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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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Sedation Outcome NR · Medically compromised children (ASA III+) or children with learning/behavioural difficulties needing dental treatment Sedation of children undergoing dental treatment (2018) · Cochrane | 'Some of the techniques described may be useful in the management of medically compromised patients, but at present there are no studies carried out in these groups.' (Discussion) Explicit evidence gap. | 0 studies | No studies |
Ball (stud) attachment system vs Telescopic attachment system Patient satisfaction / quality of life (validated measure) · Edentulous adults receiving mandibular implant overdentures (opposing conventional complete maxillary dentures) Interventions for replacing missing teeth: attachment systems for implant overdentures in edentulous jaws (2018) · Cochrane | Cepa 2017 assessed patient satisfaction but did not use validated measures and we could not use the data. Quality of life as assessed by a validated measure was not recorded. | 1 study | Ungraded |
Erbium:YAG laser vs Calcium hydroxide (CH) 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 0.31 [0.11, 0.90] | 1 study · 91 participants | Ungraded |
Calcium hydroxide + sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) vs Calcium hydroxide (CH) 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 0.33 [0.01, 7.88] | 1 study · 62 participants | Ungraded |
Intervention NR Between-trial variance (fluoride caries NMR) · Random-effects NMR, independent interactions Graphs of study contributions and covariate distributions for network meta-regression. (2018) | Posterior median between-trial variance 0.03 [0.02, 0.05] | NR | Ungraded |
2% lidocaine, 1:80,000 epinephrine vs 2% lidocaine, 1:100,000 epinephrine 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 | RR 1.27 [1.01, 1.59] | 2 studies · 60 participants | Very low |
Maxillary distraction osteogenesis vs Orthognathic surgery (conventional Le Fort I osteotomy) Midfacial soft tissue changes (facial profile landmarks: pronasale, subnasale, stomion superius, labrale superius) · Adolescents or adults (15 years or older) with an established diagnosis of complete cleft lip and alveolar process, or… · 2 years Maxillary distraction osteogenesis versus orthognathic surgery for cleft lip and palate patients (2018) · Cochrane | Results text (Ungraded; not in SoF): both groups showed notable positive soft tissue changes of the upper lip and nose after maxillary advancement (39 participants). Between-group soft tissue differences at 2 years… | 1 study · 39 participants | Ungraded |
Vitapex (calcium hydroxide/iodoform) vs Zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE) Radiological 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 6.56 [2.58, 16.67] | 4 studies · 161 participants | Low |
Visual caries detection (ICDAS visual/visual-tactile inspection) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted) Negative LR 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) | Negative LR 0.56 [0.46, 0.68] | 12 studies | Ungraded |
Biodentine vs Diode laser Outcome NR · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | Assessed pain, soft tissue, mobility, radiolucency, root resorption, premature tooth loss (Niranjani 2015); no clinical/radiological failure outcome; RR 2.00 (0.20 to 20.33) | 1 study · 40 participants | Ungraded |
Calcium hydroxide/iodoform (CH/iodoform) vs Calcium hydroxide (CH) 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 1.13 [0.82, 1.54] | 1 study · 65 participants | Ungraded |
Metapex (calcium hydroxide/iodoform) vs RC Fill (ZOE with iodoform) Outcome NR · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | Assessed pain, radiolucency, root resorption, filling material anomaly (Ramar 2010); no significant differences | 1 study · 64 participants | Ungraded |
Self-etch adhesive + acetone-based total-etch adhesive vs Calcium hydroxide (CH) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6, 12 and 24 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 3.00 [0.13, 69.52] | 1 study · 40 participants | Very low |
Low polymerization shrinkage resin composite (silorane, ormocer, bulk-fill or other modified-monomer composite) vs Conventional methacrylate-based resin composite Marginal adaptation (clinically detectable deterioration) · People with permanent posterior teeth restored with class I or II direct restorations · 18 months, Posterior class I/II restorations in permanent teeth; multicenter randomized controlled trials conducted across Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East Meta-analysis of the clinical behavior of posterior direct resin restorations: Low polymerization shrinkage… (2018) | Only two studies, both testing silorane composites, evaluated marginal adaptation after 18 months; one favored the experimental group and one the control group, and the overall meta-analytic effect was not… | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Radiographic caries detection (bitewing radiography) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted) Negative 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… · Conventional meta-analysis (all studies) Visual and radiographic caries detection: a tailored meta-analysis for two different settings, Egypt and… (2018) | Negative LR 0.63 [0.56, 0.72] | 38 studies | Ungraded |
