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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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Arthrocentesis 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 | No study evaluated arthrocentesis for TMJ OA, which should be explored in future trials (Research recommendations Table 1). | 0 studies | No studies |
Clobetasol-17-propionate 0.025% lipid-loaded microspheres vs Conventional 0.025% clobetasol lipophilic ointment in hydrophilic phase Physician Global Assessment (Thongprasom score) · People with erosive oral lichen planus Interventions for erosive lichen planus affecting mucosal sites (2012) · Cochrane | MD 0.00 [-0.61, 0.61] | 1 study · 45 participants | Ungraded |
Adjunctive local antibiotic (8.5% doxycycline hyclate, Atridox) added to manual debridement vs Manual debridement with chlorhexidine (no antibiotic) Complications and side effects · People with at least one dental implant affected by peri-implantitis · 4 months (18 weeks) Interventions for replacing missing teeth: treatment of peri‐implantitis (2012) · Cochrane | No complications occurred in any of the groups. | 1 study · 28 participants | Ungraded |
Thalidomide (immunomodulator) 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 | Authors' conclusions: 'this review did not find trials involving several of other systemic interventions used for RAS, for example thalidomide in the absence of any systemic condition, despite its limitations on… | 0 studies | No studies |
1% pimecrolimus cream vs Placebo (vehicle cream) Pain reduction (VAS) · People with erosive oral lichen planus Interventions for erosive lichen planus affecting mucosal sites (2012) · Cochrane | MD -3.30 [-20.22, 13.62] | 2 studies · 32 participants | Ungraded |
Dietary counselling tailored to a Stage of Change (Transtheoretical Model) to increase fruit and vegetable intake (two counselling sessions) vs Usual care Fruit consumption behaviour: proportion in the Action Stage of Change (versus Pre-Action) · 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 | At follow-up 75% (22) of the intervention group versus 29% (8) of the control were in the Action Stage of Change for fruit consumption (P<0.001); baseline 20% (6) versus 8% (2). Significant difference between groups.… | 1 study · 58 participants | Ungraded |
Erbium:YAG laser (implant exposure) vs Flap elevation at implant exposure Biological complications · Patients undergoing implant exposure (second-stage surgery) Interventions for replacing missing teeth: management of soft tissues for dental implants (2012) · Cochrane | RR 3.0 [0.14, 65.90] | 1 study · 20 participants | Ungraded |
Intraoral vertical ramus osteotomy (IVRO) vs Sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) Stability of correction: sagittal changes of B-point (1 week to 1 year) · Adults (16 years of age or older) with an Angle Class III malocclusion (prominent lower front teeth); people with… · 1 week to 1 year post-surgery Treatments for adults with prominent lower front teeth (2012) · Cochrane | MD -0.22 [-0.58, 0.14] | 1 study · 30 participants | Ungraded |
Sodium hypochlorite 5.25% vs Sodium hypochlorite 5.25% with hydrogen peroxide 3% 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 |
Zirconia abutment vs Titanium abutment Abutment/crown fracture and marginal bone level (3 years) · Patients with single-tooth implant crowns; split-mouth, 3-year · 3 years Interventions for replacing missing teeth: partially absent dentition (2012) · Cochrane | No fractures of any abutments or crowns; non-significant differences in mean marginal bone levels, which ranged from 1.6 to 2.1 mm (narrative) | 1 study · 22 participants | Ungraded |
Topical ciclosporin 1.5% gel vs Topical clobetasol propionate 0.025% gel Pain (>=50% improvement in symptoms) · People with erosive oral lichen planus Interventions for erosive lichen planus affecting mucosal sites (2012) · Cochrane | RR 0.47 [0.17, 1.32] | 1 study · 40 participants | Ungraded |
Sodium hypochlorite 5.25% with hydrogen peroxide 3% vs Normal saline Change in periapical radiolucency (radiography or CBCT), up to 1 year after treatment · 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 |
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 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 |
