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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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Topical ciclosporin 1.5% gel vs Topical clobetasol propionate 0.025% gel Relapse rate when medications stopped · People with erosive oral lichen planus Interventions for erosive lichen planus affecting mucosal sites (2012) · Cochrane | Topical clobetasol gave less stable results than ciclosporin when therapy ended and showed a higher incidence of side-effects (Conrotto 2006, n=40). | 1 study · 40 participants | Ungraded |
Sodium hypochlorite 1.3% with MTAD final rinse vs Sodium hypochlorite 1.3% with normal saline final rinse Proportion of participants with moderate to severe pain up to 6 hours after the procedure · Patients aged 14 to 78 years with mature permanent teeth (fully formed roots), single or multi-rooted, with pulpal or… Irrigants for non‐surgical root canal treatment in mature permanent teeth (2012) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Tilting-type RDP (minor connector design) vs Functional and sanitary RDP designs Alveolar bone height · Partially edentulous patients with a distal-extension RDP (minor connector); cross-over Interventions for replacing missing teeth: partially absent dentition (2012) · Cochrane | Difference in alveolar bone height was not statistically significant (P = 0.07); data narrative only | 1 study · 25 participants | Ungraded |
Topical clobetasol propionate 0.025% vs Topical clobetasol propionate 0.05% Pain reduction (VAS) · People with erosive oral lichen planus Interventions for erosive lichen planus affecting mucosal sites (2012) · Cochrane | MD -0.26 [-1.42, 0.90] | 1 study · 30 participants | Ungraded |
Brief one-session, manual-guided discussion based on the principles of motivational interviewing (aimed at reducing alcohol consumption) vs Treatment at the outpatient clinic as usual Alcohol consumption: consuming more than 21 units of alcohol per week · Male patients aged 16 to 35 years attending an oral and maxillofacial surgery outpatient clinic for follow-up of an… · 12 months One‐to‐one dietary interventions undertaken in a dental setting to change dietary behaviour (2012) · Cochrane | RR 0.52 [0.32, 0.85] | 1 study · 151 participants | Ungraded |
Sodium hypochlorite 5% vs Sodium hypochlorite 5% with proteolytic enzyme Proportion of participants with new or worsening signs/symptoms of inflammation requiring a revisit, up to 14 days after the procedure · Patients aged 14 to 78 years with mature permanent teeth (fully formed roots), single or multi-rooted, with pulpal or… Irrigants for non‐surgical root canal treatment in mature permanent teeth (2012) · Cochrane | RR 0.9 [0.6, 1.5] | 1 study · 166 participants | Ungraded |
Flapless implant placement vs Conventional flap elevation Biological complications · Patients receiving dental implants Interventions for replacing missing teeth: management of soft tissues for dental implants (2012) · Cochrane | RR 5.58 [0.65, 48.23] | 1 study · 80 participants | Ungraded |
Chlorhexidine 0.2% vs Normal saline Proportion of participants with moderate to severe pain 72 hours to 14 days after the procedure · Patients aged 14 to 78 years with mature permanent teeth (fully formed roots), single or multi-rooted, with pulpal or… Irrigants for non‐surgical root canal treatment in mature permanent teeth (2012) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Antiseptic mouthwash (e.g. chlorhexidine) vs Another topical agent or placebo Pain relief · HIV‐infected adults (> 13 years of age, per CDC) with one or more painful intraoral aphthous ulcers Topical treatments for HIV‐related oral ulcers (2012) · Cochrane | No studies were included in this review. A total of 233 abstracts were retrieved; 25 were selected as potentially eligible but all were excluded (10 reported systemic rather than topical treatment; 3 non‐RCTs; 6… | 0 studies | No studies |
1% pimecrolimus cream vs Placebo (vehicle cream) Side-effects reported · People with erosive oral lichen planus Interventions for erosive lichen planus affecting mucosal sites (2012) · Cochrane | Table 3 (Side-effects). Passeron 2007: 1% pimecrolimus well-tolerated, transient burning (2) during the first 2 weeks. Swift 2005: pimecrolimus - slight burning of the tip of the tongue after applying 1% pimecrolimus… | 3 studies · 52 participants | Ungraded |