Secondary education vs University education 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 2.7 [-0.4, 5.7] | 1 study · 5073 participants | Ungraded |
Radiographic caries detection (bitewing radiography) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted) Specificity for detecting all (initial and 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) | Specificity 80.4 [72, 87] | 11 studies | Ungraded |
HP strips vs CP gel in tray 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 | Results variable for tooth sensitivity and oral irritation, some favouring strip, some tray, some no difference | 7 studies | Ungraded |
Calcium-enriched mixture (CEM) cement vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6, 12 and 18 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | No clinical failure in any participant (Malekafzali 2011); not estimable | 1 study · 80 participants | Ungraded |
GTR rm associated with bone substitutes + CAF vs GTR rm + CAF Clinical attachment level 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 0.76 [-0.01, 1.54] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Biodentine vs Tempophore 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 1.08 [0.07, 16.36] | 1 study · 56 participants | Ungraded |
Planned, regular routine scale and polish (6-monthly; 12-monthly parallel) vs No scheduled scale and polish treatment Halitosis · Dentate adults without severe periodontitis, regularly attending for dental care in primary care (UK general dental… Routine scale and polish for periodontal health in adults (2018) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Total-etching 36% phosphoric acid + acetone-based total-etch adhesive vs Non-rinse conditioner + acetone-based total-etch adhesive Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 and 24 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 3.00 [0.13, 69.52] | 1 study · 40 participants | Very low |
4% prilocaine plain vs 2% lidocaine, 1:100,000 epinephrine 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… · 5-30 minutes Injectable local anaesthetic agents for dental anaesthesia (2018) · Cochrane | RR 0.86 [0.75, 0.99] | 2 studies · 228 participants | Low |
Erbium:YAG laser vs Ferric sulphate (FS) Clinical 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 5.31 [0.26, 107.86] | 1 study · 97 participants | Ungraded |
10% CP gel in tray vs 7.5% HP gel in tray 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 -1 [-2.86, 0.86] | 1 study · 48 participants | Very low |
Tooth-supported removable partial denture: different impression material, same final-impression technique vs The same technique with an alternative final-impression material 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 |
Mechanical debridement plus local antimicrobial (minocycline microspheres or doxycycline gel) vs Mechanical debridement alone Clinical attachment level (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 [-0.42, 0.62] | 1 study · 53 participants | Low |
Visual caries detection (ICDAS visual/visual-tactile inspection) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted) Sensitivity for detecting 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) | Sensitivity 43.7 [37, 51] | 50 studies | Ungraded |
Ferric sulphate/MTA pulpotomy vs Zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE) pulpectomy Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 18 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 0.84 [0.29, 2.39] | 1 study · 172 participants | Ungraded |
Self-management (self-administered/self-monitored OHA) vs Professional OHA Dental caries · Children or adults (fit and healthy, or with a well-defined medical condition) One‐to‐one oral hygiene advice provided in a dental setting for oral health (2018) · Cochrane | No studies were found that looked at dental caries. | 0 studies | No studies |
Radiographic caries detection (bitewing radiography) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted) Specificity 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) | Specificity 89.3 [86, 92] | 44 studies | Ungraded |
10% CP gel in tray vs 6% HP gel in tray Tooth whitening - assessed by the dentist · Adults (>=18 years) undergoing home-based bleaching (including tetracycline- and smoking-stained teeth, any baseline… · 2 weeks, dark baseline shade Home‐based chemically‐induced whitening (bleaching) of teeth in adults (2018) · Cochrane | MD -4.30 [-5.02, -3.58] | 1 study | Very low |