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 sports drinks no more than once per week · 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: 87% (218) versus 86% (212) at follow-up (baseline 81% versus 87%). No significant change. | 1 study · 497 participants | Ungraded |
Fixed dental prosthesis (cantilever FDP) vs Removable dental prosthesis (RDP) Patient satisfaction with prosthesis · Patients with a shortened dental arch (missing posterior teeth) Interventions for replacing missing teeth: partially absent dentition (2012) · Cochrane | RR 1.22 [0.99, 1.51] | 1 study · 54 participants | Ungraded |
Clofazimine (100 mg daily for 30 days, then 100 mg every other day) vs Placebo Adverse effects · 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 | Clofazimine was associated with an increase in cutaneous adverse effects (skin pigmentation and drying) (Fisher's exact test P=0.015), but these were reported to be easily controlled. | 1 study · 43 participants | Ungraded |
LongoVital (herbal component alone) vs Placebo Number of days of ulcers (monthly average) · Participants with a previous or current history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), diagnosed on history and… · 4 to 6 months Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) (2012) · Cochrane | MD -0.80 [-3.30, 1.70] | 1 study · 50 participants | Ungraded |
Radix tripterygium hypoglaucum tablet (THT) vs Tripterygium glucosides tablet (TGT) Side-effects reported · People with erosive oral lichen planus Interventions for erosive lichen planus affecting mucosal sites (2012) · Cochrane | Table 3 (Side-effects). Lin 2005: TGT - menstrual disturbance (6) and leucopenia (1). Tripterygium glucosides are known to be cytotoxic and unsuitable for individuals of child-bearing age. | 1 study · 94 participants | Ungraded |
Er:YAG laser vs Air-abrasive device (Perio-Flow) Radiographic marginal bone level change · 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 no statistically significant difference for peri-implant marginal bone levels. | 1 study · 42 participants | Ungraded |
Flapless implant placement vs Conventional flap elevation Implant failure · Patients receiving dental implants Interventions for replacing missing teeth: management of soft tissues for dental implants (2012) · Cochrane | RR 1.70 [0.32, 8.94] | 2 studies · 96 participants | Ungraded |
Zirconia framework FDP vs Metal framework FDP Survival / framework fracture (3 years) · Patients receiving FDPs; parallel group, 3-year · 3 years Interventions for replacing missing teeth: partially absent dentition (2012) · Cochrane | 100% survival and no framework fractures in either group after 3 years; no significant differences between groups with respect to porcelain fractures and mean survival time (narrative) | 1 study | Ungraded |
Iontophoretically applied corticosteroids 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 iontophoretically applied corticosteroids; no eligible RCT evaluated it (Discussion). | 0 studies | No studies |
Crestal incision vs Vestibular incision Biological complications · Patients receiving dental implants Interventions for replacing missing teeth: management of soft tissues for dental implants (2012) · Cochrane | Biological complications: Odds Ratio (M-H, Fixed, 95% CI), Subtotals only (no pooled estimate reported); 1 study (Heydenrijk 2000); 4 crestal vs 1 vestibular had hyperplastic tissue over the healing abutment | 1 study | Ungraded |
Technique to increase peri-implant keratinised/attached mucosa vs No increase of keratinised/attached mucosa Outcome NR · Patients receiving dental implants Interventions for replacing missing teeth: management of soft tissues for dental implants (2012) · Cochrane | No trial: whether the peri-implant keratinised/attached mucosa has to be increased (objective 3a) - no trial identified | 0 studies | No studies |
Intraoral vertical ramus osteotomy (IVRO) vs Sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) Stability of correction: sagittal changes of pogonion (1 week to 1 year) · Adults (16 years of age or older) with an Angle Class III malocclusion (prominent lower front teeth); people with… · 1 week to 1 year post-surgery Treatments for adults with prominent lower front teeth (2012) · Cochrane | MD -0.24 [-0.67, 0.19] | 1 study · 30 participants | Ungraded |