1% pimecrolimus cream vs Placebo (vehicle cream) Physician Global Assessment (strong improvement) · People with erosive oral lichen planus Interventions for erosive lichen planus affecting mucosal sites (2012) · Cochrane | RR 7.00 [1.04, 46.95] | 1 study · 20 participants | Ungraded |
Subantimicrobial dose doxycycline (20 mg twice daily for 90 days) vs Placebo Total number of new ulcers over 90 days · Participants with a previous or current history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), diagnosed on history and… · 90 days Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) (2012) · Cochrane | MD -16.40 [-30.44, -2.36] | 1 study · 50 participants | Ungraded |
Sodium hypochlorite 5.25% vs Normal saline Proportion of participants or samples with positive bacterial growth culture, up to 72 hours after the procedure · Patients aged 14 to 78 years with mature permanent teeth (fully formed roots), single or multi-rooted, with pulpal or… Irrigants for non‐surgical root canal treatment in mature permanent teeth (2012) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Dietary counselling tailored to a Stage of Change (Transtheoretical Model) to increase fruit and vegetable intake (two counselling sessions) vs Usual care Body Mass Index (BMI, kg/m2) · Edentulous patients aged 45 to 80 years attending dental-student teaching clinics for replacement dentures, Newcastle… · 6 weeks after receiving replacement dentures (about 10 weeks after baseline) One‐to‐one dietary interventions undertaken in a dental setting to change dietary behaviour (2012) · Cochrane | Mean (SD) BMI kg/m2 (Table 1): intervention 27.4 (3.5) to 27.2 (3.4); control 26.1 (3.3) to 26.1 (3.4). No statistically significant difference between intervention and control (P=0.22). | 1 study · 58 participants | Ungraded |
Sodium hypochlorite 5% vs Sodium hypochlorite 5% with proteolytic enzyme Proportion of participants with moderate to severe pain 72 hours to 14 days after the procedure · Patients aged 14 to 78 years with mature permanent teeth (fully formed roots), single or multi-rooted, with pulpal or… Irrigants for non‐surgical root canal treatment in mature permanent teeth (2012) · Cochrane | None of the participants in either intervention group reported moderate to severe pain persisting after day 2. | 1 study · 166 participants | Ungraded |
Er:YAG laser debridement vs Manual debridement plus chlorhexidine irrigation/gel Change in probing attachment level (PAL) · People with at least one dental implant affected by peri-implantitis · 6 months Interventions for replacing missing teeth: treatment of peri‐implantitis (2012) · Cochrane | No statistically significant differences for change in PAL. | 1 study · 20 participants | Ungraded |
Any topical or systemic intervention vs Placebo, no treatment, or another intervention Outcome NR · People with erosive anogenital (genital) lichen planus Interventions for erosive lichen planus affecting mucosal sites (2012) · Cochrane | None of the included studies assessed the effectiveness of treatments of genital ELP; no evidence was found for genital ELP. | 0 studies | No studies |
RDP with I-bar clasps / mesial rests vs RDP with circumferential clasps / distal rests Change in abutment tooth mobility at 60 months · Partially edentulous patients treated with a removable dental prosthesis (RDP) · 60 months Interventions for replacing missing teeth: partially absent dentition (2012) · Cochrane | MD -0.01 [-0.12, 0.1] | 1 study · 80 participants | Ungraded |
Vertical ramus osteotomy (VRO) with osteosynthesis vs Vertical ramus osteotomy (VRO) without osteosynthesis Changes in condyle position: fossa-condyle relations for anterior (1 year post-operative) · Adults (16 years of age or older) with an Angle Class III malocclusion (prominent lower front teeth); people with… · 1 year post-surgery Treatments for adults with prominent lower front teeth (2012) · Cochrane | MD 0.00 [-0.38, 0.38] | 1 study · 53 participants | Ungraded |
Intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate vs Intra-articular injection of corticosteroids (betamethasone) Presence of TMJ sounds · Adults (>18 years) with temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) diagnosed by RDC/TMD or compatible criteria · 14 days Interventions for managing temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (2012) · Cochrane | RR 0.59 [0.37, 0.95] | 1 study · 40 participants | Ungraded |
Topical thalidomide vs Another topical agent or placebo Pain relief · HIV‐infected adults (> 13 years of age, per CDC) with one or more painful intraoral aphthous ulcers Topical treatments for HIV‐related oral ulcers (2012) · Cochrane | No studies were included in this review. A total of 233 abstracts were retrieved; 25 were selected as potentially eligible but all were excluded (10 reported systemic rather than topical treatment; 3 non‐RCTs; 6… | 0 studies | No studies |
