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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.
142 questions in 28 reviews · cluster CL0290
current versionsNo studies 24 · 16.9%Ungraded 78 · 54.9%Very low 22 · 15.5%Low 7 · 4.9%Moderate 6 · 4.2%High 5 · 3.5%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Open surgical exposure vs Closed surgical exposure Gum health: midpalatal gingival recession · People with maxillary palatally displaced (impacted) canines, unilateral or bilateral (children/adolescents; mean ages… · 3 months post-debond Open versus closed surgical exposure of canine teeth that are displaced in the roof of the mouth (2017) · Cochrane | RR 1.32 [0.63, 2.77] | 1 study · 62 participants | Ungraded |
Periodontal treatment (scaling and root planing, alone or with antimicrobials) vs Alternative (less intensive) periodontal treatment, alone or with placebo Bleeding on probing · Pregnant women considered to have periodontal disease (gingivitis or periodontitis) after dental examination Treating periodontal disease for preventing adverse birth outcomes in pregnant women (2017) · Cochrane | MD -28.00 [-38.54, -17.46] | 1 study · 53 participants | Ungraded |
Periodontal treatment (scaling and root planing, alone or with antimicrobials) vs Alternative (less intensive) periodontal treatment, alone or with placebo Gingival index · Pregnant women considered to have periodontal disease (gingivitis or periodontitis) after dental examination Treating periodontal disease for preventing adverse birth outcomes in pregnant women (2017) · Cochrane | MD -28.00 [-144.13, 88.13] | 1 study · 53 participants | Ungraded |
Metal-free FDPs (lithium disilicate) vs Metal-ceramic FDPs Periodontal/peri-implant status and occlusal wear (secondary outcomes) · Adults (18 years or older) needing a three-unit fixed dental prosthesis (FDP) Metal‐free materials for fixed prosthodontic restorations (2017) · Cochrane | No data were presented for any of the pre-specified secondary outcomes. | 0 studies | No studies |
Fixed-appliance orthodontic treatment incorporating surgically assisted orthodontics (adjunctive surgical procedure: corticotomy, micro-osteoperforation or interseptal bone reduction) to increase the rate of tooth movement vs Conventional treatment: fixed-appliance orthodontic treatment without surgical assistance Harms arising during orthodontic treatment (gingival and periodontal problems, anchorage loss and iatrogenic damage to teeth e.g. caries/decalcification, root resorption); only periodontal/gingival health assessed · Individuals of any age receiving orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances (braces) (people requiring orthodontic… · Up to 4 months Surgical adjunctive procedures for accelerating orthodontic treatment (2015) · Cochrane | SoF: Assumed risk 'See comment'; Corresponding risk 'See comment'; 13 (1 study, split‐mouth); Quality ⊕⊖⊖⊖ very low. Comment: 'Gingival and periodonal problems only were assesed in 1 study (Aboul‐Ela 2011). No precise… | 1 study · 13 participants | Very low |
Powered toothbrush, ionic action vs Manual toothbrush Gingivitis score (1 to 3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Short term (1 to 3 months) Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane | MD -0.01 [-0.04, 0.02] | 2 studies · 116 participants | Ungraded |
Powered toothbrush, ionic action vs Manual toothbrush Gingivitis score (>3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Long term (>3 months) Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane | MD -0.36 [-0.59, -0.13] | 1 study · 64 participants | Ungraded |
Infiltration injection LA and intraligamental injection LA (3-arm) vs No treatment Intraoperative or postoperative bleeding · Children and young people aged 17 years or younger having dental treatment (including extractions) under general… Intraoperative local anaesthesia for reduction of postoperative pain following general anaesthesia for… (2014) · Cochrane | None of the studies reported on this outcome | 0 studies | No studies |
Powered toothbrush, side-to-side action vs Manual toothbrush Gingivitis score (>3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Long term (>3 months) Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane | SMD 0.10 [-0.14, 0.34] | 3 studies · 272 participants | Ungraded |
Powered toothbrush, ultrasonic action vs Manual toothbrush Gingivitis score (1 to 3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Short term (1 to 3 months) Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane | SMD -0.99 [-1.21, -0.76] | 5 studies · 354 participants | Ungraded |
