Dental caries · Children with exclusively primary dentition (age ≤71 months)
In a meta-analysis of two cross-sectional studies, breastfed children had lower odds of dental caries than bottle-fed children (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.80); certainty was not formally graded.
2 findings from 1 review
OR 0.43 [0.23, 0.80]
2 studies · 620 participants
GRADE not reported
Breast and Bottle Feeding as Risk Factors for Dental Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2015 All outcomesKindergartens, hospitals and health centres; Kuwait, China, Syria, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Italy
Four studies showed that bottle fed children had more dental caries (p<0.05), while three studies found no such association (p>0.05); the review concluded that breastfeeding can protect against dental caries in early…
7 studies
GRADE not reported
Dental caries · Individuals of all ages
Individuals with Down syndrome had a lower prevalence of dental caries than those without (pooled OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.57; 2 studies; I2=0%); certainty of evidence not graded.
1 finding from 1 review
Specificity · Patients undergoing dental X-ray (radiographic) imaging for caries detection
Across 7 studies, AI showed high weighted-mean specificity (~87.9%) for caries detection, with very high heterogeneity (I2=96%); ungraded.
1 finding from 1 review
Diagnostic accuracy (prevalence of accuracy) · Patients undergoing dental X-ray (radiographic) imaging for caries detection
On digital bitewing X-rays, AI accuracy was around 80% (single study, narrow CI; ungraded subgroup, numeric estimate not precisely readable).
4 findings from 1 review
Accuracy of artificial intelligence in caries detection: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2025 All outcomesDental radiography (digital periapical, bitewing, panoramic; OCT/micro-CT in one study); studies 2017-2023 across China, South Korea, Brazil, Turkey, France, USA, UK, Taiwan, Germany, India, Netherlands · Digital bitewing X-rays (Fig 4a)
~80
1 study
GRADE not reported
Accuracy of artificial intelligence in caries detection: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2025 All outcomesDental radiography (digital periapical, bitewing, panoramic; OCT/micro-CT in one study); studies 2017-2023 across China, South Korea, Brazil, Turkey, France, USA, UK, Taiwan, Germany, India, Netherlands · Periapical X-rays (Fig 4c)
~76
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Accuracy of artificial intelligence in caries detection: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2025 All outcomesDental radiography (digital periapical, bitewing, panoramic; OCT/micro-CT in one study); studies 2017-2023 across China, South Korea, Brazil, Turkey, France, USA, UK, Taiwan, Germany, India, Netherlands · Digital panoramic X-rays (Fig 4b)
~70
1 study
GRADE not reported
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Accuracy of artificial intelligence in caries detection: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2025 All outcomesDental radiography (digital periapical, bitewing, panoramic; OCT/micro-CT in one study); studies 2017-2023 across China, South Korea, Brazil, Turkey, France, USA, UK, Taiwan, Germany, India, Netherlands · Overall (all X-ray types pooled)
OR 2.72 [14.65, 14.65]
14 studies
GRADE not reported
Sensitivity · Patients undergoing dental X-ray (radiographic) imaging for caries detection
Pooling 9 studies (17,190 participants), AI sensitivity for caries detection showed no significant association (pooled OR 1.258, 95% CI 0.493-2.540) with high heterogeneity (I2=86%); ungraded.
1 finding from 1 review
Access to/visited dental services prevalence · Children (deciduous and/or permanent dentition) in low- and middle-income countries
About 44% of children in LMICs had access to or had visited dental services (pooled prevalence 0.444, 95% CI 0.277 to 0.618; 5 studies; not GRADE-rated).
1 finding from 1 review
Development of >=1 new carious lesion (caries incidence) · Caries-free children to young adults with premolars/molars requiring pit-and-fissure sealants
In the single study reporting it, caries incidence was 0% in both the laser-alone and acid-etching groups (ungraded, single study).
1 finding from 1 review
Karaman 2013 (Er,Cr:YSGG laser vs acid-etching): incidence of caries was 0% in both groups; not meta-analyzed.
1 study · 16 participants
GRADE not reported
Development of >=1 new carious lesion (caries incidence) · Children (high caries risk) with permanent molars requiring pit-and-fissure sealants
Caries incidence was 10% with laser-plus-acid versus 22% with acid-etching at 18 months, a non-significant difference (ungraded, single study).
1 finding from 1 review
Durmus 2017 (Er:YAG laser+acid vs acid-etching): caries incidence 10% (n=8) in the laser-plus-acid group vs 22% (n=18) in the acid-etching group at 18 months; difference not statistically significant (P > 0.05).
1 study · 51 participants
GRADE not reported
Intervention not reported
Dental caries (early childhood caries)
The intervention led to higher dental caries (early childhood caries); GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
OR 17.8 [6.3, 50.3]
1 study
GRADE not reported
Early childhood caries (ECC) · Preschool children (<6 years)
After excluding one study, nocturnal breastfeeding was associated with higher ECC risk (RR 3.05, 95% CI 2.40 to 3.87; I²=33%).
2 findings from 1 review
Dental caries · Children and adolescents aged 0-18 years with non-syndromic cleft lip and palate (CLP)
Pooling 3 studies, children/adolescents with CLP were about 2.03 times more likely to have dental caries than non-CLP controls (p<0.005; low heterogeneity), though most included studies were at high risk of bias; the evidence is ungraded.
1 finding from 1 review
Early childhood caries (ECC) · Preschool children (<6 years)
After excluding Peres et al. (2017), breastfeeding for less than 24 months was associated with fewer caries (RR 0.49, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.62; I²=6%).
2 findings from 1 review
Early childhood caries (ECC) · Preschool children (<6 years)
After excluding five studies, breastfeeding was associated with lower ECC risk in cohort studies (RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.71 to 0.95; I²=0%).
3 findings from 1 review
Early childhood caries (ECC) · Preschool children (<6 years)
Breastfeeding for <12 vs ≥12 months was associated with significantly fewer caries (RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.50-0.86), indicating breastfeeding beyond 12 months increases ECC risk (substantial heterogeneity; ungraded).
2 findings from 1 review
Positive predictive value for dental caries diagnosis · Children and adults with primary or permanent dentition
Positive predictive values were reported in 10 of the 13 studies that reported sensitivity and specificity; no meta-analysis or GRADE rating was reported.
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
10 studies
GRADE not reported
Dental caries susceptibility · Institutionalized orphan children (roughly 3 to 18 years)
Male institutionalized children had a marginally higher caries risk than females (RR 1.02), a non-significant difference (very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Intervention not reported
Dental caries (early childhood caries)
The intervention led to lower dental caries (early childhood caries); GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Negative predictive value for dental caries diagnosis · Children and adults with primary or permanent dentition
Negative predictive values were reported in 10 of the 13 studies that reported sensitivity and specificity; no meta-analysis or GRADE rating was reported.
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
10 studies
GRADE not reported
Intervention not reported
Dental caries (early childhood caries)
1 finding from 1 review
AOR 6.5
1 study
GRADE not reported
Early childhood caries (ECC) · Preschool children (<6 years)
Breastfeeding for <18 vs ≥18 months was associated with significantly fewer caries (RR 0.41, 95% CI 0.18-0.92; substantial heterogeneity; ungraded).
2 findings from 1 review