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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. Every word you type has to appear somewhere in the question, and the closest matches are ranked first. Each row links to its question's own page, which gathers every review that asked it, however worded; see the questions asked by more than one review.
10,375 questions in 429 reviews · Oral Health
current versionsNo studies 1,344 · 13%Ungraded 6,832 · 65.9%Very low 1,228 · 11.8%Low 613 · 5.9%Moderate 290 · 2.8%High 68 · 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.
| Question | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Positive LR for detecting all (initial and advanced) proximal caries · Proximal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly… · Private practice, rural northern Germany, Tailored to Germany Visual and radiographic caries detection: a tailored meta-analysis for two different settings, Egypt and… (2018) | Positive LR 4.89 [3.9, 6.2] | 34 studies | Ungraded |
Speed of onset of anaesthesia · Participants of any age and gender undergoing dental procedures, and volunteers who took part in simulated scenario… Injectable local anaesthetic agents for dental anaesthesia (2018) · Cochrane | SoF: See comment, not estimable (orphan study; duration of follow-up not reported); 100 participants, 100 interventions (1 study). Not pooled/graded. | 1 study · 100 participants | Ungraded |
Negative LR for detecting advanced proximal caries · Proximal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly… · Public health clinic, Giza (Cairo), Egypt, Tailored to Egypt Visual and radiographic caries detection: a tailored meta-analysis for two different settings, Egypt and… (2018) | Negative LR 0.58 [0.52, 0.65] | 22 studies | Ungraded |
Success of local anaesthesia, absence of pain (clinical testing of healthy pulps, hard and soft tissues) · Participants of any age and gender undergoing dental procedures, and volunteers who took part in simulated scenario… · 10-20 minutes Injectable local anaesthetic agents for dental anaesthesia (2018) · Cochrane | OR 3.82 [0.61, 23.82] | 2 studies · 110 participants | Low |
Sensitivity for detecting advanced occlusal caries · Occlusal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly… · Conventional meta-analysis (all studies) Visual and radiographic caries detection: a tailored meta-analysis for two different settings, Egypt and… (2018) | Sensitivity 52.3 [44, 60] | 44 studies | Ungraded |
Speed of onset of anaesthesia (pulpal, electric pulp tester; healthy pulps) · Participants of any age and gender undergoing dental procedures, and volunteers who took part in simulated scenario… Injectable local anaesthetic agents for dental anaesthesia (2018) · Cochrane | MD -0.96 [-2.87, 0.95] | 2 studies · 52 participants | Low |
Participant-reported oral health-related quality of life (OHIP-EDENT) · Completely edentulous people · 6 months Final‐impression techniques and materials for making complete and removable partial dentures (2018) · Cochrane | MD 0.5 [-2.67, 3.67] | 1 study · 39 participants | Very low |
Participant discomfort · Children (80% aged <= 16 years) with a Class II division 2 malocclusion (deep bite and retroclined upper front teeth) Orthodontic treatment for deep bite and retroclined upper front teeth in children (2018) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Adverse effects: pain on injection (solution deposition) · Participants of any age and gender undergoing dental procedures, and volunteers who took part in simulated scenario… Injectable local anaesthetic agents for dental anaesthesia (2018) · Cochrane | SoF: See comment (orphan study; unclear whether data relate to just solution deposition; SDs not reported); 18 participants, 36 interventions (1 study). Not pooled/graded. | 1 study · 18 participants | Ungraded |
Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 1.00 [0.07, 15.12] | 1 study · 50 participants | Ungraded |
Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 0.33 [0.01, 7.58] | 2 studies · 92 participants | Ungraded |
Abutment mobility · Partially edentulous people requiring a tooth- and tissue-supported (distal-extension) removable partial denture · 1 year, left abutment Final‐impression techniques and materials for making complete and removable partial dentures (2018) · Cochrane | RR 1.16 [0.40, 3.37] | 1 study | Very low |
Prosthodontic maintenance: matrix activated (short term) · Edentulous adults receiving mandibular implant overdentures (opposing conventional complete maxillary dentures) · Short term (1 to 3 years) Interventions for replacing missing teeth: attachment systems for implant overdentures in edentulous jaws (2018) · Cochrane | RR 11.00 [0.68, 177.72] | 1 study · 22 participants | Very low |
Advanced proximal carious lesions · Permanent molar surfaces in diagnostic accuracy studies (mostly in vitro; clinical) · Egypt public health clinic, Tailored meta-analysis (Egypt) Visual and radiographic caries detection: a tailored meta-analysis for two different settings, Egypt and… (2018) | Negative LR 0.58 [0.52, 0.65] | 22 studies | Ungraded |
Patients' preference for a specific procedure · Adult patients with single (localised) recession-type defects (Miller Class I/II, at least 3 mm) · Short term (6 to 12 months) Root coverage procedures for treating localised and multiple recession‐type defects (2018) · Cochrane | Roccuzzo 1996: all patients preferred the GTR treatment because it was a single-step procedure | 1 study | Ungraded |
