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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)

10,375 questions in 429 reviews · Oral Health

current versions
No 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.

QuestionEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Higher circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration vs Lower circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration
All cause mortality · Patients with chronic kidney disease
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
RR 0.86 [0.81, 0.92]10 studies · 6853 participantsUngraded
Osteotomes with mallet (Summers' technique) vs Rotary instruments (Cosci technique)
Prosthesis failure · Patients undergoing crestal maxillary sinus lift · 3 years after loading
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: augmentation procedures of the maxillary sinus (2014) · Cochrane
Checchi 2010 (split-mouth, N = 12): no prosthetic failures in either group.1 study · 12 participantsUngraded
Higher circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration vs Lower circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration
Metabolic syndrome (prevalent) · Adults (general population)
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
OR 0.49 [0.38, 0.64]8 studies · 31416 participantsUngraded
Surgical anchorage (mini-screw or mid-palatal implant) vs Conventional anchorage (headgear, transpalatal/palatal arch, etc.)
Patient acceptability · Patients of any age undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances and requiring anchorage (adolescents to…
Reinforcement of anchorage during orthodontic brace treatment with implants or other surgical methods (2014) · Cochrane
Reported narratively in 1 study (Feldmann 2007): limitations in daily life and jaw function were low to moderate throughout the trial with no differences between anchorage groups; impact on mood and appearance peaked…1 study · 113 participantsUngraded
Vitamin D supplementation vs Placebo or control
Performance measures: muscle strength · Older or community-dwelling adults
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
SMD -0.19 [-0.35, -0.02]3 studiesUngraded
Higher circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration vs Lower circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration
Cognition · Adults (general population)
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
OR 0.42 [0.34, 0.53]7 studies · 9004 participantsUngraded
Higher maternal circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration vs Lower maternal circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration
Pre-eclampsia · Pregnant women and their offspring
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
OR 0.56 [0.39, 0.80]9 studies · 3230 participantsUngraded
Powered toothbrush (any mode of action) vs Manual toothbrush
Calculus · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing…
Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane
Three trials reported on calculus: two no significant difference; one favoured the powered brush at six months (P<0.01).3 studiesUngraded
Colchicine (systemic; 0.5 mg weight-adjusted daily) vs Placebo
Total number of oral ulcers · People with Behcet's disease with a history of recurrent oral aphthous-type (RAS-type) ulcers diagnosed clinically;… · 24 months
Interventions for managing oral ulcers in Behçet's disease (2014) · Cochrane
MD 2.30 [-3.42, 8.02]1 study · 115 participantsModerate
Vitamin D supplementation vs Placebo or control
Fractures: non-vertebral, non-hip · Older or community-dwelling adults
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
OR 0.69 [0.21, 1.66]2 studiesUngraded
Southern regular implants vs Southern wide implants
Implant failure · Adults with missing teeth who received osseointegrated root-formed dental implants, functionally loaded and followed… · 1 year
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: different types of dental implants (2014) · Cochrane
RR 3.25 [0.15, 72.36]1 study · 23 participantsUngraded
Sinus lift with bone graft (granular Bio-Oss) vs Sinus lift without bone graft (Inion resorbable rigid barrier maintaining space / no bone)
Bone gain · Patients with an atrophic maxillary sinus requiring augmentation (1 to 5 mm residual bone height) · 18 months after augmentation
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: augmentation procedures of the maxillary sinus (2014) · Cochrane
MD -0.10 [-0.47, 0.27]1 study · 39 participantsUngraded
Turned (smoother) implant surfaces vs Roughened implant surfaces
Early implant failure · Adults with missing teeth who received osseointegrated root-formed dental implants, functionally loaded and followed… · before prosthetic loading, turned vs roughened surfaces
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: different types of dental implants (2014) · Cochrane
RR 2.79 [0.87, 8.90]7 studies · 404 participantsLow
Systemic interventions (aciclovir, thalidomide, corticosteroids, rebamipide, etanercept, colchicine, interferon-alpha) vs Placebo
Pain associated with oral ulcers · People with Behcet's disease with a history of recurrent oral aphthous-type (RAS-type) ulcers diagnosed clinically;…
Interventions for managing oral ulcers in Behçet's disease (2014) · Cochrane
SoF 2 (systemic interventions vs placebo), grouped comment spanning all four listed outcomes (verbatim; the review's wording "topical" is a typo for systemic): "8 placebo-controlled trials evaluated topical…NRUngraded
Infiltration injection LA and intraligamental injection LA (3-arm) vs No treatment
Participant satisfaction · Children and young people aged 17 years or younger having dental treatment (including extractions) under general…
Intraoperative local anaesthesia for reduction of postoperative pain following general anaesthesia for… (2014) · Cochrane
The study did not report on patient or child satisfaction0 studiesNo studies
Astra TiO2-blasted titanium screws vs Branemark turned titanium screws
Implant failure · Adults with missing teeth who received osseointegrated root-formed dental implants, functionally loaded and followed… · 1 to 5 years
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: different types of dental implants (2014) · Cochrane
RR 0.25 [0.03, 2.12]1 study · 66 participantsUngraded
Surgical anchorage (mini-screw or mid-palatal implant) vs Conventional anchorage (headgear, transpalatal/palatal arch, etc.)
