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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.
61 questions in 42 reviews · cluster CL0285
current versionsNo studies 36 · 59%Ungraded 15 · 24.6%Very low 6 · 9.8%Low 4 · 6.6%Moderate 0 · 0%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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Antioxidants (lycopene, curcumin, Oxitard) vs Placebo or no active treatment Direct costs · People of any age with a confirmed diagnosis, by clinical examination and biopsy, of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) Interventions for managing oral submucous fibrosis (2024) · Cochrane | The trials did not measure costs. | 0 studies | No studies |
Light vibrational forces (LVF) vs Conventional orthodontic appliance treatment (placebo or no adjunct) Cost of treatment · Adolescents and adults with malocclusion undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed or removable appliances Non‐surgical adjunctive interventions for accelerating tooth movement in patients undergoing orthodontic… (2023) · Cochrane | Cost of treatment was not investigated in any of the included studies. | NR | No studies |
Professional oral care vs Usual oral care Change in data on economics and quality of life · Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities · 24 months Oral care measures for preventing nursing home‐acquired pneumonia (2022) · Cochrane | MD 1.5 [0.32, 2.68] | 1 study · 322 participants | Ungraded |
Antibiotic prophylaxis before dental procedure vs No antibiotic prophylaxis or placebo Cost implications of antibiotic provision · Adults or children at increased risk of bacterial endocarditis (pre-existing cardiac condition) undergoing an invasive… Antibiotic prophylaxis for preventing bacterial endocarditis following dental procedures (2022) · Cochrane | The study did not provide any data on mortality, adverse events requiring hospitalisation, adverse effects of antibiotics or cost implications of treatment. | 0 studies | No studies |
Traditional screening (referral card given if the inspecting dentist judges the child needs to see a dentist) vs No screening Cost effectiveness · School children (aged 4 to 15 years), primary and secondary schools in the UK and India School dental screening programmes for oral health (2022) · Cochrane | As none of the studies reported cost-effectiveness, we could not assess the cost-benefit aspect of school dental screening. | 0 studies | No studies |
Periodontal treatment (subgingival instrumentation, with or without antimicrobials/surgery) vs No active intervention/usual care Cost implications · People with diabetes mellitus (type 1 or type 2, mostly type 2) and periodontitis, at least 16 years of age · 3-4 months Treatment of periodontitis for glycaemic control in people with diabetes mellitus (2022) · Cochrane | Included studies did not report cost data. A brief economic commentary drew on four external economic evaluations (Smits 2020, Nasseh 2017, Choi 2020, Soloweij-Wedderburn 2017) suggesting potential cost… | 0 studies | No studies |
Rubber dam isolation and moisture control (alone or with saliva aspiration) vs Cotton rolls (with or without saliva aspiration) Costs: direct cost of treatment · Dental patients undergoing direct or indirect restorative treatment (no age or gender restriction) Rubber dam isolation for restorative treatment in dental patients (2021) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Selective carious tissue removal (selective excavation, SE) vs Stepwise carious tissue removal (SW) Efficiency, costs or cost-effectiveness · Children and/or adults with permanent or primary teeth, vital (sensitive) pulps, and cavitated or dentine carious… · Permanent and primary dentition Interventions for treating cavitated or dentine carious lesions (2021) · Cochrane | Cost-effectiveness reported narratively: SE found more cost-effective than SW in permanent (Labib 2019) and primary teeth (Elhennawy 2021); not GRADE-rated. | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Double primary (canine and first molar) tooth extraction vs Single primary (canine) tooth extraction Costs / cost-effectiveness · Young people aged 9 to 14 years diagnosed with one or both palatally displaced permanent maxillary canines (PDC) Interventions for promoting the eruption of palatally displaced permanent canine teeth, without the need for… (2021) · Cochrane | The studies did not report cost-effectiveness. | 0 studies | No studies |