Powered toothbrush, unknown/other action vs Manual toothbrush Gingivitis score (>3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Long term (>3 months) Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane | Unknown/other action vs manual, gingivitis at >3 months: 1 trial; totals not selected. | 1 study | Ungraded |
Powered toothbrush, counter oscillation action vs Manual toothbrush Gingivitis score (1 to 3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Short term (1 to 3 months) Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane | SMD 0.01 [-0.30, 0.31] | 4 studies · 172 participants | Ungraded |
Intraligamental injection local anaesthetic vs No treatment Intraoperative or postoperative bleeding · Children and young people aged 17 years or younger having dental treatment (including extractions) under general… Intraoperative local anaesthesia for reduction of postoperative pain following general anaesthesia for… (2014) · Cochrane | None of the studies reported on this outcome | 0 studies | No studies |
Powered toothbrush (any mode of action) vs Manual toothbrush Gingivitis score (1 to 3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Short term (1 to 3 months) Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane | SMD -0.43 [-0.60, -0.25] | 44 studies · 3345 participants | Moderate |
Topical local anaesthetic (spray or dental swab) vs Placebo or no treatment Intraoperative or postoperative bleeding · Children and young people aged 17 years or younger having dental treatment (including extractions) under general… Intraoperative local anaesthesia for reduction of postoperative pain following general anaesthesia for… (2014) · Cochrane | Elhakim 1993 reported prolonged postoperative bleeding in the no-treatment group; Andrzejowski 2002 reported no difference in bleeding (nurse-assessed 'mild' in both groups) | 2 studies · 160 participants | Very low |
Infiltration injection local anaesthetic vs No treatment or placebo Intraoperative or postoperative bleeding · Children and young people aged 17 years or younger having dental treatment (including extractions) under general… Intraoperative local anaesthesia for reduction of postoperative pain following general anaesthesia for… (2014) · Cochrane | Because of substantial clinical and methodological heterogeneity in the studies, we were unable to determine an estimate of effect | 2 studies · 174 participants | Very low |
Powered toothbrush, unknown/other action vs Manual toothbrush Gingivitis score (1 to 3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Short term (1 to 3 months) Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane | Unknown/other action vs manual, gingivitis at 1 to 3 months: 3 trials; totals not selected (data presented in forest plots but not pooled). | 3 studies | Ungraded |
Powered toothbrush, rotation oscillation action vs Manual toothbrush Gingivitis score (1 to 3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Short term (1 to 3 months) Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane | SMD -0.49 [-0.73, -0.26] | 21 studies · 1479 participants | Ungraded |
Powered toothbrush, counter oscillation action vs Manual toothbrush Gingivitis score (>3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Long term (>3 months) Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane | SMD -0.19 [-0.66, 0.29] | 2 studies · 69 participants | Ungraded |
Powered toothbrush, rotation oscillation action vs Manual toothbrush Gingivitis score (>3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Long term (>3 months) Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane | SMD -0.35 [-0.50, -0.20] | 8 studies · 684 participants | Ungraded |
Powered toothbrush, circular action vs Manual toothbrush Gingivitis score (1 to 3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Short term (1 to 3 months) Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane | SMD -0.18 [-0.53, 0.17] | 2 studies · 128 participants | Ungraded |
Powered toothbrush (any mode of action) vs Manual toothbrush Gingivitis score (>3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Long term (>3 months) Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane | SMD -0.21 [-0.31, -0.12] | 16 studies · 1645 participants | Moderate |
Powered toothbrush, side-to-side action vs Manual toothbrush Gingivitis score (1 to 3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Short term (1 to 3 months) Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane | SMD -0.32 [-0.81, 0.17] | 9 studies · 795 participants | Ungraded |