Adverse events · Patients of any age undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances and requiring anchorage (adolescents to…
Reinforcement of anchorage during orthodontic brace treatment with implants or other surgical methods (2014) · Cochrane
This outcome was unreported in all included studies0 studiesNo studies
Higher maternal circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration vs Lower maternal circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration
Head circumference · Pregnant women and their offspring
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
WMD 0.05 [-0.24, 0.34]2 studies · 840 participantsUngraded
Bone graft with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) vs Bone graft without PRP
Complications · Patients with insufficient bone below the maxillary sinus requiring dental implants · 2 years after loading
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: augmentation procedures of the maxillary sinus (2014) · Cochrane
Raghoebar 2005: 1 complication in the non-PRP arm, OR 0.27 (0.01 to 8.46), P = 0.46; Torres 2009 (PRP only = 3, no-PRP only = 2), OR 1.49 (0.15 to 15.07), P = 1.00. No statistically significant difference.2 studies · 62 participantsUngraded
Vitamin D supplementation vs Placebo or control
Diastolic blood pressure · Adults (general population)
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
WMD -0.03 [-1.98, 1.92]3 studiesUngraded
One-stage crestal-approach sinus lift with autogenous bone and 8 mm implants vs Lateral-window sinus lift with 50% autogenous bone/50% Bio-Oss and implants at least 10 mm long
Complications · Patients with 3 to 6 mm of residual bone height at the sinus floor · 1 year after loading
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: augmentation procedures of the maxillary sinus (2014) · Cochrane
OR 0.21 [0.02, 2.08]1 study · 40 participantsUngraded
Powered toothbrush, rotation oscillation action vs Manual toothbrush
Plaque score (>3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Long term (>3 months)
Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane
SMD -0.66 [-1.28, -0.03]7 studies · 527 participantsUngraded
Vitamin D supplementation vs Placebo or control
Mean gestational age at delivery · Pregnant women
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
WMD 0.17 [-0.16, 0.51]2 studiesUngraded
Removable appliance with palatal crib associated with high-pull chincup vs No treatment
Alteration of hyperdivergent growth pattern · Children and adolescents (over 80% aged 16 years or younger at treatment start) with anterior open bite (lack of… · End of treatment (12 months)
Orthodontic and orthopaedic treatment for anterior open bite in children (2014) · Cochrane
The angles (SN.GoGN, SN.PP, NS.Gn) and linear measures (AFA, AFP, AFAI) did not demonstrate significant alterations between groups; interventions did not produce significant changes in the skeletal maxillary or…1 studyUngraded
SPI Element sand-blasted acid-etched standard implants vs SPI Element SurfLink-modified implants
Marginal bone level change · Adults with missing teeth who received osseointegrated root-formed dental implants, functionally loaded and followed… · 1 year
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: different types of dental implants (2014) · Cochrane
MD 0.27 [-0.01, 0.55]1 study · 42 participantsUngraded
Maxillary sinus lift (augmentation) with long implants vs Short implants (5 to 8.5 mm) without sinus augmentation
Complications (at treated sites) · Patients with missing teeth and an atrophic posterior maxilla, with residual bone height between 4 and 9 mm below the… · median 1 year after loading
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: augmentation procedures of the maxillary sinus (2014) · Cochrane
Peto OR 4.77 [1.79, 12.71]4 studies · 137 participantsLow
Surgical anchorage (mini-screw or mid-palatal implant) vs Conventional anchorage (headgear, transpalatal/palatal arch, etc.)