Rubber dam isolation vs Isolite system Costs: operation/chair time · Dental patients undergoing restorative treatment (no age or gender restriction) · Pit and fissure sealing (permanent molars) Rubber dam isolation for restorative treatment in dental patients (2021) · Cochrane | MD 9.36 [8.42, 10.30] | 1 study · 42 participants | Very low |
Rubber dam isolation and moisture control (alone or with saliva aspiration) vs Cotton rolls (with or without saliva aspiration) Costs: treatment/operation time · Dental patients undergoing direct or indirect restorative treatment (no age or gender restriction) · NCCL composite (Loguercio); fissure sealing (Ammann, narrative) Rubber dam isolation for restorative treatment in dental patients (2021) · Cochrane | MD -0.40 [-2.26, 1.46] | 1 study · 30 participants | Very low |
Rubber dam isolation vs Isolite system Costs: direct cost of treatment · Dental patients undergoing restorative treatment (no age or gender restriction) Rubber dam isolation for restorative treatment in dental patients (2021) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Extraction of the primary (baby) canine (single primary tooth extraction) vs No extraction (non-intervention control) Costs / cost-effectiveness · Young people aged 9 to 14 years diagnosed with one or both palatally displaced permanent maxillary canines (PDC) Interventions for promoting the eruption of palatally displaced permanent canine teeth, without the need for… (2021) · Cochrane | The study did not report cost-effectiveness. | 0 studies | No studies |
Clinical examination with risk-based recall vs Clinical examination with 24-month recall Cost (healthcare-system perspective): total cost per patient (GBP) · Dentate adults (aged 18 years and older) receiving dental check-ups in UK general dental practices (regular attenders) · 4 years Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients (2020) · Cochrane | MD 17.00 [-14.34, 48.34] | 1 study · 404 participants | Ungraded |
Any method, procedure or policy to reduce contaminated aerosols in dental clinics vs Any other method, no treatment or combination of methods Costs for the interventions used · Dental healthcare providers (dentist, dental surgery assistant, dental hygienist, dental technologist, dental… Interventions to reduce contaminated aerosols produced during dental procedures for preventing infectious… (2020) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Clinical examination with 24-month recall vs Clinical examination with 6-month recall Cost (patient perspective): total cost per patient (GBP) · Dentate adults (aged 18 years and older) receiving dental check-ups in UK general dental practices (regular attenders) · 4 years Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients (2020) · Cochrane | MD -53.00 [-76.91, -29.09] | 1 study · 375 participants | Ungraded |
Clinical examination with risk-based recall vs Clinical examination with 6-month recall Cost (healthcare-system perspective): total cost per patient (GBP) · Dentate adults (aged 18 years and older) receiving dental check-ups in UK general dental practices (regular attenders) · 4 years Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients (2020) · Cochrane | MD 13.77 [-1.56, 29.11] | 1 study · 2006 participants | Ungraded |
Clinical examination with risk-based recall vs Clinical examination with 6-month recall Cost (patient perspective): total cost per patient (GBP) · Dentate adults (aged 18 years and older) receiving dental check-ups in UK general dental practices (regular attenders) · 4 years Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients (2020) · Cochrane | MD -9.49 [-23.05, 4.07] | 1 study · 1944 participants | Ungraded |
Clinical examination with 24-month recall vs Clinical examination with 6-month recall Cost (healthcare-system perspective): total cost per patient (GBP) · Dentate adults (aged 18 years and older) receiving dental check-ups in UK general dental practices (regular attenders) · 4 years Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients (2020) · Cochrane | MD -16.00 [-51.76, 19.76] | 1 study · 404 participants | Ungraded |
Clinical examination with risk-based recall vs Clinical examination with 24-month recall Cost (patient perspective): total cost per patient (GBP) · Dentate adults (aged 18 years and older) receiving dental check-ups in UK general dental practices (regular attenders) · 4 years Recall intervals for oral health in primary care patients (2020) · Cochrane | MD 34.00 [9.78, 58.22] | 1 study · 375 participants | Ungraded |
Routine scale and polish every 6 months vs Routine scale and polish every 12 months Costs (NHS perspective, GBP) · Dentate adults without severe periodontitis, regularly attending for dental care in primary care (UK general dental… Routine scale and polish for periodontal health in adults (2018) · Cochrane | MD -7.62 [-28.39, 13.15] | 1 study · 556 participants | Very low |