4% articaine, 1:200,000 epinephrine vs 0.5% bupivacaine, 1:200,000 epinephrine 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 minutes post-injection to end of clinical procedure Injectable local anaesthetic agents for dental anaesthesia (2018) · Cochrane | OR 0.87 [0.27, 2.83] | 2 studies · 37 participants | Low |
38% SDF solution biannually vs 12% SDF solution biannually Arrest of advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface · Primary teeth with advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface · 30 months Nonrestorative Treatments for Caries: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. (2018) | RR 1.29 [1.21, 1.38] | 1 study · 799 participants | High |
Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) + sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) 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 | No clinical failure in any participant (Akcay 2014); not estimable | 1 study · 62 participants | Ungraded |
3% prilocaine, 0.03 IU felypressin vs 2% lidocaine, 1:100,000 epinephrine Adverse effects: paraesthesia following injection · 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 |
17% CP gel in tray vs 10% CP gel in tray Tooth whitening - reported by the patient · Adults (>=18 years) undergoing home-based bleaching (including tetracycline- and smoking-stained teeth, any baseline… · 3 weeks Home‐based chemically‐induced whitening (bleaching) of teeth in adults (2018) · Cochrane | MD 2.60 [2.57, 2.63] | 1 study · 20 participants | Very low |
4% articaine plain vs 4% articaine, 1:100,000 epinephrine Duration 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 -37.08 [-60.95, -13.21] | 2 studies · 100 participants | Very low |
Fluoride in dentifrice vs Placebo Caries increment in permanent teeth · Children or adolescents · At least 1 year or school year, Randomisation year, NMR covariate Graphs of study contributions and covariate distributions for network meta-regression. (2018) | no estimate extracted | NR | Ungraded |
Routine scale and polish provided by a dentist vs Routine scale and polish provided by a dental care professional (dental therapist or hygienist) Gingivitis · Dentate adults without severe periodontitis, regularly attending for dental care in primary care (UK general dental… Routine scale and polish for periodontal health in adults (2018) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Radiographic caries detection (bitewing radiography) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted) Specificity for detecting advanced proximal caries · Proximal 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) | Specificity 95.5 [94, 97] | 22 studies | Ungraded |
Low income vs High income Mean number of decayed teeth (mean DT) · Adults aged 25 years and older in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States · 2009, New Zealand, New Zealand Socioeconomic status, oral health and dental disease in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. (2018) | AD 0.99 [0.49, 1.49] | 1 study · 2041 participants | Ungraded |
Enhanced one-to-one OHA vs One-to-one OHA (standard) Dental caries · Children or adults (fit and healthy, or with a well-defined medical condition) · 12 months One‐to‐one oral hygiene advice provided in a dental setting for oral health (2018) · Cochrane | SoF: 1 study in adults did not report usable data. Results: Bali 1999 (DMFT) not estimable (no usable data). | 1 study · 70 participants | Very low |
2% lidocaine, 1:50,000 epinephrine vs 2% lidocaine, 1:100,000 epinephrine 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 -0.44 [-1.66, 0.79] | 4 studies · 92 participants | Very low |
ProRoot MTA vs OrthoMTA 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 0.33 [0.01, 7.98] | 1 study · 94 participants | Ungraded |
Autologous platelet concentrates (APC) + enamel matrix derivative (EMD) vs EMD (enamel matrix derivative) alone 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 0.13 [-0.05, 0.30] | 2 studies · 75 participants | Very low |
Radiographic caries detection (bitewing radiography) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted) Positive LR for detecting all (initial and 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) | Positive LR 2.02 [1.4, 2.9] | 11 studies | Ungraded |
Low income vs High income Mean number of decayed teeth (mean DT) · Adults aged 25 years and older in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States · 2007-2009, Canada, Canada Socioeconomic status, oral health and dental disease in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. (2018) | AD 0.63 [0.31, 0.95] | 1 study · 3278 participants | Ungraded |
Post-secondary education vs University education 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, 0.4] | 1 study · 5073 participants | Ungraded |