Ciclosporin rinse vs Placebo (vehicle) Side-effects reported · People with erosive oral lichen planus Interventions for erosive lichen planus affecting mucosal sites (2012) · Cochrane | Table 3 (Side-effects). Eisen 1990: no adverse side-effects; transient burning sensation of mucosal surfaces during swishing of medication reported in all participants. | 1 study · 8 participants | Ungraded |
Alternative alloy FDP (e.g., Ceramalloy II / base-metal / palladium-silver) vs High-gold content control alloy FDP (Olympia) Laboratory cost per unit · Patients receiving crowns and FDPs; split-mouth, 10-year · 10 years Interventions for replacing missing teeth: partially absent dentition (2012) · Cochrane | Gold costs significantly higher: USD 89 per unit for gold compared to USD 53 for palladium-silver alloy and USD 37 for base-metal alloy | 1 study | Ungraded |
HAART regimen + topical treatment vs HAART regimen alone Incidence and recurrence after healing of ulcers · 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 |
Subantimicrobial dose doxycycline (20 mg twice daily for 90 days) vs Placebo Number of new lesions per day · 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 -0.19 [-0.35, -0.03] | 1 study · 50 participants | Ungraded |
Tetracycline suspension (250 mg, held in mouth 2 minutes then swallowed, four times daily for 5 days) vs Placebo Adjusted maximum ulcer size and adjusted maximum pain · Participants with a previous or current history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), diagnosed on history and… · 5 days per outbreak Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) (2012) · Cochrane | A statistically significant difference was shown, in favour of tetracycline, for adjusted maximum ulcer size (P=0.034) and adjusted maximum pain (P=0.017). | 1 study | Ungraded |
Daily multivitamin vs Placebo Duration of episodes · 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 | MD -0.33 [-2.06, 1.40] | 1 study | Ungraded |
LongoVital (herbal component alone) 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 | Kolseth 2005 (high risk of bias): 40 patients randomised to the herbal component of LongoVital alone or placebo; data presented as medians with 95% CIs, unsuitable for further analysis; no statistically significant… | 1 study · 40 participants | Ungraded |
Tooth/implant FDP with rigid connectors vs Tooth/implant FDP with non-rigid connectors Non-scheduled maintenance visits · Patients with tooth/implant-supported FDPs; split-mouth · 5 years Interventions for replacing missing teeth: partially absent dentition (2012) · Cochrane | 70 non-scheduled maintenance visits to treat problems with rigid connectors compared to 110 visits for non-rigid connectors; unclear if this difference was considered significant | 1 study · 42 participants | Ungraded |
Vitamin B12 (sublingual, 1000 mcg daily for 6 months) vs Placebo Frequency of outbreaks per month · 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 -8.74 [-16.62, -0.86] | 1 study · 58 participants | Ungraded |
0.1% triamcinolone acetonide in orabase vs Ciclosporin solution Side-effects reported · People with erosive oral lichen planus Interventions for erosive lichen planus affecting mucosal sites (2012) · Cochrane | Table 3 (Side-effects). Yoke 2006: no significant adverse events; transient burning sensation upon initial application with both treatments. | 1 study · 15 participants | Ungraded |
Sodium hypochlorite 5.25% with EDTA 17% vs Sodium hypochlorite 1.3% with MTAD 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 |
Flapless implant placement vs Conventional flap elevation Prosthetic failure · Patients receiving dental implants Interventions for replacing missing teeth: management of soft tissues for dental implants (2012) · Cochrane | RR 1.0 [0.14, 7.10] | 1 study | Ungraded |
One suturing technique/material vs A different suturing technique/material Outcome NR · Patients receiving dental implants Interventions for replacing missing teeth: management of soft tissues for dental implants (2012) · Cochrane | No trial: which suturing techniques/materials are most effective (objective 4) - no trial identified | 0 studies | No studies |