Powered toothbrush, ultrasonic action vs Manual toothbrush Gingivitis score (>3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Long term (>3 months) Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane | Ultrasonic vs manual, gingivitis at >3 months: one trial (Terezhalmy 1995a); no statistically significant difference; totals not selected (no pooled estimate presented in this version). | 1 study · 46 participants | Ungraded |
Pre-radiotherapy extraction of diseased molar teeth vs Conservative treatment (restoration of the teeth and leaving them in place during radiotherapy, with oral health education and disease prevention: oral hygiene, fluoride, diet advice) Development of post-radiotherapy dental complications (caries, fractured teeth, periapical infection, periodontal disease, osteoradionecrosis) · Patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer planned to undergo any type of radiotherapy (external beam, intensity… Dental extractions prior to radiotherapy to the jaws for reducing post‐radiotherapy dental complications (2013) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Pre-radiotherapy extraction of healthy molar teeth vs Conservative treatment (leaving the teeth in place during radiotherapy, with oral health education and disease prevention: oral hygiene, fluoride, diet advice) Development of post-radiotherapy dental complications (caries, fractured teeth, periapical infection, periodontal disease, osteoradionecrosis) · Patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer planned to undergo any type of radiotherapy (external beam, intensity… Dental extractions prior to radiotherapy to the jaws for reducing post‐radiotherapy dental complications (2013) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) spray vs Salinum linseed oil spray Oral health (plaque and gingival indices) · Adults seeking treatment for the symptom of dry mouth (xerostomia) due to any cause (e.g. medication, Sjogren's… Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies (2011) · Cochrane | Mean plaque and gingival indices were reduced during the Salinum (linseed) period; incomplete comparative data. | 1 study · 20 participants | Ungraded |
Counter oscillation powered toothbrush vs Rotation oscillation powered toothbrush Gingivitis (level reduction) · People of any age with no reported disability affecting their ability to practise normal self-toothbrushing;… · Short term (1-3 months), Adolescents Different powered toothbrushes for plaque control and gingival health (2010) · Cochrane | Trimpeneers 1997 (36 adolescents); no significant differences between counter oscillation and rotation oscillation for gingival index / bleeding index at 1 and 2 months (P values 0.06 to 0.75); data unsuitable for… | 1 study · 36 participants | Ungraded |
Multidimensional powered toothbrush vs Side to side action powered toothbrush Gingivitis (level reduction) · People of any age with no reported disability affecting their ability to practise normal self-toothbrushing;… · Short term (1-3 months) Different powered toothbrushes for plaque control and gingival health (2010) · Cochrane | Analysis 5.2 Gingivitis < 3 months: 2 trials (Patters 2005; Zimmer 2005); considerable heterogeneity, so no statistical pooling was undertaken. | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Side to side action powered toothbrush vs Rotation oscillation powered toothbrush Gingivitis (level reduction) · People of any age with no reported disability affecting their ability to practise normal self-toothbrushing;… · Long term (>3 months) Different powered toothbrushes for plaque control and gingival health (2010) · Cochrane | SMD -0.44 [-0.98, 0.11] | 1 study · 54 participants | Ungraded |
Multidimensional powered toothbrush vs Rotation oscillation powered toothbrush Gingivitis (level reduction) · People of any age with no reported disability affecting their ability to practise normal self-toothbrushing;… · Short term (1-3 months) Different powered toothbrushes for plaque control and gingival health (2010) · Cochrane | SMD 0.24 [-0.10, 0.58] | 2 studies · 137 participants | Ungraded |
Ultrasonic powered toothbrush vs Multidimensional powered toothbrush Gingivitis (level reduction) · People of any age with no reported disability affecting their ability to practise normal self-toothbrushing;… · Short term (1-3 months) Different powered toothbrushes for plaque control and gingival health (2010) · Cochrane | One cross-over trial (Costa 2007) made this comparison; data were not available in a useable form. | 1 study | Ungraded |
