pulpotomy for carious pulp exposure in adult mature permanent teeth: a systematic review and… (2025) | Meta-regression effect (%) 37 | NR | Ungraded |
Calcium phosphate vs Control Immediate (24 h) resin-dentin bond strength (MPa) · permanent human teeth with artificial caries-affected dentin · 24 h, Etch-and-Rinse; chemical ACAD Biomimetic Remineralization Strategies for Dentin Bond Stability-Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. (2025) | MD -1.105 [-4.828, 2.619] | 1 study | Low |
Calcium-based agent vs No biomimetic remineralization (control) Immediate (24 h) resin-dentin bond strength (MPa) · Artificial caries-affected dentin (ACAD) in extracted permanent human teeth (in vitro) · 24 h (immediate), Self-Etch + chemical ACAD Biomimetic Remineralization Strategies for Dentin Bond Stability-Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. (2025) | MD -1.124 [-5.917, 3.670] | 2 studies | Moderate |
High-dose vitamin D3 supplementation during pregnancy (2400 IU/day from pregnancy week 24 to 1 week postpartum, in addition to the recommended 400 IU/day) vs Low-dose (standard) vitamin D supplementation as recommended in national pregnancy guidelines Caries presence in primary teeth · For interventions, pregnant women, mothers or other caregivers of infants in the first year of life; for outcomes,… · Children assessed at 6 yrs Interventions with pregnant women, new mothers and other primary caregivers for preventing early childhood… (2024) · Cochrane | RR 0.99 [0.70, 1.41] | 1 study · 496 participants | Very low |
Calcium-enriched mixture (CEM) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) Clinical and radiographic success (composite) · Patients with carious pulp exposure in permanent teeth undergoing pulpotomy · ≥6 months follow-up Comparative efficacy of materials used in patients undergoing pulpotomy or direct pulp capping in carious… (2023) | CEM vs MTA was investigated in 2 RCTs (Asgary 2017; Nosrat 2013) for the primary outcome; not pooled owing to heterogeneity. The per-trial forest plots (Figure 8) indicated MTA performed comparably to CEM. Weak evidence. | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) Dentin bridge formation · Patients with carious pulp exposure in permanent teeth undergoing partial pulpotomy · ≥6 months follow-up Comparative efficacy of materials used in patients undergoing pulpotomy or direct pulp capping in carious… (2023) | Four RCTs compared CH with MTA for dentin bridge formation (all used partial pulpotomy; all at low risk of bias except Qudeimat 2007). Apart from Wei 2010, trials yielded implausibly large ORs with very wide 95% CIs;… | 4 studies | Ungraded |
Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) Clinical and radiographic success (composite) · Patients with carious pulp exposure in immature permanent teeth · ≥6 months; follow-up range 1-2 years, Root maturation: immature Comparative efficacy of materials used in patients undergoing pulpotomy or direct pulp capping in carious… (2023) | OR 2.22 [0.13, 36.67] | 2 studies · 106 participants | Very low |
Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) Clinical and radiographic success (composite) · Patients with carious pulp exposure in permanent teeth undergoing direct pulp capping (DPC) · ≥6 months; follow-up range 1-3 years, Treatment performed: DPC Comparative efficacy of materials used in patients undergoing pulpotomy or direct pulp capping in carious… (2023) | OR 3.10 [1.66, 5.79] | 4 studies · 559 participants | Moderate |
Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) Clinical and radiographic success (composite) · Patients with carious pulp exposure in permanent teeth of mixed/unspecified root maturation · ≥6 months; follow-up range 1-2 years, Root maturation: mixed Comparative efficacy of materials used in patients undergoing pulpotomy or direct pulp capping in carious… (2023) | OR 1.11 [0.17, 7.11] | 3 studies · 257 participants | Very low |
Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) Clinical and radiographic success (composite) · Patients with carious pulp exposure in permanent teeth undergoing pulpotomy (partial or full) · ≥6 months; follow-up range 1-2 years, Treatment performed: pulpotomy (FP/PP) Comparative efficacy of materials used in patients undergoing pulpotomy or direct pulp capping in carious… (2023) | OR 2.36 [0.47, 11.75] | 6 studies · 341 participants | Low |
Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Biodentine Clinical and radiographic success (composite) · Patients with carious pulp exposure in permanent teeth undergoing DPC or pulpotomy · ≥6 months follow-up Comparative efficacy of materials used in patients undergoing pulpotomy or direct pulp capping in carious… (2023) | CH vs Biodentine was investigated in 2 RCTs for the primary outcome; not pooled. Biodentine appeared to perform better than CH (and than Theracal) in the per-trial forest plots (Figure 8). Weak evidence. | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) Clinical and radiographic success (composite) · Patients with carious pulp exposure in mature permanent teeth · ≥6 months; follow-up range 1-3 years, Root maturation: mature Comparative efficacy of materials used in patients undergoing pulpotomy or direct pulp capping in carious… (2023) | OR 3.34 [1.81, 6.17] | 5 studies · 537 participants | Moderate |
Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) Clinical and radiographic success (composite) · Patients with carious pulp exposure in permanent teeth undergoing DPC or pulpotomy (all treatment types and… · ≥6 months; follow-up range 1-3 years, Unadjusted (all CH vs MTA studies) Comparative efficacy of materials used in patients undergoing pulpotomy or direct pulp capping in carious… (2023) | OR 2.94 [1.93, 4.49] | 10 studies · 900 participants | Low |
Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) Continued root formation / root development · Patients with carious pulp exposure in permanent teeth (predominantly immature) undergoing DPC or pulpotomy · ≥6 months follow-up Comparative efficacy of materials used in patients undergoing pulpotomy or direct pulp capping in carious… (2023) | CH vs MTA was the only informative comparison for root development (3 RCTs); estimates had implausibly wide 95% CIs, all including no difference, and two trials gave contradictory results (Qudeimat 2007 favored CH, OR… | 3 studies | Ungraded |
Pulpotomy with Calcium Enriched Mixture (CEM) vs Pulpotomy with calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) Clinical and radiographic success rate (>=6 months) · Human permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis due to carious pulp exposure · >=6 months, Pulp capping material: CEM vs calcium hydroxide Outcome of pulpotomy in permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2022) | No significant difference was observed between CEM and calcium hydroxide (indirect comparison; Supplementary Table S5, not available). | NR | Ungraded |
Metapex (calcium hydroxide/iodoform) vs Endoflas chlorophenol free (Endoflas-CF) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 and 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 1.33 [0.35, 5.03] | 1 study · 32 participants | Ungraded |
Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Formocresol (FC) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 1.86 [1.42, 2.44] | 6 studies · 332 participants | Moderate |
Glutaraldehyde + calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Glutaraldehyde + zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 1.11 [0.46, 2.67] | 1 study · 61 participants | Ungraded |
Glutaraldehyde + calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Full strength formocresol (FC) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 3 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 1.10 [0.17, 7.10] | 1 study · 44 participants | Ungraded |
Vitapex (calcium hydroxide/iodoform) vs RC Fill Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 2.00 [0.65, 6.15] | 1 study · 86 participants | Ungraded |
Calcium hydroxide/iodoform (CH/iodoform) vs Full strength formocresol (FC) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 9.11 [3.04, 27.31] | 1 study · 67 participants | Ungraded |
Glutaraldehyde + calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Full strength formocresol (FC) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 3 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 1.10 [0.31, 3.84] | 1 study · 44 participants | Ungraded |
Sealapex (eugenol-free calcium hydroxide) vs Zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 and 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 5.00 [0.26, 98.00] | 1 study · 40 participants | Ungraded |
Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Formocresol (FC) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 24 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 3.83 [1.68, 8.74] | 1 study · 120 participants | Low |
Metapex (calcium hydroxide/iodoform) vs Endoflas (CH + ZOE + iodoform) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 2.02 [0.79, 5.15] | 2 studies · 92 participants | Ungraded |
Glutaraldehyde + calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Glutaraldehyde + zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 2.90 [0.32, 26.38] | 1 study · 61 participants | Ungraded |
Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Ferric sulphate (FS) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 1.28 [0.53, 3.13] | 2 studies · 122 participants | Low |
Vitapex (calcium hydroxide/iodoform) vs Calcium hydroxide (CH) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 and 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 0.11 [0.01, 1.94] | 1 study · 40 participants | Ungraded |
Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Formocresol (FC) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 1.87 [1.22, 2.89] | 6 studies · 332 participants | Moderate |
Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Ferric sulphate (FS) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 3.41 [0.37, 31.61] | 2 studies · 122 participants | Low |
Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Portland cement (PC) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 and 24 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 13.00 [0.80, 212.02] | 1 study · 30 participants | Ungraded |
Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) + sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 3.00 [0.13, 70.92] | 1 study · 62 participants | Ungraded |
Metapex (calcium hydroxide/iodoform) vs Zinc oxide and propolis (ZOP) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 2.00 [0.20, 19.91] | 1 study · 32 participants | Ungraded |
Calcium hydroxide cement (Dycal) vs Calcium sulphate hemihydrate (DentoGen) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 4.00 [0.49, 32.72] | 1 study · 40 participants | Very low |
Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Portland cement (PC) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 17.00 [1.07, 270.41] | 1 study · 30 participants | Ungraded |
Vitapex (calcium hydroxide/iodoform) vs 3Mix (ciprofloxacin + metronidazole + minocycline) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 1.83 [0.80, 4.19] | 1 study · 50 participants | Ungraded |
Metapex (calcium hydroxide/iodoform) vs Endoflas chlorophenol free (Endoflas-CF) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 1.00 [0.16, 6.25] | 1 study · 32 participants | Ungraded |