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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
Osteotomes with mallet (Summers' technique) vs Rotary instruments (Cosci technique)
Complications · Patients undergoing crestal maxillary sinus lift · 3 years after loading
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: augmentation procedures of the maxillary sinus (2014) · Cochrane
OR 7.86 [0.75, 82.13]1 study · 12 participantsUngraded
Systemic interventions (aciclovir, thalidomide, corticosteroids, rebamipide, etanercept, colchicine, interferon-alpha) vs Placebo
Episode frequency 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
Frankel's function regulator-4 (FR-4) with lip-seal training 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 (about 2 years)
Orthodontic and orthopaedic treatment for anterior open bite in children (2014) · Cochrane
Multiple cephalometric measures reported (Erbay 1995). Treated group: total anterior facial height (N-Me) +3.9 (SD 1.8) mm, upper anterior facial height (N-ANS) +3.3 (SD 1.2) mm; controls showed significantly greater…1 studyUngraded
Vitamin D compounds (supplementation) vs Placebo or control
Parathyroid hormone · Adults with chronic kidney disease not requiring dialysis
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
WMD -49.34 [-85.70, -12.97]4 studiesUngraded
Vitamin D supplementation vs Placebo or control
Mortality (all cause) · Adults (general population) · Vitamin D2, general population
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
RR 1.04 [0.97, 1.11]8 studies · 17079 participantsUngraded
Intraligamental injection local anaesthetic vs No treatment
Postoperative pain · Children and young people aged 17 years or younger having dental treatment (including extractions) under general… · On regaining consciousness, up to 1 hour (1 study to 48 hours)
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 effect2 studies · 115 participantsVery low
Surgical anchorage (mini-screw or mid-palatal implant) vs Conventional anchorage (headgear, transpalatal/palatal arch, etc.)
Duration of overall treatment · 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
SMD -0.25 [-0.62, 0.12]3 studies · 111 participantsLow
Sucralfate suspension (topical) vs Placebo suspension
Number of painful days · 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 9.00 [-4.25, 22.25]1 study · 35 participantsUngraded
Vitamin D supplementation vs Placebo or control
Performance measures: balance sway · Older or community-dwelling adults
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
SMD -0.20 [-0.39, -0.01]3 studiesUngraded
Vitamin D supplementation vs Placebo or control
Performance measures: lower extremity strength · Older or community-dwelling adults
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
SMD 0.05 [-0.11, 0.20]3 studiesUngraded
Infiltration injection local anaesthetic vs No treatment or placebo
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
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 effect6 studies · 542 participantsVery low
Pre-drilling mini-screw implant vs Self-drilling mini-screw implant
Success of the anchorage device · Patients undergoing orthodontic treatment requiring surgical (mini-screw implant) anchorage
Reinforcement of anchorage during orthodontic brace treatment with implants or other surgical methods (2014) · Cochrane
RR 1.12 [0.91, 1.38]1 study · 62 participantsUngraded
Higher circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration vs Lower circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration
Cardiovascular disease · Adults (general population)
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
RR 0.66 [0.57, 0.77]19 studies · 66488 participantsUngraded
Vitamin D supplementation vs Placebo or control
Mortality (all cause) · Adults (general population) · Vitamin D3, general population
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
RR 0.91 [0.82, 1.02]9 studies · 12824 participantsUngraded
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)
Extraction of tooth (due to decay) · 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
Frankel's function regulator-4 (FR-4) with lip-seal training vs No treatment
Economic evaluation (costs) · 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
Hand mallet (osteotomes) vs Electric mallet
Augmentation procedure failure · Patients undergoing one-stage crestal maxillary sinus lift without bone grafts (baseline residual bone height about… · 19 months to 3 years after loading
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: augmentation procedures of the maxillary sinus (2014) · Cochrane
Augmentation failures 0/40 versus 0/40; none.1 study · 80 participantsUngraded
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)
Adverse events · 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
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) · 6 months after augmentation
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: augmentation procedures of the maxillary sinus (2014) · Cochrane
MD 0.26 [-0.91, 1.43]1 study · 9 participantsUngraded
Higher circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration vs Lower circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration
Depression · Adults (general population) · Cohort studies
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
HR 0.44 [0.27, 0.72]3 studies · 8815 participantsUngraded
Dual mini-screw implant vs Single mini-screw implant
Mesiodistal movement of the upper first permanent molar · Patients undergoing orthodontic treatment requiring surgical (mini-screw implant) anchorage
Reinforcement of anchorage during orthodontic brace treatment with implants or other surgical methods (2014) · Cochrane
MD 1.62 [0.98, 2.26]1 study · 25 participantsUngraded
Steri-Oss acid-etched titanium screws vs Southern blasted/etched titanium screws
Implant failure · 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
RR 0.14 [0.02, 1.08]2 studies · 48 participantsUngraded
Southern regular implants vs Neoss turned 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
Colchicine (systemic; 0.5 mg three times daily for 6 months) vs Placebo
Improvement in oral ulcer score · People with Behcet's disease with a history of recurrent oral aphthous-type (RAS-type) ulcers diagnosed clinically;… · 6 months
Interventions for managing oral ulcers in Behçet's disease (2014) · Cochrane
RR 0.75 [0.48, 1.17]1 study · 28 participantsUngraded
Powered toothbrush, unknown/other action vs Manual toothbrush
Plaque score (1 to 3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Short term (1 to 3 months)
Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane
Unknown/other action vs manual, plaque at 1 to 3 months: 2 trials; totals not selected (data presented in forest plots but not pooled owing to lack of clarity about the toothbrushes).2 studiesUngraded