Ball (stud) attachment system vs Magnetic attachment system Cost of prosthodontic maintenance (medium term) · Edentulous adults receiving mandibular implant overdentures (opposing conventional complete maxillary dentures) · Medium term (3 to 5 years) Interventions for replacing missing teeth: attachment systems for implant overdentures in edentulous jaws (2018) · Cochrane | MD -247.37 [-346.32, -148.42] | 1 study · 69 participants | Very low |
Planned, regular routine scale and polish (6-monthly; 12-monthly parallel) vs No scheduled scale and polish treatment Costs (NHS perspective, GBP) · Dentate adults without severe periodontitis, regularly attending for dental care in primary care (UK general dental… · 6-monthly (12-monthly parallel) Routine scale and polish for periodontal health in adults (2018) · Cochrane | MD 0.52 [-18.10, 19.14] | 1 study · 554 participants | Very low |
Ball (stud) attachment system vs Bar attachment system Cost (treatment time and/or material costs) · Edentulous adults receiving mandibular implant overdentures (opposing conventional complete maxillary dentures) Interventions for replacing missing teeth: attachment systems for implant overdentures in edentulous jaws (2018) · Cochrane | Walton 2002 reported costs but the data could not be used due to failure to report means and standard deviations and only providing the median of the costs. | 1 study | Ungraded |
Ball (stud) attachment system vs Telescopic attachment system Cost (treatment time and/or material costs) · Edentulous adults receiving mandibular implant overdentures (opposing conventional complete maxillary dentures) Interventions for replacing missing teeth: attachment systems for implant overdentures in edentulous jaws (2018) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Personalised one-to-one OHA vs Routine one-to-one OHA Economic net benefits (cost effectiveness) · Children or adults (fit and healthy, or with a well-defined medical condition) One‐to‐one oral hygiene advice provided in a dental setting for oral health (2018) · Cochrane | Ramsay 2018 reported economic net benefits of OHA; measured, not synthesised or GRADE-rated. | 1 study | Ungraded |
Any surgical or non-surgical technique or material used for the treatment of post-extraction bleeding vs Another active intervention, placebo, or no treatment Treatment-associated average cost · People of any age and either gender with post-extraction bleeding, regardless of type of teeth (anterior or posterior,… Interventions for treating post‐extraction bleeding (2018) · Cochrane | No data are available as no RCTs have been conducted on interventions to treat post-extraction bleeding | 0 studies | No studies |
Routine scale and polish provided by a dentist vs Routine scale and polish provided by a dental care professional (dental therapist or hygienist) Costs (NHS perspective) · Dentate adults without severe periodontitis, regularly attending for dental care in primary care (UK general dental… Routine scale and polish for periodontal health in adults (2018) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Resorbable (bioresorbable) plates or screws for fixation vs Titanium plates or screws for fixation Costs (fixation materials, hospital bed days, retreatment) · Adults (>16 years old) undergoing orthognathic surgery · Up to 3 years postoperatively Resorbable versus titanium plates for orthognathic surgery (2017) · Cochrane | None of the studies reported on the cost incurred in the treatment. | 0 studies | No studies |
Amifostine vs No treatment/placebo Cost (mean per-patient supportive care costs) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region · End of RT Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy (2017) · Cochrane | Mean per-patient supportive care costs lower with amifostine (USD 4401) than control (USD 5873); P = 0.02 (Buntzel 1998 / Bennett 2001) | 1 study · 28 participants | Ungraded |
Preoperative analgesics (analgesics given before dental treatment) vs Placebo or no analgesics Cost · Children and adolescents aged up to 17 years having dental treatment (orthodontic treatment, fillings, pulp treatment,… Preoperative analgesics for additional pain relief in children and adolescents having dental treatment (2016) · Cochrane | None of the included studies reported cost. PUB3: 'The [three/four] studies did not measure ... cost or completion of treatment.' | 0 studies | No studies |
