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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. Words match anywhere in the field.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Ibuprofen (single postoperative oral dose; 200 mg to 512 mg) vs Paracetamol (acetaminophen) (single postoperative oral dose; 600 mg to 1000 mg) Proportion of patients with >50% maximum pain relief (TOTPAR) over 2 hours · Patients with pain after surgical removal of lower wisdom teeth (third molars) requiring bone removal or with baseline… · 2 hours postdosing, Ibuprofen 400 mg vs paracetamol 1000 mg Ibuprofen and/or paracetamol (acetaminophen) for pain relief after surgical removal of lower wisdom teeth (2013) · Cochrane | RR 1.30 [1.09, 1.55] | 5 studies · 645 participants | High |
Primary school-based behavioural intervention (both oral hygiene and dietary components) vs No intervention or delayed intervention (non-intervention control; one trial's control received dental treatment plus an annual supervised toothbrushing session) Changes in dental attendance · Children aged 4 to 12 years attending primary school Primary school‐based behavioural interventions for preventing caries (2013) · Cochrane | Worthington 2001 found no change in reported dental visits over the course of the programmes, with 97% of children at baseline reporting visiting the dentist every 2 years. | 1 study | Ungraded |
2 mm titanium plates vs 2.5 mm bioresorbable plates Wound dehiscence · Adults (16 to 68 years) with mandibular fractures excluding condylar involvement · First few weeks (immediate) Interventions for the management of mandibular fractures (2013) · Cochrane | RR 2.13 [0.56, 8.08] | 1 study · 57 participants | Ungraded |
2 mm titanium plates vs 2.5 mm bioresorbable plates Restoration of function (inability to chew hard food) · Adults (16 to 68 years) with mandibular fractures excluding condylar involvement · 1 month Interventions for the management of mandibular fractures (2013) · Cochrane | RR 1.0 [0.23, 4.27] | 1 study · 34 participants | Ungraded |
Interdental brushing plus toothbrushing vs Toothbrushing alone Gingivitis (Loe-Silness gingival index, interproximal; scale 0 to 4) · Dentate adults aged 16 years and older · 4 weeks (1 month) Interdental brushing for the prevention and control of periodontal diseases and dental caries in adults (2013) · Cochrane | MD -0.53 [-0.83, -0.23] | 1 study · 62 participants | Very low |
Intraoral distalising appliance vs Headgear (extraoral appliance) Non-compliance rate of the intervention · Children and adolescents (aged 16 years or less at the start of treatment) undergoing orthodontic treatment to… Orthodontic treatment for distalising upper first molars in children and adolescents (2013) · Cochrane | Non-compliance rate not reported ("The remaining secondary outcomes and adverse effects were not reported by these studies"). | 0 studies | No studies |
Immediate loading vs Conventional loading Marginal bone level changes · Patients who are having osseointegrated root-form dental implants · 1 year Interventions for replacing missing teeth: different times for loading dental implants (2013) · Cochrane | MD -0.10 [-0.20, -0.01] | 9 studies | Ungraded |
Fee-for-service remuneration vs No specific intervention (control) Measures of clinical activity: mean percentage of 12- to 14-year-olds receiving fissure sealants for second permanent molars per dentist (weighted by number of children seen) - unadjusted · Dentists seeing children with erupted second permanent molars (Scotland, in areas representing the four most deprived… · 18 months The effect of different methods of remuneration on the behaviour of primary care dentists (2013) · Cochrane | RD 7.1 [-1.9, 16.1] | 1 study · 133 participants | Very low |
Pen-type laser fluorescence (LFpen; DIAGNOdent pen) vs Reference standard (histological examination, operative intervention, or other/visual examination) Relative DOR by setting (LFpen, advanced, occlusal permanent) · Permanent teeth, occlusal surfaces, with suspected caries lesions · More advanced (dentine/cavitated) caries lesions threshold, Laboratory vs clinical (reference) Fluorescence-based methods for detecting caries lesions: systematic review, meta-analysis and sources of… (2013) | RDOR 0.35 [0.04, 2.99] | NR | Ungraded |
Transbond Plus self etching primer (3M Unitek) vs Clearfil Protect Bond self etching primer (Kuraray Medical) Decay (decalcification) associated with or around the etching field · Children and adults with fixed orthodontic brackets bonded to incisors, canines and premolars Enamel etching for bonding fixed orthodontic braces (2013) · Cochrane | Decalcification outcomes in Paschos 2009 were reported at tooth level rather than at participant level; the evidence was insufficient to conclude whether or not there is a difference in decalcification between the… | 1 study | Ungraded |