Mean number of decayed teeth (mean DT) · Adults aged 25 years and older in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States · 2003-2004, United States, United States Socioeconomic status, oral health and dental disease in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. (2018) | AD 0.2 [0.1, 0.2] | 1 study · 4568 participants | Ungraded |
Mean number of decayed teeth (mean DT) · Adults aged 25 years and older in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States · 2004-2006, Australia, Australia Socioeconomic status, oral health and dental disease in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. (2018) | AD 0.61 [0.44, 0.78] | 1 study · 5073 participants | Ungraded |
Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 24 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 0.33 [0.04, 2.99] | 1 study · 50 participants | Ungraded |
Antifibrinolytic agents (tranexamic acid (TXA) or epsilon aminocaproic acid (EACA)) vs Placebo, no intervention, or usual care Outcome NR · People on continuous direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) treatment undergoing oral or dental procedures Antifibrinolytic therapy for preventing oral bleeding in people on anticoagulants undergoing minor oral… (2018) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
PPV for detecting advanced occlusal caries · Occlusal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly… · Public health clinic, Giza (Cairo), Egypt, Tailored to Egypt Visual and radiographic caries detection: a tailored meta-analysis for two different settings, Egypt and… (2018) | PPV 58.3 | 38 studies | Ungraded |
Dental caries · Children or adults (fit and healthy, or with a well-defined medical condition) · 2 months One‐to‐one oral hygiene advice provided in a dental setting for oral health (2018) · Cochrane | SoF: 1 study in children between the ages of 1 year and 6 years old reported 'statistically significant (P < 0.05) improvement' for personalised OHA but did not report usable data. Results: Lepore 2011 not estimable… | 1 study · 69 participants | Very low |
Success of local anaesthesia (soft tissue, self-reported; 100% success in all studies) · Participants of any age and gender undergoing dental procedures, and volunteers who took part in simulated scenario… Injectable local anaesthetic agents for dental anaesthesia (2018) · Cochrane | '100% success': mandibular BI - Dagher 1997 30/30 vs 30/30; IANB - Yared 1997 30/30 vs 30/30. Both 100% successful; no meta-analysis. | 2 studies · 60 participants | Ungraded |
Development and eruption of the second permanent molar · Children aged 5 to 15 years with a compromised first permanent molar · Orthodontic clinic (Turkey) Consequences of early extraction of compromised first permanent molar: a systematic review. (2018) | Root closure and eruption of the second permanent molar were accelerated on the extraction side versus the non-extraction side (Telli and Aytan; not statistically tested). Table 3: Category III, Class C. | 1 study | Ungraded |
Incidence of incisal trauma · Adolescents (age 12 to 16 years) receiving orthodontic treatment to correct prominent upper front teeth (Class II… · End of orthodontic treatment Orthodontic treatment for prominent upper front teeth (Class II malocclusion) in children and adolescents (2018) · Cochrane | Incidence of incisal trauma: Not measured | NR | No studies |
Tooth whitening - assessed by the dentist · Adults (>=18 years) undergoing home-based bleaching (including tetracycline- and smoking-stained teeth, any baseline… · 2 weeks Home‐based chemically‐induced whitening (bleaching) of teeth in adults (2018) · Cochrane | MD 2.22 [1.29, 3.15] | 1 study · 25 participants | Very low |
Adverse effects · Adults (>=18 years) undergoing home-based bleaching (including tetracycline- and smoking-stained teeth, any baseline… Home‐based chemically‐induced whitening (bleaching) of teeth in adults (2018) · Cochrane | Not reported | NR | No studies |
Participant-reported oral health-related quality of life (OHIP-EDENT; lower score = better) · Completely edentulous people · 2 weeks Final‐impression techniques and materials for making complete and removable partial dentures (2018) · Cochrane | MD 7.20 [2.71, 11.69] | 1 study · 144 participants | Low |
Behaviour (Houpt/behavioural score) · Children and adolescents (0 to 16 years) needing dental treatment Sedation of children undergoing dental treatment (2018) · Cochrane | SMD 0.69 [0.13, 1.26] | 1 study · 52 participants | Very low |
Change in probing depth (PD) (mm) · Patients affected by infrabony defects requiring surgical treatment, regardless of their age or gender · All follow-ups Autologous platelet concentrates for treating periodontal infrabony defects (2018) · Cochrane | MD 0.92 [-0.02, 1.86] | 7 studies · 248 participants | Very low |
Change in probing depth (PD) (mm) · Patients affected by infrabony defects requiring surgical treatment, regardless of their age or gender · 3 to 6 months Autologous platelet concentrates for treating periodontal infrabony defects (2018) · Cochrane | MD 0.62 [0.30, 0.94] | 11 studies · 272 participants | Ungraded |
Association with dental caries experience (DMFT) by random-effects meta-regression · Adults aged 19-60 years · Population/community-based studies of adults aged 19-60 years across multiple countries (studies published 1975-2016), Unadjusted model Socioeconomic Factors and Caries in People between 19 and 60 Years of Age: An Update of a Systematic Review… (2018) | Meta-regression coefficient -2.301079 | NR | Ungraded |
PPV for detecting all (initial and advanced) occlusal caries · Occlusal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly… · Private practice, rural northern Germany, Tailored to Germany Visual and radiographic caries detection: a tailored meta-analysis for two different settings, Egypt and… (2018) | PPV 82.0 | 12 studies | Ungraded |