Any experimental intervention (surgical or non-surgical) vs None (placebo or no treatment) Health economic measures · People of any age and either sex, in any setting, with BRONJ; bisphosphonate exposure past or current; includes people… Interventions for treating bisphosphonate‐related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) (2016) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Oral appliance or functional orthopaedic appliance vs Placebo or no treatment Economic evaluation: costs · Children with obstructive sleep apnoea (aged 15 years or younger) Oral appliances and functional orthopaedic appliances for obstructive sleep apnoea in children (2016) · Cochrane | The included study did not assess this outcome. | 0 studies | No studies |
EGFR monoclonal antibody (cetuximab or nimotuzumab) plus standard therapy (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) vs Standard therapy alone (radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) Direct and indirect costs to participants and health services · People with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx · 24 to 70 months Interventions for the treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers: targeted therapy and immunotherapy (2015) · Cochrane | No included studies addressed direct and indirect costs to participants and health services (review-wide gap). | 0 studies | No studies |
Maxillary sinus lift (augmentation) with long implants vs Short implants (5 to 8.5 mm) without sinus augmentation Treatment costs · Patients with missing teeth and an atrophic posterior maxilla, with residual bone height between 4 and 9 mm below the… Interventions for replacing missing teeth: augmentation procedures of the maxillary sinus (2014) · Cochrane | Treatment costs: no trials reported this outcome (extrapolated by the review authors). Additional costs were associated with the long-implant + augmentation group (extra surgery, biomaterial, barrier, hospitalisation… | 0 studies | No studies |
Dual mini-screw implant vs Single mini-screw implant Economic factors · Patients undergoing orthodontic treatment requiring surgical (mini-screw implant) anchorage Reinforcement of anchorage during orthodontic brace treatment with implants or other surgical methods (2014) · Cochrane | Economic factors were not reported in any of the studies comparing two types of surgical anchorage | 0 studies | No studies |
Frankel's function regulator-4 (FR-4) with lip-seal training vs No treatment Economic evaluation (costs) · Children and adolescents (over 80% aged 16 years or younger at treatment start) with anterior open bite (lack of… Orthodontic and orthopaedic treatment for anterior open bite in children (2014) · Cochrane | Outcome proposed in the review but not found in any included study. The review states: 'The other outcomes proposed in this review were not found: stability of anterior open bite correction; reduction of snoring; signs… | 0 studies | No studies |
Surgical anchorage (mini-screw or mid-palatal implant) vs Conventional anchorage (headgear, transpalatal/palatal arch, etc.) Economic factors · Patients of any age undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances and requiring anchorage (adolescents to… Reinforcement of anchorage during orthodontic brace treatment with implants or other surgical methods (2014) · Cochrane | No studies reported on economic evaluation | 0 studies | No studies |
Powered toothbrush (any mode of action) vs Manual toothbrush Cost (relative cost of powered vs manual) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane | None of the included trials reported on the relative costs of manual compared with powered toothbrushes. | 0 studies | No studies |
Self etching primers (one-step etchant and primer system) vs Conventional etchants (two-step etch and prime method using 37% phosphoric acid) Cost of treatment · Children and adults with fixed orthodontic brackets bonded to incisors, canines and premolars Enamel etching for bonding fixed orthodontic braces (2013) · Cochrane | Cost of treatment: No studies assessed this outcome. | NR | No studies |
Any intervention to manage relapse: fixed options (labial braces, lingual braces, fixed lingual wire) or removable options (Hawley's retainer with spring elastomeric module, Bloore removable aligner, other Hawley's retainer modifications, Invisalign, Clearstep) vs Another such intervention or no active treatment; all interventions compared against each other in any combination Cost-benefit consideration · Participants who previously underwent orthodontic treatment, with subsequent crowding (relapse) of the lower front… Interventions for managing relapse of the lower front teeth after orthodontic treatment (2013) · Cochrane | No RCTs met the inclusion criteria for this review. After deduplication, the electronic searching identified 527 publications; after reviewing the titles and abstracts, none focused on interventions to correct the… | 0 studies | No studies |
