What do systematic reviews say?

Responsive complementary feeding (RCF) / other caregivers' feeding practices vs Other models of complementary feeding (traditional/non-responsive CF)

No eligible studies examined the influence of complementary feeding practices on later dental caries; this is an evidence gap.

• Complementary Feeding Caregivers' Practices and Growth, Risk of Overweight/Obesity, and Other Non-Communicable… 2022 All outcomes

  Later in life · Outpatient care in Western industrialized (European/Anglo-Saxon) countries
  No studies on the influence of caregivers' feeding practices during complementary feeding on dental caries later in life were identified.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Repelling-magnet splints vs Bite-blocks

• Orthodontic and orthopaedic treatment for anterior open bite in children 2014 · Cochrane All outcomes

  About 4 months (treatment interrupted early)
  "After 4 months the open bite was observed to close in the magnet group, but in four out of these ten patients, transverse problems were observed (unilateral crossbite) which led to the interruption of the treatment…
  1 study · 10 participants
  GRADE not reported

Intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate vs corticosteroid injection

Intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate led to lower pain on palpation of the affected/contralateral TMJ and masticatory… compared with intra-articular injection of corticosteroids (betamethasone); GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  14 days to 6 months
  Pain on palpation of the affected and contralateral TMJ and masticatory muscles presented similar frequencies regardless of the time (Analyses 1.4-1.12); no statistically significant differences reported. Point…
  1 study · 40 participants
  GRADE not reported

Intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate vs corticosteroid injection

Intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate showed no clear difference in extent of mandibular movement (maximum jaw opening, lateral and… compared with intra-articular injection of corticosteroids (betamethasone); GRADE not reported.

• Interventions for managing temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  14 days to 6 months
  None of the mean differences between interventions for the measures of jaw movements (maximum jaw opening, lateral movement to affected side, contralateral movement, jaw protrusion; Analyses 1.16-1.27) showed…
  1 study · 40 participants
  GRADE not reported

Stabilisation splint (SS) vs Visual feedback

• Stabilisation splint therapy for temporomandibular pain dysfunction syndrome 2004 · Cochrane All outcomes

  3 months or less
  SS vs visual feedback (Monteiro 1988): both SS and visual feedback groups showed a significant decrease in lateral mandibular movement scores (P<0.01); data were unavailable for analysis.
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Second molar at Nolla developmental stage 6-7 at extraction vs Second molar at later Nolla stages at extraction

One study found mandibular Nolla stage 6-7 associated with better space closure (OR 55.1; single study; not GRADE-rated).

• Spontaneous space closure after extraction of permanent first molars in children and adolescents: a systematic review… 2024 All outcomes

  Until eruption of the permanent second molar (median follow-up 4.0 years) · University clinics and hospitals in 8 countries (children/adolescents <18 years) · Mandible
  OR 55.1 [3.0, at least 100.0]
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

TiO2-modified composite (1 wt.%) vs Control composite in contralateral quadrant

TiO2-modified composite showed no S. mutans difference, with certainty not graded.

• Can Orthodontic Adhesive Systems Inhibit the Formation and Development of White Spot Lesions During Fixed Orthodontic… 2024 All outcomes

  1 to 6 months after bonding · Fixed orthodontic treatment
  No statistically significant difference between the S. mutans populations on the control and test sides at any time point.
  1 study · 40 participants
  GRADE not reported

Started toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste at or before 12 months (earlier start) vs Started after 12 months (later start)

It is very uncertain whether started toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste at or before 12… changes fluorosis (percentage prevalence in permanent teeth) compared with started after 12 months (later start) (very low certainty).

• Topical fluoride as a cause of dental fluorosis in children 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Fluorosis assessed when most permanent teeth of interest had erupted (6 to 18 years)
  OR 0.83 [0.41, 1.67]
  1 study · 134 participants
  Very low
• Topical fluoride as a cause of dental fluorosis in children 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Fluorosis assessed when most permanent teeth of interest had erupted (6 to 18 years)
  RR 0.98 [0.81, 1.18]
  2 studies · 260 participants
  Very low

Started toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste before 4 years (earlier start) vs Started after 4 years (later start)

It is very uncertain whether started toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste before 4 years… changes fluorosis (percentage prevalence in permanent teeth) compared with started after 4 years (later start) (very low certainty).