Topical corticosteroids vs Another topical agent or placebo Duration to heal oral ulcerations after initiation of treatment · HIV‐infected adults (> 13 years of age, per CDC) with one or more painful intraoral aphthous ulcers Topical treatments for HIV‐related oral ulcers (2012) · Cochrane | No studies were included in this review. A total of 233 abstracts were retrieved; 25 were selected as potentially eligible but all were excluded (10 reported systemic rather than topical treatment; 3 non‐RCTs; 6… | 0 studies | No studies |
Glucosamine sulfate (oral) vs Ibuprofen (oral) Extraoral masticatory muscle tenderness (number of tender sites), change from baseline · Adults (>18 years) with temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) diagnosed by RDC/TMD or compatible criteria · 90 days Interventions for managing temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (2012) · Cochrane | MD 0.38 [-2.30, 3.06] | 1 study · 45 participants | Ungraded |
Vitamin B12 (sublingual, 1000 mcg daily for 6 months) vs Placebo Pain score · Participants with a previous or current history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), diagnosed on history and… · 6 months Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) (2012) · Cochrane | MD -1.72 [-2.70, -0.74] | 1 study · 58 participants | Ungraded |
Levamisole (150 mg per day) vs Placebo Decrease in duration of attacks · Participants with a previous or current history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), diagnosed on history and… Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) (2012) · Cochrane | RR 4.29 [0.67, 27.24] | 1 study | Ungraded |
1% pimecrolimus cream vs Placebo (vehicle cream) Participant global self-assessment · People with erosive oral lichen planus Interventions for erosive lichen planus affecting mucosal sites (2012) · Cochrane | One study (Passeron 2007) assessed participant global self-assessment on a 5-point scale: 5/6 participants in the 1% pimecrolimus group rated their improvement as moderate or important versus 1/6 in the placebo group… | 1 study · 12 participants | Ungraded |
Laser therapy Outcome NR · Adults (>18 years) with temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) diagnosed by RDC/TMD or compatible criteria Interventions for managing temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (2012) · Cochrane | The review noted the noticeable absence of evidence for laser therapy; no eligible RCT evaluated it (Discussion). | 0 studies | No studies |
Sodium hypochlorite 5.25% with hydrogen peroxide 3% vs Normal saline Mean change in health-related quality of life or participant-expressed satisfaction with the procedure · Patients aged 14 to 78 years with mature permanent teeth (fully formed roots), single or multi-rooted, with pulpal or… Irrigants for non‐surgical root canal treatment in mature permanent teeth (2012) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Sulodexide (heparin plus dermatan sulphate chains) vs Prednisone (oral) Overall effectiveness (days to resolution; number of aphthae per month) · Participants with a previous or current history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), diagnosed on history and… Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) (2012) · Cochrane | A comparison between sulodexide (n=10) and prednisone (n=10) was made in a trial at high risk of bias (Femiano 2003). Data presented as ranges/totals only with no estimate of variability, precluding further analysis.… | 1 study · 20 participants | Ungraded |
Sodium hypochlorite 5% (also 2.5%) vs Sodium hypochlorite 1% Proportion of participants with new or worsening signs/symptoms of inflammation requiring a revisit, up to 14 days after the procedure · Patients aged 14 to 78 years with mature permanent teeth (fully formed roots), single or multi-rooted, with pulpal or… Irrigants for non‐surgical root canal treatment in mature permanent teeth (2012) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Diclofenac sodium (oral NSAID) vs Occlusal splint therapy Complications (adverse effects) · Adults (>18 years) with temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) diagnosed by RDC/TMD or compatible criteria Interventions for managing temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (2012) · Cochrane | RR 1.07 [0.50, 2.28] | 1 study · 29 participants | Ungraded |
Nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (Ostim) vs Bovine-derived xenograft (Bio-Oss) plus resorbable barrier Change in probing pocket depth (PPD) · People with at least one dental implant affected by peri-implantitis · 4 years Interventions for replacing missing teeth: treatment of peri‐implantitis (2012) · Cochrane | MD -1.4 [-1.99, -0.81] | 1 study · 22 participants | Ungraded |
Any topical or systemic intervention (topical/systemic steroids, ciclosporin, tacrolimus, retinoids, anti-malarials, biologics, phototherapy, surgery) vs Placebo, no treatment, another active intervention, or a different dose of the same intervention Eating a normally varied diet · People of any age with erosive lichen planus affecting the oral, anogenital, and/or oesophageal regions Interventions for erosive lichen planus affecting mucosal sites (2012) · Cochrane | No studies reported this outcome. | 0 studies | No studies |
Laser-welded titanium framework vs Cast gold framework Framework survival (5 years) · Patients with implant-supported FDPs; split-mouth, 5-year · 5 years Interventions for replacing missing teeth: partially absent dentition (2012) · Cochrane | 95% (20/21) titanium and 100% cast gold frameworks surviving 5 years; could not calculate an estimate of relative risk from the data as presented; non-significant differences in maintenance visits and alveolar bone loss | 1 study · 21 participants | Ungraded |
Glucosamine sulfate (oral) vs Ibuprofen (oral) Reported pain (mm on VAS), change from baseline · Adults (>18 years) with temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) diagnosed by RDC/TMD or compatible criteria · 90 days Interventions for managing temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (2012) · Cochrane | MD -4.57 [-9.91, 0.77] | 1 study · 45 participants | Ungraded |
Altered-cast technique RDP vs One-piece cast RDP Patient satisfaction · Partially edentulous patients treated with a distal-extension RDP Interventions for replacing missing teeth: partially absent dentition (2012) · Cochrane | Patients were equally satisfied with the two types of RDP (narrative) | 1 study · 57 participants | Ungraded |
Glucosamine sulfate (oral) vs Ibuprofen (oral) Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) - pain intensity, change from baseline · Adults (>18 years) with temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) diagnosed by RDC/TMD or compatible criteria · 90 days Interventions for managing temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (2012) · Cochrane | MD -2.69 [-7.38, 2.00] | 1 study · 45 participants | Ungraded |
Sodium hypochlorite 5.25% with hydrogen peroxide 3% vs Normal saline Adverse effects · Patients aged 14 to 78 years with mature permanent teeth (fully formed roots), single or multi-rooted, with pulpal or… Irrigants for non‐surgical root canal treatment in mature permanent teeth (2012) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 0 studies | No studies |
Er:YAG laser vs Air-abrasive device (Perio-Flow) Complications and side effects · People with at least one dental implant affected by peri-implantitis · 6 months Interventions for replacing missing teeth: treatment of peri‐implantitis (2012) · Cochrane | After 6 months there were no complications. | 1 study · 42 participants | Ungraded |
Colchicine (0.5 mg three times per day) vs Clofazimine (100 mg daily for 30 days, then 100 mg every other day) Complete remission, pain intensity, patient and physician evaluation · Participants with a previous or current history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), diagnosed on history and… · 6 months Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) (2012) · Cochrane | One trial at high risk of bias (de Abreu 2009) compared clofazimine (n=23) with colchicine (n=23). The number with no further aphthous episodes at 6 months was significantly greater in the clofazimine group than the… | 1 study · 46 participants | Ungraded |
Antiseptic mouthwash (e.g. chlorhexidine) vs Another topical agent or placebo Duration to heal oral ulcerations after initiation of treatment · HIV‐infected adults (> 13 years of age, per CDC) with one or more painful intraoral aphthous ulcers Topical treatments for HIV‐related oral ulcers (2012) · Cochrane | No studies were included in this review. A total of 233 abstracts were retrieved; 25 were selected as potentially eligible but all were excluded (10 reported systemic rather than topical treatment; 3 non‐RCTs; 6… | 0 studies | No studies |
