Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

Refine by population, intervention, comparison or outcome
More filters
Evidence found and GRADE certainty

179 questions · 212 findings · 21 reviews · All outcomes

No studies found 3 · 1.4%GRADE not reported 135 · 63.7%Very low 17 · 8%Low 30 · 14.2%Moderate 27 · 12.7%High 0 · 0%

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) + calcium hydroxide vs Calcium hydroxide (CH)

Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) + calcium hydroxide showed no clear difference in radiological failure compared with calcium hydroxide (CH); GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Partial pulpotomy with tri-calcium silicate material (MTA or Biodentine) vs Partial pulpotomy with calcium hydroxide

Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Adults aged 18 years or older with mature permanent teeth and carious pulp exposure

Partial pulpotomy with tri-calcium silicate cements (MTA/Biodentine) has a much higher success rate than with calcium hydroxide in adults (86.8% vs 34.3%; ungraded).

2 findings from 1 review

Calcium phosphate agent (e.g., CPP-ACP, Ca/P-PILP, niobophosphate) vs Calcium-based agent

Immediate (24 h) resin-dentin bond strength (MPa) · Artificial caries-affected dentin (ACAD) in extracted permanent human teeth (in vitro)

In the Etch-and-Rinse adhesive + chemical ACAD protocol network, Calcium Phosphate vs Calcium showed no significant difference in 24 h bond strength (MD 0.596, 95% CI -7.289 to 8.482; Low certainty).

2 findings from 1 review

Calcium phosphate vs control

Immediate (24 h) resin-dentin bond strength (MPa) · permanent human teeth with artificial caries-affected dentin

Calcium phosphate minus Control was -21.209 MPa (95% CI -25.954 to -16.463) at 24 h.

2 findings from 1 review

Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE)

Clinical success (survival free of symptoms) at 24 months · Adults with asymptomatic teeth with vital carious pulp exposures
1 finding from 1 review
  • Shovelton 1971 (Analysis 1.1): 275 teeth followed for 2 years (235 at 6 months, 160 at 12 months, 85 analysed at 24 months). Success rates 50% to 80%. Ledermix and calcium hydroxide had the highest success rates,…
    1 study · 275 participants
    GRADE not reported

Calcium-based agent vs Fluoride agent (e.g., NaF/SDF/KF/CaF2)

Immediate (24 h) resin-dentin bond strength (MPa) · Artificial caries-affected dentin (ACAD) in extracted permanent human teeth (in vitro)

In the Self-Etch adhesive + chemical ACAD protocol network, Calcium vs Fluorine showed no significant difference in 24 h bond strength (MD -0.523, 95% CI -5.404 to 4.358; Low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Calcium-based agent vs No biomimetic remineralization (control)

Immediate (24 h) resin-dentin bond strength (MPa) · Artificial caries-affected dentin (ACAD) in extracted permanent human teeth (in vitro)

In the Self-Etch adhesive + chemical ACAD protocol network, Calcium vs Control showed no significant difference in 24 h bond strength (MD -1.124, 95% CI -5.917 to 3.670; Moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

CPP-ACP vs Pre-treatment (baseline, same group)

Quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF), fluorescence loss · Patients (mainly children) with white spot lesions (WSL)

Compared with baseline, CPP-ACP significantly improved white spot lesions on QLF (SMD -0.43, 95% CI -0.79 to -0.07; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

CPP-ACP vs Placebo paste without CPP-ACP (fluoride toothpaste control)

Quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF), fluorescence loss · Patients (mainly children) with white spot lesions (WSL)

CPP-ACP toothpaste did not differ significantly from placebo paste (fluoride control) for white spot lesion remineralization on QLF (MD 0.08, 95% CI -0.91 to 1.08; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA)

Dentin bridge formation · Patients with carious pulp exposure in permanent teeth undergoing partial pulpotomy

Evidence on dentin bridge formation for calcium hydroxide versus MTA is weak and imprecise, with no material shown superior (4 RCTs, not pooled; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA)

Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Patients with carious pulp exposure in immature permanent teeth

In immature teeth, the effect of MTA versus calcium hydroxide on success is very uncertain (OR 2.22, 95% CI 0.13-36.67; very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA)

Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Patients with carious pulp exposure in permanent teeth undergoing direct pulp capping

For direct pulp capping, MTA probably achieves higher clinical and radiographic success than calcium hydroxide (OR 3.10, 95% CI 1.66-5.79; moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA)

Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Patients with carious pulp exposure in permanent teeth of mixed/unspecified root maturation

In mixed-maturation teeth, the effect of MTA versus calcium hydroxide on success is very uncertain (OR 1.11, 95% CI 0.17-7.11; very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA)

Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Patients with carious pulp exposure in permanent teeth undergoing pulpotomy

For pulpotomy, whether MTA improves success over calcium hydroxide is uncertain (OR 2.36, 95% CI 0.47-11.75; low certainty; CI includes no effect).

1 finding from 1 review

Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Biodentine

Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Patients with carious pulp exposure in permanent teeth undergoing DPC or pulpotomy

Biodentine appeared to perform better than calcium hydroxide for success, but the evidence was not pooled (2 RCTs; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA)

Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Patients with carious pulp exposure in mature permanent teeth

In mature teeth, MTA probably achieves higher clinical and radiographic success than calcium hydroxide (OR 3.34, 95% CI 1.81-6.17; moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA)

Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Patients with carious pulp exposure in permanent teeth undergoing DPC or pulpotomy

MTA achieved higher clinical and radiographic success than calcium hydroxide overall (OR 2.94, 95% CI 1.96-4.49; low certainty), but this unadjusted estimate pools clinically heterogeneous DPC and pulpotomy studies.

1 finding from 1 review

Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA)

Continued root formation / root development · Patients with carious pulp exposure in permanent teeth (predominantly immature) undergoing DPC or pulpotomy

Evidence on continued root formation for calcium hydroxide versus MTA is weak and inconclusive (3 RCTs, not pooled; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review