Glass-ionomer cement-based fissure sealants vs No comparator (within-material surrogate-validity regression) Association between loss of complete retention risk and caries occurrence risk · Patients with fissure-sealed permanent molar teeth · At least 24 months, Main analysis Validity of sealant retention as surrogate for caries prevention--a systematic review. (2013) | Regression slope (ln caries risk on ln retention-loss risk) 0.81 [-0.07, 1.68] | 22 studies · 3768 participants | Ungraded |
Any intervention to manage relapse: fixed options (labial braces, lingual braces, fixed lingual wire) or removable options (Hawley's retainer with spring elastomeric module, Bloore removable aligner, other Hawley's retainer modifications, Invisalign, Clearstep) vs Another such intervention or no active treatment; all interventions compared against each other in any combination Quality of life · Participants who previously underwent orthodontic treatment, with subsequent crowding (relapse) of the lower front… Interventions for managing relapse of the lower front teeth after orthodontic treatment (2013) · Cochrane | No RCTs met the inclusion criteria for this review. After deduplication, the electronic searching identified 527 publications; after reviewing the titles and abstracts, none focused on interventions to correct the… | 0 studies | No studies |
Intervention NR Risk of loss of complete retention · Main analysis; resin-based (Mat 1) Validity of sealant retention as surrogate for caries prevention--a systematic review. (2013) | Mean risk (proportion of sealed teeth) 0.36 (SD 0.23) | 54 studies | Ungraded |
Electrostimulation (device) vs Placebo (sham/placebo device) Stimulated whole saliva (SWS) · Adults with dry mouth due to Sjogren's Syndrome · End of treatment (4 weeks) Interventions for the management of dry mouth: non‐pharmacological interventions (2013) · Cochrane | MD 0.16 [-0.05, 0.37] | 1 study · 24 participants | Very low |
Fluorescence camera (FC) vs Reference standard Initial caries lesion detection · Permanent teeth with occlusal surfaces · Initial caries lesion threshold, FC, occlusal, permanent teeth Fluorescence-based methods for detecting caries lesions: systematic review, meta-analysis and sources of… (2013) | Sensitivity 0.708 [0.669, 0.745] | 8 studies | Ungraded |
Pre-radiotherapy extraction of diseased molar teeth vs Conservative treatment (restoration of the teeth and leaving them in place during radiotherapy, with oral health education and disease prevention: oral hygiene, fluoride, diet advice) Delay in start of radiation treatment · Patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer planned to undergo any type of radiotherapy (external beam, intensity… Dental extractions prior to radiotherapy to the jaws for reducing post‐radiotherapy dental complications (2013) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Laser fluorescence (LF) vs Reference standard Initial caries lesion detection · Permanent teeth with occlusal surfaces · Initial caries lesion threshold, LF, occlusal, permanent teeth Fluorescence-based methods for detecting caries lesions: systematic review, meta-analysis and sources of… (2013) | Specificity 0.712 [0.690, 0.734] | 27 studies | Ungraded |
Acupuncture vs Placebo (sham acupuncture) Stimulated whole saliva (SWS) · Adults with dry mouth due to radiotherapy (head and neck cancer) or Sjogren's Syndrome · 12 months (1 year follow-up) Interventions for the management of dry mouth: non‐pharmacological interventions (2013) · Cochrane | MD 0.28 [0.09, 0.47] | 2 studies · 54 participants | Low |
Laser fluorescence (LF; DIAGNOdent) vs Reference standard (histological examination, operative intervention, or other/visual examination) Relative DOR by reference standard (LF, advanced, occlusal permanent) · Permanent teeth, occlusal surfaces, with suspected caries lesions · More advanced (dentine/cavitated) caries lesions threshold, Operative intervention vs histological (reference) Fluorescence-based methods for detecting caries lesions: systematic review, meta-analysis and sources of… (2013) | RDOR 3.01 [1.26, 7.20] | NR | Ungraded |
Intraoral distalising appliance vs Headgear (extraoral appliance) Adverse effects (headgear injuries, gum health, tooth damage/decay, root resorption) · Children and adolescents (aged 16 years or less at the start of treatment) undergoing orthodontic treatment to… Orthodontic treatment for distalising upper first molars in children and adolescents (2013) · Cochrane | Adverse effects were not reported by these studies. | 0 studies | No studies |