Fee-for-service remuneration vs No specific intervention (control) Healthcare costs: cost-effectiveness of fee-for-service vs control (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, reported as % change in outcome per GBP; currency year NR) · Dentists seeing children with erupted second permanent molars (Scotland, in areas representing the four most deprived… · 18 months The effect of different methods of remuneration on the behaviour of primary care dentists (2013) · Cochrane | ICER 0.10 | 1 study · 68 participants | Very low |
Visual screening (oral visual inspection) by trained health workers vs No screening Costs · Apparently healthy adults aged 35 years or older (general population), living in 13 clusters in rural areas of… · 9 years (three cycles) Screening programmes for the early detection and prevention of oral cancer (2013) · Cochrane | The costs associated with the screening programme were reported after three cycles (nine years) (Subramanian 2009) (Additional Table 8). The benefit produced by a screen was 269.31 life-years saved per 100,000 for all… | 1 study | Ungraded |
Capitation remuneration vs Fee-for-service remuneration Healthcare costs: mean expenditure in GBP per 0- to 15-year-old (currency year NR) · Children (0- to 15-year-olds) undergoing routine continuing dental care at 354 dental practices, in matched pairs of… · 1 year, Scottish community The effect of different methods of remuneration on the behaviour of primary care dentists (2013) · Cochrane | MD 1.52 | 1 study · 276414 participants | Low |
Zygomatic implants without bone grafts (as a complete alternative to any bone augmentation procedure) vs Conventional dental implants in augmented maxillae Cost-effectiveness · Participants with an atrophic maxilla who cannot be rehabilitated with conventional dental implants due to lack of… · At least 1 year in function Interventions for replacing missing teeth: dental implants in zygomatic bone for the rehabilitation of the… (2013) · Cochrane | Results (Effects of interventions): we could not identify any eligible randomised controlled trials (RCTs). | 0 studies | No studies |
Capitation remuneration vs Fee-for-service remuneration Healthcare costs: mean expenditure in GBP per 0- to 15-year-old (currency year NR) · Children (0- to 15-year-olds) undergoing routine continuing dental care at 354 dental practices, in matched pairs of… · 1 year, Northern urban community The effect of different methods of remuneration on the behaviour of primary care dentists (2013) · Cochrane | MD 4.22 | 1 study · 276414 participants | Low |
Capitation remuneration vs Fee-for-service remuneration Healthcare costs: mean expenditure in GBP per 0- to 15-year-old (currency year NR) · Children (0- to 15-year-olds) undergoing routine continuing dental care at 354 dental practices, in matched pairs of… · 1 year, Commuter suburb community The effect of different methods of remuneration on the behaviour of primary care dentists (2013) · Cochrane | MD 6.18 | 1 study · 276414 participants | Low |
Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy vs No HBO therapy Cost effectiveness · Patients who have had radiotherapy and who have missing teeth that require replacement with osseointegrated dental… Interventions for replacing missing teeth: hyperbaric oxygen therapy for irradiated patients who require… (2013) · Cochrane | Cost effectiveness data were not presented but it was possible to extrapolate this. | 0 studies | No studies |
Capitation remuneration vs Fee-for-service remuneration Healthcare costs: mean expenditure in GBP per 0- to 15-year-old (currency year NR) · Children (0- to 15-year-olds) undergoing routine continuing dental care at 354 dental practices, in matched pairs of… · 1 year, Rural community The effect of different methods of remuneration on the behaviour of primary care dentists (2013) · Cochrane | MD 6.90 | 1 study · 276414 participants | Low |
Alternative alloy FDP (e.g., Ceramalloy II / base-metal / palladium-silver) vs High-gold content control alloy FDP (Olympia) Laboratory cost per unit · Patients receiving crowns and FDPs; split-mouth, 10-year · 10 years Interventions for replacing missing teeth: partially absent dentition (2012) · Cochrane | Gold costs significantly higher: USD 89 per unit for gold compared to USD 53 for palladium-silver alloy and USD 37 for base-metal alloy | 1 study | Ungraded |