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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.

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321 questions in 77 reviews · Dental caries

current versions
No studies 321 · 100%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 0 · 0%Low 0 · 0%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.

QuestionEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Dental fillings (restorations) vs Dental extractions
Outcome NR · Children aged 12 years or younger with tooth decay involving at least one tooth in the primary dentition, symptomatic… · Minimum 6 months follow-up
Dental fillings for the treatment of caries in the primary dentition (2009) · Cochrane
"No studies were found that compared restorations versus extractions or no treatment as an intervention in children with caries in the primary dentition."NRNo studies
Dental fillings (restorations) vs No treatment
Outcome NR · Children aged 12 years or younger with tooth decay involving at least one tooth in the primary dentition, symptomatic… · Minimum 6 months follow-up
Dental fillings for the treatment of caries in the primary dentition (2009) · Cochrane
"No studies were found that compared restorations versus extractions or no treatment as an intervention in children with caries in the primary dentition."NRNo studies
Prefabricated metal post and core (Category II) vs Metal custom-cast post and core (Category I)
Outcome NR · Participants with permanent endodontically-treated (root-filled) teeth for which a post is indicated to retain the… · Minimum 6 months (planned)
Root canal posts for the restoration of root filled teeth (2007) · Cochrane
No included trial compared metal-cast posts with prefabricated metal posts (a planned primary comparison); no eligible study identified.0 studiesNo studies
Metal post of one alloy type vs Metal post of a different alloy type
Outcome NR · Participants with permanent endodontically-treated (root-filled) teeth for which a post is indicated to retain the… · Minimum 6 months (planned)
Root canal posts for the restoration of root filled teeth (2007) · Cochrane
No included trial evaluated alloy type in metal posts (a planned secondary comparison); no eligible study identified.0 studiesNo studies
Cast post and core with a diaphragm vs Cast post and core without a diaphragm
Outcome NR · Participants with permanent endodontically-treated (root-filled) teeth for which a post is indicated to retain the… · Minimum 6 months (planned)
Root canal posts for the restoration of root filled teeth (2007) · Cochrane
No included trial evaluated the presence of a diaphragm in cast posts (a planned secondary comparison); no eligible study identified.0 studiesNo studies
Post and core restoration with a ferrule vs Post and core restoration without a ferrule
Outcome NR · Participants with permanent endodontically-treated (root-filled) teeth for which a post is indicated to retain the… · Minimum 6 months (planned)
Root canal posts for the restoration of root filled teeth (2007) · Cochrane
No included trial evaluated the presence of a ferrule (a planned secondary comparison); no eligible study identified.0 studiesNo studies
Direct resin composite veneer vs Indirect resin composite veneer
Adverse reactions · Patients with permanent anterior teeth with intrinsic staining suitable for laminate veneer restorations
Direct versus indirect veneer restorations for intrinsic dental stains (2004) · Cochrane
Planned outcome; no adverse-reaction data were reported by the included trial.0 studiesNo studies
Fluoride mouthrinse, gel or varnish combined with fluoride toothpaste (any combined regimen) vs Fluoride toothpaste alone
Enamel fluorosis (adverse effect) · Children or adolescents aged 16 years or less
Combinations of topical fluoride (toothpastes, mouthrinses, gels, varnishes) versus single topical fluoride… (2004) · Cochrane
Fluorosis data have not been reported in any of the trials.0 studiesNo studies
Direct resin composite veneer vs Indirect resin composite veneer
Pain following treatment · Patients with permanent anterior teeth with intrinsic staining suitable for laminate veneer restorations
Direct versus indirect veneer restorations for intrinsic dental stains (2004) · Cochrane
Planned outcome; pain following treatment was not reported by the included trial (earlier trial publications reported treatment times, not pain).0 studiesNo studies
Direct resin composite veneer vs Indirect resin composite veneer
Cost of treatment · Patients with permanent anterior teeth with intrinsic staining suitable for laminate veneer restorations
Direct versus indirect veneer restorations for intrinsic dental stains (2004) · Cochrane
Planned outcome; cost of treatment was not reported by the included trial.0 studiesNo studies