Adverse effects · Adults (>=18 years) undergoing home-based bleaching (including tetracycline- and smoking-stained teeth, any baseline… Home‐based chemically‐induced whitening (bleaching) of teeth in adults (2018) · Cochrane | Very mild tooth sensitivity in the 4x/day group; gingival and tooth sensitivity transient, none withdrew | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Association with dental caries experience (DMFT) by random-effects meta-regression · Adults aged 19-60 years · Population/community-based studies of adults aged 19-60 years across multiple countries (studies published 1975-2016), Adjusted (Model 1) Socioeconomic Factors and Caries in People between 19 and 60 Years of Age: An Update of a Systematic Review… (2018) | Meta-regression coefficient -4.132903 | NR | Ungraded |
Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 and 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 3.21 [0.14, 75.68] | 1 study · 56 participants | Ungraded |
Success of local anaesthesia (pulpal, electric pulp tester; healthy pulps) · Participants of any age and gender undergoing dental procedures, and volunteers who took part in simulated scenario… Injectable local anaesthetic agents for dental anaesthesia (2018) · Cochrane | OR 2.71 [1.74, 4.22] | 8 studies · 309 participants | Low |
Pocket depth (mm) · Adults treated for periodontitis and receiving supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) · 12 months Supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) for maintaining the dentition in adults treated for periodontitis (2018) · Cochrane | MD -0.10 [-0.59, 0.39] | 1 study · 51 participants | Low |
Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · up to 24 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | No clinical failure in any participant (Tuna 2008); not estimable (direct pulp capping) | 1 study · 50 participants | Ungraded |
Laterally positioned flap (LPF) vs Any other root coverage procedure Outcome NR · Adult patients with single (localised) recession-type defects (Miller Class I/II, at least 3 mm) Root coverage procedures for treating localised and multiple recession‐type defects (2018) · Cochrane | We did not find any RCTs evaluating laterally positioned flaps (LPF) | 0 studies | No studies |
Mean DMFT · Adult participants in 25 meta-regression studies · Country-level study populations, Model 1 adjusted Socioeconomic Factors and Caries in People between 19 and 60 Years of Age: An Update of a Systematic Review… (2018) | Meta-regression coefficient -4.132903 | 6 studies | Ungraded |
Prevalence of fair/poor self-rated oral health · Adults aged 25 years and older in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States · 2004-2006, Australia, Australia Socioeconomic status, oral health and dental disease in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. (2018) | AD 13.93 [11.06, 16.81] | 1 study · 5073 participants | Ungraded |
Duration of anaesthesia · Participants of any age and gender undergoing dental procedures, and volunteers who took part in simulated scenario… Injectable local anaesthetic agents for dental anaesthesia (2018) · Cochrane | SoF: Not measured. | 0 studies | No studies |
Tooth-supported removable partial denture: same impression material, different final-impression technique vs The same material with an alternative final-impression technique Outcome NR · Partially edentulous people requiring a removable partial denture Final‐impression techniques and materials for making complete and removable partial dentures (2018) · Cochrane | We did not find any trials for this comparison. | 0 studies | No studies |
Intervention NR Dental caries in primary dentition (presence) · Prenatal exposure; primary dentition; trim-and-fill adjusted (publication-bias sensitivity) Association between passive tobacco exposure and caries in children and adolescents. A systematic review and… (2018) | OR 1.46 [1.40, 1.52] | 4 studies | Ungraded |
Patient-reported outcomes related to pain or discomfort during the procedure · 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 |
Mean number of decayed teeth (mean DT) · Adults aged 25 years and older in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States · 2004-2006, Australia, Australia Socioeconomic status, oral health and dental disease in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. (2018) | AD 0.3 [0.2, 0.5] | 1 study · 5073 participants | Ungraded |
Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 9 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 3.00 [0.13, 71.22] | 1 study · 70 participants | Ungraded |
Behaviour · Children and adolescents (0 to 16 years) needing dental treatment Sedation of children undergoing dental treatment (2018) · Cochrane | Any behavioural score - Chloral hydrate/promethazine versus (other sedatives): 24 (1); VERY LOW | 1 study · 24 participants | Very low |
Tooth whitening - assessed by the dentist · Adults (>=18 years) undergoing home-based bleaching (including tetracycline- and smoking-stained teeth, any baseline… Home‐based chemically‐induced whitening (bleaching) of teeth in adults (2018) · Cochrane | MD -0.36 [-0.71, -0.01] | 1 study · 56 participants | Ungraded |
Gingival recession depth change · Adult patients with single (localised) recession-type defects (Miller Class I/II, at least 3 mm) · Short term (6 to 12 months) Root coverage procedures for treating localised and multiple recession‐type defects (2018) · Cochrane | MD -0.82 [-2.13, 0.49] | 2 studies | Ungraded |