Counter oscillation powered toothbrush vs Circular powered toothbrush Gingivitis (level reduction) · People of any age with no reported disability affecting their ability to practise normal self-toothbrushing;… · Short term (1-3 months), Adolescents Different powered toothbrushes for plaque control and gingival health (2010) · Cochrane | Trimpeneers 1997 reported a significant difference in favour of the counter oscillation brush for gingival index at 2 months over a circular mode of action brush; data were unsuitable for meta-analysis. | 1 study · 36 participants | Ungraded |
Side to side action powered toothbrush vs Counter oscillation powered toothbrush Gingivitis (level reduction) · People of any age with no reported disability affecting their ability to practise normal self-toothbrushing;… · Short term (1-3 months) Different powered toothbrushes for plaque control and gingival health (2010) · Cochrane | SMD -0.02 [-0.37, 0.32] | 2 studies · 130 participants | Ungraded |
Side to side action powered toothbrush vs Rotation oscillation powered toothbrush Gingivitis (level reduction) · People of any age with no reported disability affecting their ability to practise normal self-toothbrushing;… · Short term (1-3 months) Different powered toothbrushes for plaque control and gingival health (2010) · Cochrane | SMD 0.35 [-0.04, 0.74] | 6 studies | Ungraded |
Side to side action powered toothbrush vs Circular powered toothbrush Gingivitis (level reduction) · People of any age with no reported disability affecting their ability to practise normal self-toothbrushing;… · Short term (1-3 months) Different powered toothbrushes for plaque control and gingival health (2010) · Cochrane | SMD 0.89 [0.38, 1.41] | 1 study · 64 participants | Ungraded |
Rotation oscillation powered toothbrush vs Circular powered toothbrush Gingivitis (level reduction) · People of any age with no reported disability affecting their ability to practise normal self-toothbrushing;… · Short term (1-3 months) Different powered toothbrushes for plaque control and gingival health (2010) · Cochrane | SMD 0.87 [0.36, 1.39] | 1 study · 64 participants | Ungraded |
Enamel matrix derivative (EMD; Emdogain) vs Placebo or control (same surgical or non-surgical intervention without EMD) Change in gingival recession (REC) · Patients affected by chronic, aggressive, or early onset periodontitis, with intrabony defects having an intrabony… · 1 year (time-points 1, 5 and 10 years planned) Enamel matrix derivative (Emdogain®) for periodontal tissue regeneration in intrabony defects (2009) · Cochrane | MD 0.02 [-0.3, 0.3] | 6 studies · 302 participants | Low |
Enamel matrix derivative (EMD; Emdogain) vs Guided tissue regeneration (GTR) with barriers Change in gingival recession (REC) · Patients affected by chronic, aggressive, or early onset periodontitis, with intrabony defects having an intrabony… · 1 year (time-points 1, 5 and 10 years planned) Enamel matrix derivative (Emdogain®) for periodontal tissue regeneration in intrabony defects (2009) · Cochrane | MD 0.41 [0.15, 0.66] | 5 studies · 206 participants | Low |
Enamel matrix derivative (EMD; Emdogain) vs Various bone grafting (BG) procedures (animal-derived or synthetic bone / bioactive ceramic filler) Change in gingival recession (REC) · Patients affected by chronic, aggressive, or early onset periodontitis, with intrabony defects having an intrabony… · 1 year (time-points 1, 5 and 10 years planned) Enamel matrix derivative (Emdogain®) for periodontal tissue regeneration in intrabony defects (2009) · Cochrane | MD -1.60 [-2.74, -0.46] | 1 study | Ungraded |
Guided tissue regeneration (GTR) with barrier membrane (resorbable or non-resorbable) vs Open flap debridement (access flap surgery) Change in gingival recession · Patients with chronic periodontitis (aged 21 years or older) with periodontal infra-bony defects; furcation-involved… · >=12 months Guided tissue regeneration for periodontal infra-bony defects (2006) · Cochrane | MD 0.26 [0.08, 0.43] | 9 studies | Ungraded |
Guided tissue regeneration (GTR) combined with bone substitutes/graft vs Open flap debridement (access flap surgery) Change in gingival recession · Patients with chronic periodontitis (aged 21 years or older) with periodontal infra-bony defects; furcation-involved… · >=12 months Guided tissue regeneration for periodontal infra-bony defects (2006) · Cochrane | MD -0.33 [-0.43, -0.23] | 1 study | Ungraded |