Visual inspection scores · Patients with early caries lesions in permanent teeth (non-fluoridated water area)
Two trials reported visual inspection scores but could not be pooled (different criteria, missing standard deviations) and gave inconsistent findings, so no quantitative conclusion could be drawn.
1 finding from 1 review
Laser fluorescence (LF) change · Patients with early caries lesions in permanent teeth (non-fluoridated water area)
For occlusal early caries lesions, adding CPP-ACP to fluorides produced significantly greater laser-fluorescence improvement than fluorides alone (favors the combination); not GRADE-rated.
2 findings from 1 review
Total lesion area divided by total surface area (visual) · Patients with early caries lesions in permanent teeth (non-fluoridated water area)
Adding CPP-ACP to fluorides did not significantly change the lesion-area outcome for smooth-surface early caries lesions versus fluorides alone; not GRADE-rated.
1 finding from 1 review
Relative abundance of S. mutans in saliva · Individuals assessed for dental caries, predominantly children with early childhood caries (ECC) or severe ECC (age about 1 to 4 years)
A few small studies report Streptococcus mutans relative abundance in caries versus caries-free children without pooling; the evidence is ungraded and not meta-analyzed.
1 finding from 1 review
Relative abundance of Veillonella spp. · Individuals assessed for dental caries, predominantly children with early childhood caries (ECC) or severe ECC (age about 1 to 4 years)
Evidence on whether Veillonella spp. relative abundance is higher or lower in children with dental caries than caries-free controls is inconsistent across 7 small observational studies; no pooled estimate was produced and the evidence is ungraded.
1 finding from 1 review
Enamel remineralization / anti-demineralization extent · Human teeth with early enamel lesions surrounding orthodontic brackets
No meta-analysis was conducted; most included in vitro studies reported significant remineralization with remineralizing orthodontic adhesives versus controls.
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
24 studies
GRADE not reported
Ion release · Human teeth with early enamel lesions surrounding orthodontic brackets
No meta-analysis was conducted; most studies reported increased ion release over time, but few reported peak values.
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
8 studies
GRADE not reported
Enamel surface microhardness · Demineralised / white-spot-lesion enamel (in vitro specimens)
In demineralised enamel, Er:YAG laser irradiation did not significantly change surface microhardness versus untreated control (SMD 0.66, 95% CI -1.12 to 2.44; 2 in vitro studies; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Remineralization / reduction in lesion severity (change in QLF, laser fluorescence, or lesion area) · Patients with white spot lesions / early caries lesions (WSLs/ECLs), including orthodontic and non-orthodontic lesions, active caries…
Resin infiltration did not differ significantly from CPP-ACFP (SMD -0.52, 95% CI -1.16 to 0.12; indirect evidence only); certainty of evidence not assessed (no GRADE).
1 finding from 1 review
Remineralization / reduction in lesion severity (change in QLF, laser fluorescence, or lesion area) · Patients with white spot lesions / early caries lesions (WSLs/ECLs), including orthodontic and non-orthodontic lesions, active caries…
P11-4 plus fluoride varnish was significantly better than CPP-ACP (SMD -0.78, 95% CI -1.33 to -0.24; indirect evidence only); certainty of evidence not assessed (no GRADE).
1 finding from 1 review
Remineralization / reduction in lesion severity (change in QLF, laser fluorescence, or lesion area) · Patients with white spot lesions / early caries lesions (WSLs/ECLs), including orthodontic and non-orthodontic lesions, active caries…
Resin infiltration was significantly better than fluoride varnish (SMD -0.70, 95% CI -1.18 to -0.21); certainty of evidence not assessed (no GRADE).
1 finding from 1 review
Remineralization / reduction in lesion severity (change in QLF, laser fluorescence, or lesion area) · Patients with white spot lesions / early caries lesions (WSLs/ECLs), including orthodontic and non-orthodontic lesions, active caries…
Resin infiltration and P11-4 plus fluoride varnish did not differ significantly (SMD 0.01, 95% CI -0.62 to 0.65; indirect evidence only); certainty of evidence not assessed (no GRADE).
1 finding from 1 review
Remineralization / reduction in lesion severity (change in QLF, laser fluorescence, or lesion area) · Patients with white spot lesions / early caries lesions (WSLs/ECLs), including orthodontic and non-orthodontic lesions, active caries…
Resin infiltration did not differ significantly from P11-4 alone (SMD -0.39, 95% CI -0.97 to 0.20); certainty of evidence not assessed (no GRADE).
1 finding from 1 review
Caries arrest · Patients with early enamel carious lesions on permanent molars
SDF plus potassium iodide arrested 54.8% of early enamel lesions at 24 months; no pooled estimate or GRADE rating was reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Remineralization / reduction in lesion severity (change in QLF, laser fluorescence, or lesion area) · People or specimens with white spot lesions or early caries lesions
The NMA estimated an SMD of -0.78 for P11-4 + fluoride varnish versus CPP-ACP (95% CI -1.33 to -0.28).
1 finding from 1 review
SMD -0.78 [-1.33, -0.24]
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Remineralization / reduction in lesion severity (change in QLF, laser fluorescence, or lesion area) · Patients with white spot lesions / early caries lesions (WSLs/ECLs), including orthodontic and non-orthodontic lesions, active caries…
Self-assembling peptide P11-4 significantly improved remineralization versus control (SMD -0.56, 95% CI -0.96 to -0.15); certainty of evidence not assessed (no GRADE).
1 finding from 1 review
Remineralization / reduction in lesion severity (change in QLF, laser fluorescence, or lesion area) · Patients with white spot lesions / early caries lesions (WSLs/ECLs), including orthodontic and non-orthodontic lesions, active caries…
P11-4 plus fluoride varnish was significantly better than fluoride varnish alone (SMD -0.71, 95% CI -1.13 to -0.29); certainty of evidence not assessed (no GRADE).
1 finding from 1 review
Remineralization / reduction in lesion severity (change in QLF, laser fluorescence, or lesion area) · Patients with white spot lesions / early caries lesions (WSLs/ECLs), including orthodontic and non-orthodontic lesions, active caries…
Resin infiltration was significantly better than CPP-ACP (SMD -0.77, 95% CI -1.31 to -0.23); certainty of evidence not assessed (no GRADE).
1 finding from 1 review
Remineralization / reduction in lesion severity (change in QLF, laser fluorescence, or lesion area) · Patients with white spot lesions / early caries lesions (WSLs/ECLs), including orthodontic and non-orthodontic lesions, active caries…
Resin infiltration significantly improved remineralization versus control (SMD -0.94, 95% CI -1.46 to -0.43), ranking second of seven therapies by SUCRA (88.7%); certainty of evidence not assessed (no GRADE).
1 finding from 1 review
Remineralization / reduction in lesion severity (change in QLF, laser fluorescence, or lesion area) · Patients with white spot lesions / early caries lesions (WSLs/ECLs), including orthodontic and non-orthodontic lesions, active caries…
Fluoride varnish did not differ significantly from CPP-ACP (SMD -0.07, 95% CI -0.44 to 0.29); certainty of evidence not assessed (no GRADE).
1 finding from 1 review