Mesiodistal movement of the upper first permanent molar · Patients of any age undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances and requiring anchorage (adolescents to… · End of anchorage reinforcement / space closure
Reinforcement of anchorage during orthodontic brace treatment with implants or other surgical methods (2014) · Cochrane
MD -1.68 [-2.27, -1.09]7 studies · 308 participantsModerate
ITI SLA titanium screws vs Southern blasted/etched titanium screws
Marginal bone level change · Adults with missing teeth who received osseointegrated root-formed dental implants, functionally loaded and followed… · 1 to 10 years
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: different types of dental implants (2014) · Cochrane
MD -0.02 [-0.18, 0.14]1 study · 24 participantsUngraded
Surgical anchorage (mini-screw or mid-palatal implant) vs Conventional anchorage (headgear, transpalatal/palatal arch, etc.)
Success or failure of the anchorage device · Patients of any age undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances and requiring anchorage (adolescents to…
Reinforcement of anchorage during orthodontic brace treatment with implants or other surgical methods (2014) · Cochrane
Reported in 5 studies but not pooled due to variability in the definition of success and incomplete reporting. Success rates: mini-implants 71.43% (10/14) (Basha 2010); Orthosystem mid-palatal implant 91.30% (21/23) vs…5 studiesUngraded
Higher circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration vs Lower circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration
Pancreatic cancer · Adults (general population)
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
OR 2.13 [1.02, 4.47]6 studies · 2113 participantsUngraded
An intervention delivered at one time point vs The same intervention delivered at a different time point
Outcome NR · Patients of any age in any setting requiring intervention for iatrogenic injury to the inferior alveolar or lingual… · < 3 months; ≤ 6 months; > 6 months
Interventions for iatrogenic inferior alveolar and lingual nerve injury (2014) · Cochrane
Discussion / Methods: no trials addressed optimal timing; the planned timing subgroup analyses (< 3 months, ≤ 6 months, > 6 months) could not be undertaken.0 studiesNo studies
Higher circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration vs Lower circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration
Hip fracture · Adults (general population) · Population-based controls
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
log ratio of geometric mean -0.51 [-0.64, -0.38]9 studies · 1655 participantsUngraded
Removable appliance with palatal crib associated with high-pull chincup vs No treatment
Expansion of the upper and lower jaw · Children and adolescents (over 80% aged 16 years or younger at treatment start) with anterior open bite (lack of… · End of treatment (12 months)
Orthodontic and orthopaedic treatment for anterior open bite in children (2014) · Cochrane
Listed among the outcome measures evaluated by Almeida 2005. No separate width/expansion estimate is reported in the text; the review concluded the interventions produced no significant change in the skeletal maxillary…1 studyUngraded
Infiltration injection LA and intraligamental injection LA (3-arm) vs No treatment
Intraoperative or postoperative bleeding · Children and young people aged 17 years or younger having dental treatment (including extractions) under general…
Intraoperative local anaesthesia for reduction of postoperative pain following general anaesthesia for… (2014) · Cochrane
None of the studies reported on this outcome0 studiesNo studies
NobelActive external connection implants vs NobelReplace implants
Implant failure · Adults with missing teeth who received osseointegrated root-formed dental implants, functionally loaded and followed… · 1 to 3 years
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: different types of dental implants (2014) · Cochrane
RR 0.67 [0.17, 2.67]1 study · 106 participantsUngraded
Infiltration injection LA and intraligamental injection LA (3-arm) vs No treatment
Physiological parameters (cardiac/respiratory events; type and volume of GA drug) · Children and young people aged 17 years or younger having dental treatment (including extractions) under general…
Intraoperative local anaesthesia for reduction of postoperative pain following general anaesthesia for… (2014) · Cochrane
None of the studies reported on this outcome0 studiesNo studies
Branemark Mark IV TiUnite titanium screws vs Southern regular titanium screws
Implant failure · Adults with missing teeth who received osseointegrated root-formed dental implants, functionally loaded and followed… · 1 year
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: different types of dental implants (2014) · Cochrane
RR 0.57 [0.20, 1.63]1 study · 38 participantsUngraded
ITI SLA titanium implants vs SwissPlus (Zimmer) cylindrical implants
Implant failure · Adults with missing teeth who received osseointegrated root-formed dental implants, functionally loaded and followed… · 5 years
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: different types of dental implants (2014) · Cochrane