Laser fluorescence (LF; DIAGNOdent) vs Reference standard (histological examination, operative intervention, or other/visual examination) Relative DOR by reference standard (LF, initial, occlusal permanent) · Permanent teeth, occlusal surfaces, with suspected caries lesions · Initial caries lesions threshold, Operative intervention vs histological (reference) Fluorescence-based methods for detecting caries lesions: systematic review, meta-analysis and sources of… (2013) | RDOR 0.91 [0.37, 2.22] | NR | Ungraded |
Visual screening (oral visual inspection) by trained health workers vs No screening Stage at diagnosis (early-stage detection) · Apparently healthy adults aged 35 years or older (general population), living in 13 clusters in rural areas of… · 15-year follow-up Screening programmes for the early detection and prevention of oral cancer (2013) · Cochrane | RR 0.81 [0.70, 0.93] | 1 study · 523 participants | Ungraded |
Transbuccal miniplate combined with intraoral approach vs Intraoral approach alone Post-operative infection (persistent) · Adults with fractures of the mandibular angle · 3 months, Angle of mandible only Interventions for the management of mandibular fractures (2013) · Cochrane | RR 0.47 [0.20, 1.09] | 1 study · 138 participants | Ungraded |
Early loading vs Conventional loading Implant failure · Patients who are having osseointegrated root-form dental implants · 1 year Interventions for replacing missing teeth: different times for loading dental implants (2013) · Cochrane | RR 1.55 [0.46, 5.18] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Visual screening (oral visual inspection) by trained health workers vs No screening Quality of life · Apparently healthy adults aged 35 years or older (general population), living in 13 clusters in rural areas of… · 15-year follow-up Screening programmes for the early detection and prevention of oral cancer (2013) · Cochrane | Data on quality of life were not reported. | 0 studies | No studies |
Early loading vs Conventional loading Marginal bone level changes · Patients who are having osseointegrated root-form dental implants · 1 year Interventions for replacing missing teeth: different times for loading dental implants (2013) · Cochrane | MD -0.04 [-0.15, 0.07] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Primary school-based behavioural intervention (both oral hygiene and dietary components) vs No intervention or delayed intervention (non-intervention control; one trial's control received dental treatment plus an annual supervised toothbrushing session) Behavioural outcomes (reported and/or other measures, e.g. data tracking toothbrushes and collecting food wrappers) · Children aged 4 to 12 years attending primary school Primary school‐based behavioural interventions for preventing caries (2013) · Cochrane | No other behavioural outcomes (e.g. objective toothbrush tracking or food-wrapper collection) were measured by the four included studies. | 0 studies | No studies |
Fluoride varnish vs Placebo or no treatment Proportion of children developing one or more new caries (permanent dentition, D(M)FT) · Children and adolescents aged 16 years or less · At least 1 year Fluoride varnishes for preventing dental caries in children and adolescents (2013) · Cochrane | RR 0.75 [0.53, 1.05] | 5 studies · 3253 participants | Ungraded |
Acupuncture vs Placebo (sham acupuncture) Quality of life · Adults with dry mouth due to radiotherapy (head and neck cancer) or Sjogren's Syndrome Interventions for the management of dry mouth: non‐pharmacological interventions (2013) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Capitation remuneration vs Fee-for-service remuneration Patient outcomes: mean number of decayed teeth per 14- to 15-year-old (data for 0- to 15-year-olds NR) · Children (0- to 15-year-olds) undergoing routine continuing dental care at 354 dental practices, in matched pairs of… · 3 years, Commuter suburb community The effect of different methods of remuneration on the behaviour of primary care dentists (2013) · Cochrane | MD 0.07 | 1 study · 1919 participants | Low |
Intraoral distalising appliance vs Another (different) intraoral distalising appliance Duration of treatment · Children and adolescents (aged 16 years or less at the start of treatment) undergoing orthodontic treatment to… Orthodontic treatment for distalising upper first molars in children and adolescents (2013) · Cochrane | Duration of treatment reported by 2 studies (Altug-Atac 2008, Karacay 2006); not GRADE-rated and not in a SoF table. 3D bimetric distalising arch 3.4 months vs modified Begg intraoral distalising system 6.5 months (MD… | 2 studies | Ungraded |