Ozone applied to the carious lesion (10 or 40 seconds), with a fluoride reductant and oral hygiene/preventive advice vs No ozone, with a fluoride reductant and oral hygiene/preventive advice (as in the intervention group)
Further conventional dental treatment (filling and drilling) (binary yes/no) · People of any age with caries (including demineralisation in non-cavitated carious lesions); the caries may affect any…
Ozone therapy for the treatment of dental caries (2004) · Cochrane
Data were not provided by any study on the number of lesions requiring restorations to 6 months or later; no data on any further conventional treatment or other dental interventions.NRNo studies
Ozone applied to the carious lesion (10 or 40 seconds), with a fluoride reductant and oral hygiene/preventive advice vs No ozone, with a fluoride reductant and oral hygiene/preventive advice (as in the intervention group)
Cost · People of any age with caries (including demineralisation in non-cavitated carious lesions); the caries may affect any…
Ozone therapy for the treatment of dental caries (2004) · Cochrane
No data were provided in any of the included trials on costs.NRNo studies
Ozone applied to the carious lesion (10 or 40 seconds), with a fluoride reductant and oral hygiene/preventive advice vs No ozone, with a fluoride reductant and oral hygiene/preventive advice (as in the intervention group)
Pain (assessed by the patient) · People of any age with caries (including demineralisation in non-cavitated carious lesions); the caries may affect any…
Ozone therapy for the treatment of dental caries (2004) · Cochrane
No data were provided in any of the included trials on pain.NRNo studies
Ozone applied to the carious lesion (10 or 40 seconds), with a fluoride reductant and oral hygiene/preventive advice vs No ozone, with a fluoride reductant and oral hygiene/preventive advice (as in the intervention group)
Time to intervention · People of any age with caries (including demineralisation in non-cavitated carious lesions); the caries may affect any…
Ozone therapy for the treatment of dental caries (2004) · Cochrane
No data were provided in any of the included trials on time to intervention.NRNo studies
Direct resin composite veneer vs Indirect resin composite veneer
Colour match (aesthetic achievement) · Patients with permanent anterior teeth with intrinsic staining suitable for laminate veneer restorations
Direct versus indirect veneer restorations for intrinsic dental stains (2004) · Cochrane
Planned outcome; colour match was not reported by the single included trial (Meijering 1998).0 studiesNo studies
Ceramic inlays (all types) vs Composite resin inlay
Outcome NR · Adults who require restorative treatment in posterior teeth
Ceramic inlays for restoring posterior teeth (2003) · Cochrane
One randomised controlled trial (Gladys 1995) compared ceramic and resin composite inlays over 3 years, but it was excluded because the study design (parallel-group or split-mouth) was not clearly described; no…0 studiesNo studies
Ceramic inlays (all types) vs Amalgam
Outcome NR · Adults who require restorative treatment in posterior teeth
Ceramic inlays for restoring posterior teeth (2003) · Cochrane
No eligible randomised controlled trial comparing ceramic inlays with amalgam restorations was identified; this planned comparison could not be evaluated.0 studiesNo studies
Fluoride toothpaste vs Placebo (non-fluoride) toothpaste
Enamel fluorosis (adverse effect) · Children and adolescents aged 16 years or less · At least 1 year
Fluoride toothpastes for preventing dental caries in children and adolescents (2003) · Cochrane
Fluorosis data have not been reported in any of the trials.0 studiesNo studies
Ceramic inlays (all types) vs Gold inlay
Aesthetic satisfaction (colour match) · Adults who require restorative treatment in posterior teeth
Ceramic inlays for restoring posterior teeth (2003) · Cochrane
Information on aesthetic satisfaction could not be obtained from this study as it did not use the tooth-coloured restorations as the control group.0 studiesNo studies
Topical fluoride therapy (toothpaste, mouthrinse, gel or varnish; any fluoride agent/concentration; frequency at least once a year) vs Placebo or no treatment
Dental fluorosis · Children and adolescents aged 16 years or younger
Topical fluoride (toothpastes, mouthrinses, gels or varnishes) for preventing dental caries in children and… (2003) · Cochrane
Fluorosis data have not been reported in any of the trials.0 studiesNo studies
Ceramic inlays (all types) vs Composite resin (direct restoration)
Outcome NR · Adults who require restorative treatment in posterior teeth
Ceramic inlays for restoring posterior teeth (2003) · Cochrane
No eligible randomised controlled trial comparing ceramic inlays with composite resin (direct) restorations was identified; this planned comparison could not be evaluated.0 studiesNo studies