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Search review questions

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.

Limit to evidence status or GRADE (optional)

5,762 questions in 263 reviews · Dental caries

current versions
No studies 321 · 5.6%Ungraded 4,450 · 77.2%Very low 455 · 7.9%Low 297 · 5.2%Moderate 200 · 3.5%High 39 · 0.7%

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
Ceramic inlays (all types) vs Gold inlay
Failure rate (longevity) at 5 years · Adults who require restorative treatment in posterior teeth · 5 years
Ceramic inlays for restoring posterior teeth (2003) · Cochrane
OR 1.12 [0.08, 15.0]1 study · 20 participantsUngraded
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
Topical fluoride therapy (toothpaste, mouthrinse, gel or varnish; any fluoride agent/concentration; frequency at least once a year) vs Placebo or no treatment
Caries increment on permanent whole teeth (D(M)FT), prevented fraction · Children and adolescents aged 16 years or younger (permanent dentition) · Nearest to 3 years, Placebo-controlled trials
Topical fluoride (toothpastes, mouthrinses, gels or varnishes) for preventing dental caries in children and… (2003) · Cochrane
PF 0.24 [0.20, 0.28]72 studiesUngraded
Topical fluoride therapy (toothpaste, mouthrinse, gel or varnish; any fluoride agent/concentration; frequency at least once a year) vs Placebo or no treatment
Caries increment on primary (deciduous) tooth surfaces (d(e/m)fs), prevented fraction · Children with primary (deciduous) teeth (younger children) · Nearest to 3 years, Placebo-controlled trials
Topical fluoride (toothpastes, mouthrinses, gels or varnishes) for preventing dental caries in children and… (2003) · Cochrane
PF 0.27 [0.08, 0.48]3 studiesUngraded
Topical fluoride therapy (toothpaste, mouthrinse, gel or varnish; any fluoride agent/concentration; frequency at least once a year) vs Placebo or no treatment
Caries increment on permanent whole teeth (D(M)FT), prevented fraction · Children and adolescents aged 16 years or younger (permanent dentition) · Nearest to 3 years, Fluoride toothpaste trials
Topical fluoride (toothpastes, mouthrinses, gels or varnishes) for preventing dental caries in children and… (2003) · Cochrane
PF 0.23 [0.19, 0.28]53 studiesUngraded
Topical fluoride therapy (toothpaste, mouthrinse, gel or varnish; any fluoride agent/concentration; frequency at least once a year) vs Placebo or no treatment
Caries increment on primary (deciduous) tooth surfaces (d(e/m)fs), prevented fraction · Children with primary (deciduous) teeth (younger children) · Nearest to 3 years
Topical fluoride (toothpastes, mouthrinses, gels or varnishes) for preventing dental caries in children and… (2003) · Cochrane
PF 0.33 [0.22, 0.44]5 studiesUngraded
Topical fluoride therapy (toothpaste, mouthrinse, gel or varnish; any fluoride agent/concentration; frequency at least once a year) vs Placebo or no treatment
Unacceptability of treatment (dropouts/exclusions during the trial) · Children and adolescents aged 16 years or younger · During trial, No-treatment-controlled trials
Topical fluoride (toothpastes, mouthrinses, gels or varnishes) for preventing dental caries in children and… (2003) · Cochrane
RR 1.20 [0.85, 1.70]10 studiesUngraded
Fluoride toothpaste vs Placebo (non-fluoride) toothpaste
Oral soft tissue lesions (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
Oral soft tissue lesions reported in 3 trials, none of which with complete or useable data; all three stated "no lesions attributable to product use were noted".3 studiesUngraded
Fluoride toothpaste vs Placebo (non-fluoride) toothpaste
Caries increment in permanent teeth: decayed, (missing) and filled teeth D(M)FT (prevented fraction) · Children and adolescents aged 16 years or less · At least 1 year
Fluoride toothpastes for preventing dental caries in children and adolescents (2003) · Cochrane
PF 0.23 [0.18, 0.28]53 studies · 32371 participantsUngraded
Topical fluoride therapy (toothpaste, mouthrinse, gel or varnish; any fluoride agent/concentration; frequency at least once a year) vs Placebo or no treatment
Proportion of children developing one or more new caries · Children and adolescents aged 16 years or younger (permanent dentition)
Topical fluoride (toothpastes, mouthrinses, gels or varnishes) for preventing dental caries in children and… (2003) · Cochrane
RR 0.88 [0.82, 0.95]13 studiesUngraded
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
Topical fluoride therapy (toothpaste, mouthrinse, gel or varnish; any fluoride agent/concentration; frequency at least once a year) vs Placebo or no treatment
Caries increment on primary (deciduous) tooth surfaces (d(e/m)fs), prevented fraction · Children with primary (deciduous) teeth (younger children) · Nearest to 3 years, Fluoride varnish trials
Topical fluoride (toothpastes, mouthrinses, gels or varnishes) for preventing dental caries in children and… (2003) · Cochrane
PF 0.33 [0.19, 0.48]3 studiesUngraded