One prophylactic antibiotic vs A different prophylactic antibiotic Outcome NR · Adults undergoing dental implant placement · At least 3 months (planned) Interventions for replacing missing teeth: antibiotics at dental implant placement to prevent complications (2013) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Laser fluorescence (LF) vs Reference standard More advanced caries lesion detection · Permanent teeth with occlusal surfaces · More advanced caries lesion threshold, LF, occlusal, permanent teeth Fluorescence-based methods for detecting caries lesions: systematic review, meta-analysis and sources of… (2013) | Specificity 0.779 [0.765, 0.794] | 37 studies | Ungraded |
Capitation remuneration vs Fee-for-service remuneration Healthcare costs: mean expenditure in GBP per 0- to 15-year-old (currency year NR) · Children (0- to 15-year-olds) undergoing routine continuing dental care at 354 dental practices, in matched pairs of… · 1 year, Scottish community The effect of different methods of remuneration on the behaviour of primary care dentists (2013) · Cochrane | MD 1.52 | 1 study · 276414 participants | Low |
Any intervention to manage relapse: fixed options (labial braces, lingual braces, fixed lingual wire) or removable options (Hawley's retainer with spring elastomeric module, Bloore removable aligner, other Hawley's retainer modifications, Invisalign, Clearstep) vs Another such intervention or no active treatment; all interventions compared against each other in any combination Adverse effects including pain, gingivitis, enamel decalcification and root resorption · Participants who previously underwent orthodontic treatment, with subsequent crowding (relapse) of the lower front… Interventions for managing relapse of the lower front teeth after orthodontic treatment (2013) · Cochrane | No RCTs met the inclusion criteria for this review. After deduplication, the electronic searching identified 527 publications; after reviewing the titles and abstracts, none focused on interventions to correct the… | 0 studies | No studies |
2 mm locking titanium plates vs 2 mm non-locking titanium plates Post-operative adverse events and complications (paraesthesia, swelling, segmental mobility) · Adults (16 to 68 years) with mandibular fractures excluding condylar involvement Interventions for the management of mandibular fractures (2013) · Cochrane | Agarwal 2011: paraesthesia in one participant in the non-locking plate group (resolved by 3 months), none in the locking group; infection rates similar at 6 weeks and 3 months; post-operative swelling in 20% of both… | 1 study | Ungraded |
Occlusal loading vs Non-occlusal loading Prosthesis failure · Patients who are having osseointegrated root-form dental implants · 1 year Interventions for replacing missing teeth: different times for loading dental implants (2013) · Cochrane | RR 1.00 [0.31, 3.22] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Transbond Plus self etching primer (3M Unitek) vs First Step self etching primer (Reliance Orthodontic Products) Bond failure rate · Children and adults with fixed orthodontic brackets bonded to incisors, canines and premolars Enamel etching for bonding fixed orthodontic braces (2013) · Cochrane | Noble 2006 (split-mouth) compared Transbond Plus versus First Step SEP; the bond failure rate was reported at tooth level rather than at participant level and was not amenable to analysis; the evidence was insufficient… | 1 study | Ungraded |
Pen-type laser fluorescence (LFpen; DIAGNOdent pen) vs Reference standard (histological examination, operative intervention, or other/visual examination) Diagnostic accuracy (pooled sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio, summary-ROC AUC) · Permanent teeth, approximal surfaces, with suspected caries lesions · Initial caries lesions threshold Fluorescence-based methods for detecting caries lesions: systematic review, meta-analysis and sources of… (2013) | Pooled sensitivity, specificity, DOR, PLR, NLR and summary-ROC AUC reported qualitatively (Figure 8); only LFpen had sufficient studies to pool; similar values at both thresholds. Heterogeneity I2=93%. Numeric pooled… | NR | Ungraded |
Immediate loading vs Conventional loading Prosthesis failure · Patients who are having osseointegrated root-form dental implants · 1 year Interventions for replacing missing teeth: different times for loading dental implants (2013) · Cochrane | RR 1.90 [0.67, 5.34] | 8 studies · 381 participants | Very low |