Bee propolis (one 500 mg capsule per day) vs Placebo Mean number of lesions over treatment period · Participants with a previous or current history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), diagnosed on history and… · 6 months (minimum) Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) (2012) · Cochrane | MD -2.6 [-7.30, 2.10] | 1 study · 19 participants | Ungraded |
Beta-glucan (1.3/1.6 beta-glucan 10 mg twice daily for 20 days) vs Placebo Adverse effects · Participants with a previous or current history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), diagnosed on history and… · 20 days Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) (2012) · Cochrane | There was no reporting of adverse effects. | 1 study · 31 participants | Ungraded |
Metronidazole gel 25% (local antibiotic) vs Ultrasonic debridement Change in probing pocket depth · People with at least one dental implant affected by peri-implantitis · 12 weeks Interventions for replacing missing teeth: treatment of peri‐implantitis (2012) · Cochrane | After 12 weeks there was no statistically significant difference in PPD changes. | 1 study · 27 participants | Ungraded |
Individually designed, patient-centred preventive programme: dietary counselling (snacking timing, regular meals, fermentable carbohydrates) plus toothbrushing counselling, delivered by trained dental hygienists (a multi-intervention) vs Basic prevention offered as standard in public dental clinics Drinking soft drinks less than daily · Children aged 11 to 12 years with at least one active initial caries lesion, screened in a town in Finland · 2 to 4 years One‐to‐one dietary interventions undertaken in a dental setting to change dietary behaviour (2012) · Cochrane | Table 2: 77% (193) versus 75% (185) at follow-up (baseline 71% versus 69%). No significant change. | 1 study · 497 participants | Ungraded |
Levamisole 50 mg three times per day for days 1 and 2 vs Levamisole 50 mg three times per day for day 1 and placebo for day 2 (lower dose) Adverse effects · Participants with a previous or current history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), diagnosed on history and… · 16 weeks Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) (2012) · Cochrane | Two patients in each group reported unwanted effects. | 1 study | Ungraded |
LongoVital (herbal plus vitamin supplement) vs Placebo Number of ulcer-free days and number of new ulcers · Participants with a previous or current history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), diagnosed on history and… · 4 months Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) (2012) · Cochrane | Forty patients were randomised to receive LongoVital (herbal plus vitamin) or placebo (Kolseth 2005). Data presented as medians with 95% confidence intervals, unsuitable for further analysis. The authors report no… | 1 study · 40 participants | Ungraded |
Ketac-cem (glass ionomer) cement vs Zinc phosphate cement Post-operative hypersensitivity, tooth vitality, prosthesis retention and secondary caries · Patients receiving cemented FDPs; split-mouth Interventions for replacing missing teeth: partially absent dentition (2012) · Cochrane | No difference in post-operative hypersensitivity, tooth vitality, prosthesis retention, and secondary caries; paired data not provided in the correct form; trial at high risk of bias (narrative) | 1 study | Ungraded |
Bee propolis (one 500 mg capsule per day) vs Placebo Reduction of outbreaks (expected vs observed ulcers) · Participants with a previous or current history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), diagnosed on history and… · 6 months (minimum) Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) (2012) · Cochrane | The authors report a statistically significant difference in the reduction of outbreaks based on the difference between expected and observed number of ulcers (Fisher's exact test, one sided, P=0.04). | 1 study · 19 participants | Ungraded |
Betamethasone (systemic corticosteroid) vs Placebo or no treatment Outcome NR · Participants with a previous or current history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), diagnosed on history and… Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) (2012) · Cochrane | Table 1 (Systemic agents used in the management of aphthous stomatitis): 'Studies of these corticosteroids were not found or included in the review but are included here for completeness. They are not given orally for… | 0 studies | No studies |