Perilla cooking oil vs Soybean cooking oil Adverse effects · Participants with a previous or current history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), diagnosed on history and… · 8 months Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) (2012) · Cochrane | No adverse events were reported. | 1 study · 33 participants | Ungraded |
Ciclosporin rinse vs Placebo (vehicle) Physician Global Assessment (severity of disease) · People with erosive oral lichen planus Interventions for erosive lichen planus affecting mucosal sites (2012) · Cochrane | MD -1.40 [-1.86, -0.94] | 1 study · 8 participants | Ungraded |
Intraoral vertical ramus osteotomy (IVRO) vs Sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) Stability of correction: vertical changes of B-point (1 week to 1 year) · Adults (16 years of age or older) with an Angle Class III malocclusion (prominent lower front teeth); people with… · 1 week to 1 year post-surgery Treatments for adults with prominent lower front teeth (2012) · Cochrane | MD 0.09 [-0.44, 0.62] | 1 study · 30 participants | Ungraded |
Sodium hypochlorite 5.25% with hydrogen peroxide 3% 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 |
Tetracycline suspension (250 mg, held in mouth 2 minutes then swallowed, four times daily for 5 days) vs Placebo Average number of new lesions per week · Participants with a previous or current history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), diagnosed on history and… · 5 days per outbreak Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) (2012) · Cochrane | MD -0.47 [-1.34, 0.40] | 1 study | Ungraded |
Sodium hypochlorite 1% with chlorhexidine 2% final rinse vs Sodium hypochlorite 1% 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 |
Fluocinonide in adhesive base vs Placebo Partial response (>33% improvement) · People with erosive oral lichen planus Interventions for erosive lichen planus affecting mucosal sites (2012) · Cochrane | RR 3.00 [0.62, 14.62] | 1 study · 27 participants | Ungraded |
Adjunctive local antibiotic (8.5% doxycycline hyclate, Atridox) added to manual debridement vs Manual debridement with chlorhexidine (no antibiotic) Change in probing pocket depth (PPD) · People with at least one dental implant affected by peri-implantitis · 4 months (18 weeks) Interventions for replacing missing teeth: treatment of peri‐implantitis (2012) · Cochrane | MD 0.59 [0.39, 0.79] | 1 study · 28 participants | Ungraded |
One-to-one advice on sugar restriction: detailed information on the sugar content of foods, with instruction to refrain from sugar-containing foods between meals and to reduce sugar in main meals (6-week sugar restriction) vs No advice on sugar restriction Sugar intake frequency at main meals (mean number of intakes per day) · Adults with frequent sugar intake harbouring Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus in saliva (14 dental… · Follow-up at 3, 6 and 12 weeks One‐to‐one dietary interventions undertaken in a dental setting to change dietary behaviour (2012) · Cochrane | Table 5, mean (SD) intakes/day at main meals: intervention 2.8 (0.5) baseline, 0.7 (0.7) at 3 weeks, 0.8 (0.9) at 6 weeks, 2.3 (0.8) at 12 weeks; control 1.9 (1.1), 1.9 (1.2), 1.9 (1.1), 2.0 (0.9). Significant… | 1 study · 20 participants | Ungraded |
Clobetasol propionate ointment 0.05% vs 5% topical mesalazine gel in adhesive base Side-effects reported · People with erosive oral lichen planus Interventions for erosive lichen planus affecting mucosal sites (2012) · Cochrane | Table 3 (Side-effects). Sardella 1998: no side-effects (there were no reported side-effects with topical mesalazine gel). | 1 study · 12 participants | Ungraded |
Intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate vs Intra-articular injection of corticosteroids (betamethasone) Reported pain (mm on VAS) · Adults (>18 years) with temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) diagnosed by RDC/TMD or compatible criteria · 6 months Interventions for managing temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (2012) · Cochrane | MD -17.00 [-32.60, -1.40] | 1 study · 40 participants | Ungraded |
Sodium hypochlorite 1% with chlorhexidine 2% final rinse vs Sodium hypochlorite 1% with normal saline final rinse 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 | RR 0.14 [0.02, 0.99] | 1 study · 24 participants | Ungraded |