Resin-based fissure sealants vs No comparator (within-material surrogate-validity regression) Association between loss of complete retention risk and caries occurrence risk · Patients with fissure-sealed permanent molar teeth · At least 24 months, Main analysis Validity of sealant retention as surrogate for caries prevention--a systematic review. (2013) | Regression slope (ln caries risk on ln retention-loss risk) 0.89 [0.56, 1.23] | 54 studies · 17377 participants | Ungraded |
Triclosan/copolymer-containing fluoride toothpaste vs Fluoride toothpaste without triclosan Gingival bleeding at 6 months (number of sites bleeding on probing or spontaneously) · Children and adults (aged 16 years or less = children, over 16 = adults) without periodontitis at baseline; in… · 6 months Triclosan/copolymer containing toothpastes for oral health (2013) · Cochrane | MD 0.14 [-1.11, 1.39] | 1 study · 329 participants | Ungraded |
Capitation remuneration vs Fee-for-service remuneration Unintended effects: self-reported temptation to over-prescribe (0- to 100-point visual analogue scale) · Children (0- to 15-year-olds) undergoing routine continuing dental care at 354 dental practices, in matched pairs of… · 3 years The effect of different methods of remuneration on the behaviour of primary care dentists (2013) · Cochrane | MD -14.9 | 1 study | Ungraded |
Community and caregiver oral health education plus media campaign vs Pre-intervention BBTD rate Baby bottle tooth decay prevalence · Alaska Native and American Indian Head Start children · 3 years, Medium-intensity training Reducing Alaska Native paediatric oral health disparities: a systematic review of oral health interventions… (2013) | Percent reduction in BBTD prevalence 18 | 1 study | Ungraded |
Laser fluorescence (LF; DIAGNOdent) vs Reference standard (histological examination, operative intervention, or other/visual examination) Relative DOR by setting (LF, advanced, occlusal permanent) · Permanent teeth, occlusal surfaces, with suspected caries lesions · More advanced (dentine/cavitated) caries lesions threshold, Laboratory vs clinical (reference) Fluorescence-based methods for detecting caries lesions: systematic review, meta-analysis and sources of… (2013) | RDOR 0.28 [0.12, 0.66] | NR | Ungraded |
Electrostimulation (device) vs Placebo (sham/placebo device) Patient satisfaction with treatment · Adults with dry mouth due to Sjogren's Syndrome Interventions for the management of dry mouth: non‐pharmacological interventions (2013) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Capitation remuneration vs Fee-for-service remuneration Measures of health service utilisation: mean number of visits per 0- to 15-year-old · Children (0- to 15-year-olds) undergoing routine continuing dental care at 354 dental practices, in matched pairs of… · 3 years, Scottish community The effect of different methods of remuneration on the behaviour of primary care dentists (2013) · Cochrane | MD -0.5 | 1 study · 2250 participants | Low |
Two miniplates (transbuccal approach) vs One miniplate plus two screws (intraoral approach at external oblique ridge) Requirement for additional (surgical) interventions (plate removal) · Adults with fractures of the mandibular angle · Angle of mandible only Interventions for the management of mandibular fractures (2013) · Cochrane | RR 0.78 [0.19, 3.11] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Antibiotics (systemic) vs No antibiotics, placebo, or a different type of antibiotic Outcome NR · Patients (mainly children and young adults) with a history of dental trauma and a diagnosis of luxation (intrusion,… · Minimum 12 months follow-up Interventions for treating traumatised permanent front teeth: luxated (dislodged) teeth (2013) · Cochrane | Types of antibiotics: the effect of using no antibiotics, a placebo or different types of antibiotics. Main results: No randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials were found; no study was included in this review. | 0 studies | No studies |
Two miniplates (transbuccal approach) vs One miniplate plus two screws (intraoral approach at external oblique ridge) Post-operative adverse events and complications (lip numbness; overall) · Adults with fractures of the mandibular angle · Angle of mandible only Interventions for the management of mandibular fractures (2013) · Cochrane | Siddiqui 2007: 22/36 (61%) single-miniplate vs 14/26 (54%) two-miniplate had one or more complications; subjective lip numbness 15/36 (41.7%) vs 10/26 (38.5%) (P=0.82), objective 16/36 (44.4%) vs 8/26 (31.7%) (P=0.29).… | 2 studies | Ungraded |