No failures at 5 years; risk ratio not estimable (Akoglu 2011)1 studyUngraded
One-stage crestal-approach sinus lift with autogenous bone and 8 mm implants vs Lateral-window sinus lift with 50% autogenous bone/50% Bio-Oss and implants at least 10 mm long
Implant failure · Patients with 3 to 6 mm of residual bone height at the sinus floor · 5 years after loading
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: augmentation procedures of the maxillary sinus (2014) · Cochrane
OR 0.30 [0.03, 3.15]1 study · 40 participantsUngraded
Sucralfate suspension (topical) vs Placebo suspension
Healing time · People with Behcet's disease with a history of recurrent oral aphthous-type (RAS-type) ulcers diagnosed clinically;… · End of treatment (3 months)
Interventions for managing oral ulcers in Behçet's disease (2014) · Cochrane
MD -1.09 [-2.61, 0.43]1 study · 30 participantsUngraded
Topical local anaesthetic (spray or dental swab) vs Placebo or no treatment
Postoperative pain or distress · Children and young people aged 17 years or younger having dental treatment (including extractions) under general… · Postoperatively, typically up to discharge (5 to 60 minutes)
Intraoperative local anaesthesia for reduction of postoperative pain following general anaesthesia for… (2014) · Cochrane
Because of substantial clinical and methodological heterogeneity in the studies, we were unable to determine an estimate of effect4 studies · 343 participantsVery low
Powered toothbrush, counter oscillation action vs Manual toothbrush
Plaque score (>3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Long term (>3 months)
Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane
MD -0.27 [-0.48, -0.07]2 studies · 69 participantsUngraded
Low-level laser therapy (photon-plus GaAlAs diode laser; 70 mW output, continuous 820 nm) vs Placebo (sham) laser therapy
Difficulty speaking · Patients of any age in any setting requiring intervention for iatrogenic injury to the inferior alveolar or lingual…
Interventions for iatrogenic inferior alveolar and lingual nerve injury (2014) · Cochrane
SoF row 'Difficulty speaking': This outcome was not reported in the included studies.0 studiesNo studies
Repair of a defective amalgam restoration in a permanent molar or premolar tooth (with amalgam) vs Replacement of a defective amalgam restoration in a permanent molar or premolar tooth (with amalgam)
Patient satisfaction (measured by patient satisfaction or aesthetic scales) · Adults (16 years or over) with one or more defective amalgam restoration(s) in a molar or premolar tooth/teeth · Medium term (less than 5 years) or long term (5 years and above)
Replacement versus repair of defective restorations in adults: amalgam (2014) · Cochrane
No randomised controlled trials were found0 studiesNo studies
Sucralfate suspension (topical) vs Placebo suspension
Number of episodes · People with Behcet's disease with a history of recurrent oral aphthous-type (RAS-type) ulcers diagnosed clinically;… · End of treatment
Interventions for managing oral ulcers in Behçet's disease (2014) · Cochrane
MD 1.40 [-0.15, 2.95]1 study · 35 participantsUngraded
Maxillary sinus lift (augmentation) with long implants vs Short implants (5 to 8.5 mm) without sinus augmentation
Augmentation procedure failure · Patients with missing teeth and an atrophic posterior maxilla, with residual bone height between 4 and 9 mm below the… · 1 year after loading
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: augmentation procedures of the maxillary sinus (2014) · Cochrane
One bilateral augmentation failure occurred in one trial only (Felice 2011).1 studyUngraded
Sucralfate suspension (topical) vs Placebo suspension
Pain (0-3 scale) · People with Behcet's disease with a history of recurrent oral aphthous-type (RAS-type) ulcers diagnosed clinically;… · End of treatment (3 months)
Interventions for managing oral ulcers in Behçet's disease (2014) · Cochrane
MD -0.38 [-0.87, 0.11]1 study · 30 participantsUngraded
Higher circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration vs Lower circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma · Adults (general population) · Females
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
OR 0.81 [0.39, 1.70]4 studies · 39 participantsUngraded
Higher circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration vs Lower circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration
Hypertension · Adults (general population)
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
RR 0.70 [0.58, 0.86]7 studies · 48633 participantsUngraded
Frankel's function regulator-4 (FR-4) with lip-seal training vs No treatment
Patient satisfaction · Children and adolescents (over 80% aged 16 years or younger at treatment start) with anterior open bite (lack of…
Orthodontic and orthopaedic treatment for anterior open bite in children (2014) · Cochrane
Outcome proposed in the review but not found in any included study. The review states: 'The other outcomes proposed in this review were not found: stability of anterior open bite correction; reduction of snoring; signs…0 studiesNo studies