Vitamin D compounds (supplementation) vs Placebo or control
Vascular calcification · Adults with chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
RR 1.09 [0.45, 2.67]2 studies · 128 participantsUngraded
Vitamin D compounds (supplementation) vs Placebo or control
Mortality · Adults with chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
RR 1.34 [0.34, 5.24]5 studies · 477 participantsUngraded
Vitamin D supplementation vs Placebo or control
Triglycerides · Adults (general population)
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
WMD -1.92 [-7.72, 3.88]8 studiesUngraded
Topical interventions (sucralfate, interferon-alpha, cyclosporin A) 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 (topical interventions vs placebo), grouped comment spanning all four listed outcomes (verbatim): "5 placebo-controlled trials evaluated topical interventions (sucralfate suspension (2 trials), interferon-alpha (2…NRUngraded
NobelActive internal connection implants vs Nobel Speedy Groovy external connection 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
No failures; risk ratio not estimable (Pozzi 2014)1 study · 34 participantsUngraded
Higher circulating 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) concentration vs Lower circulating 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) concentration
Breast cancer · Adults (general population)
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
OR 0.99 [0.68, 1.44]3 studies · 3627 participantsUngraded
Higher circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration vs Lower circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration
Ischaemic stroke · Adults (general population) · Hazard ratio (cohort studies)
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
HR 0.66 [0.55, 0.80]4 studies · 26596 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) · 30 months after augmentation
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: augmentation procedures of the maxillary sinus (2014) · Cochrane
MD 0.10 [-1.04, 1.24]1 study · 39 participantsUngraded
Vitamin D supplementation vs Placebo or control
High density lipoprotein · Adults (general population)
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
WMD -0.14 [-0.99, 0.71]8 studiesUngraded
Higher circulating 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) concentration vs Lower circulating 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) concentration
Colon cancer · Adults (general population)
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
OR 0.88 [0.57, 1.35]4 studiesUngraded
Vitamin D supplementation vs Placebo or control
Falls · Older or community-dwelling adults
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
OR 0.97 [0.84, 1.11]10 studiesUngraded
Vitamin D supplementation vs Placebo or control
Head circumference at birth · Pregnant women
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
WMD 0.43 [0.06, 0.79]2 studiesUngraded
One-stage lateral sinus lift with monocortical autogenous bone blocks (iliac crest) vs Two-stage lateral sinus lift with autogenous particulate bone (iliac crest)
Prosthesis failure · Patients with 2 to 7 mm of residual alveolar bone height in the edentulous maxillary sinus floor · 3 years after loading
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: augmentation procedures of the maxillary sinus (2014) · Cochrane
OR 1.00 [0.06, 17.18]1 study · 40 participantsUngraded
Vitamin D supplementation vs Placebo or control
Low birth weight · Pregnant women
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
RR 0.4 [0.23, 0.71]3 studies · 507 participantsUngraded
Sinus lift with bone graft (granular Bio-Oss) vs Sinus lift without bone graft (Inion resorbable rigid barrier maintaining space / no bone)
Complications · Patients with an atrophic maxillary sinus requiring augmentation (1 to 5 mm residual bone height) · 1 year after loading
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: augmentation procedures of the maxillary sinus (2014) · Cochrane
OR 0.50 [0.01, 9.60]1 study · 9 participantsUngraded
Higher circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration vs Lower circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration
Ischaemic stroke · Adults (general population) · Odds ratio (case-control studies)
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
OR 0.52 [0.44, 0.61]5 studies · 31858 participantsUngraded
Surgical anchorage (mini-screw or mid-palatal implant) vs Conventional anchorage (headgear, transpalatal/palatal arch, etc.)
Duration of space closure · 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
SMD -0.09 [-0.54, 0.35]3 studies · 80 participantsUngraded
Rotary instruments to open the lateral sinus window vs Piezosurgery to open the lateral sinus window
Implant failure · Patients undergoing lateral-window maxillary sinus lift · 1 year after loading
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: augmentation procedures of the maxillary sinus (2014) · Cochrane
Rickert 2013 (N = 36): no implant failures in either group.1 study · 36 participantsUngraded
Astra TiO2-blast 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; risk ratio not estimable (Akoglu 2011)1 studyUngraded
Higher circulating 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) concentration vs Lower circulating 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) concentration
Aggressive prostate cancer · Adults (general population)
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
OR 0.75 [0.48, 1.17]2 studies · 1488 participantsUngraded
Topical local anaesthetic (spray or dental swab) vs Placebo or no treatment
Parental 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
No study reported parental satisfaction0 studiesNo studies
Vitamin D compounds (supplementation) vs Placebo or control
Alkaline phosphatase · Adults with chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis
Vitamin D and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of… (2014)
WMD -27.35 [-50.69, -4.01]3 studiesUngraded
Hand mallet (osteotomes) vs Electric mallet
Complications at augmented site · Patients undergoing one-stage crestal maxillary sinus lift without bone grafts (baseline residual bone height about… · 19 months to 3 years after loading
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: augmentation procedures of the maxillary sinus (2014) · Cochrane
OR 3.16 [0.31, 31.78]1 study · 80 participantsUngraded
Intraligamental injection local anaesthetic 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
Powered toothbrush, counter oscillation action vs Manual toothbrush
Plaque score (1 to 3 months) · Individuals of any age with no reported disability that might affect toothbrushing (including people wearing… · Short term (1 to 3 months)
Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health (2014) · Cochrane
MD -0.03 [-0.15, 0.10]4 studies · 184 participantsUngraded