• Topical fluoride as a cause of dental fluorosis in children 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Fluorosis assessed when most permanent teeth of interest had erupted (6 to 18 years)
  OR 1.60 [0.77, 3.35]
  2 studies · 1484 participants
  Very low

Started toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste before 24 months (earlier start) vs Started after 24 months (later start)

It is very uncertain whether started toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste before 24 months… changes fluorosis (percentage prevalence in permanent teeth) compared with started after 24 months (later start) (very low certainty).

• Topical fluoride as a cause of dental fluorosis in children 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Fluorosis assessed when most permanent teeth of interest had erupted (6 to 18 years)
  OR 2.25 [1.19, 4.23]
  6 studies · 1223 participants
  Very low

Started toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste at or before 24 months (earlier start) vs Started after 24 months (later start)

It is very uncertain whether started toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste at or before 24… changes fluorosis (percentage prevalence in permanent teeth) compared with started after 24 months (later start) (very low certainty).

• Topical fluoride as a cause of dental fluorosis in children 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Fluorosis assessed when most permanent teeth of interest had erupted (6 to 18 years)
  RR 0.83 [0.61, 1.13]
  1 study · 3939 participants
  Very low
• Topical fluoride as a cause of dental fluorosis in children 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Fluorosis assessed when most permanent teeth of interest had erupted (6 to 18 years)
  OR 1.12 [0.89, 1.42]
  5 studies · 3592 participants
  Very low

Started toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste before 12 months (earlier start) vs Started after 12 months (later start)

It is very uncertain whether started toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste before 12 months… changes fluorosis (percentage prevalence in permanent teeth) compared with started after 12 months (later start) (very low certainty).

• Topical fluoride as a cause of dental fluorosis in children 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Fluorosis assessed when most permanent teeth of interest had erupted (6 to 18 years)
  OR 1.22 [0.98, 1.52]
  7 studies · 4329 participants
  Very low

TiO2-modified composite (1 wt.%) vs Control composite in contralateral quadrant

TiO2-modified composite favored lower DIAGNOdent scores, with certainty not graded.

• Can Orthodontic Adhesive Systems Inhibit the Formation and Development of White Spot Lesions During Fixed Orthodontic… 2024 All outcomes

  1 to 6 months after bonding · Fixed orthodontic treatment
  Mean readings were significantly greater on the control side than on the experimental side (p < 0.001) at all time points except at baseline.
  1 study · 40 participants
  GRADE not reported

Oral-health promotion programs (OHPPs): community-based oral-health education/training, supervised toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste and topical fluoride, dental screening, and dietary advice vs No oral-health promotion program, or a differing (usual-care) action under similar conditions

In studies published from 2015 onward, OHPPs were associated with lower DMFT (OR 0.08, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.53; ungraded).

• Clinical Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Oral-Health Promotion in Dental Caries Prevention among Children:… 2019 All outcomes

  Community settings: home visits, telephone contacts, healthcare centers, and primary schools · Published 2015 or later
  OR 0.08 [0.01, 0.53]
  4 studies
  GRADE not reported

Maxillary distraction osteogenesis vs Orthognathic surgery (conventional Le Fort I osteotomy)

It is very uncertain whether maxillary distraction osteogenesis changes long-term skeletal relapse/stability (horizontal movement of A-point) compared with orthognathic surgery (conventional Le Fort I osteotomy) (very low certainty).

• Maxillary distraction osteogenesis versus orthognathic surgery for cleft lip and palate patients 2018 · Cochrane All outcomes

  5 years (long-term)
  MD 4.80 [0.41, 9.19]
  1 study · 16 participants
  Very low

Maxillary distraction osteogenesis vs Orthognathic surgery (conventional Le Fort I osteotomy)

It is very uncertain whether maxillary distraction osteogenesis changes speech: resonance (hypernasality) (deterioration/improvement) compared with orthognathic surgery (conventional Le Fort I osteotomy) (very low certainty).

• Maxillary distraction osteogenesis versus orthognathic surgery for cleft lip and palate patients 2018 · Cochrane All outcomes

  17 months (mean)
  RR 0.11 [0.01, 1.85]
  1 study · 22 participants
  Very low

Maxillary distraction osteogenesis vs Orthognathic surgery (conventional Le Fort I osteotomy)

• Maxillary distraction osteogenesis versus orthognathic surgery for cleft lip and palate patients 2018 · Cochrane All outcomes

  12 months
  SoF (Very Low): Clinical morbidities assessed with questionnaires, follow-up 12 months; risk with orthognathic surgery 3/14; risk with maxillary distraction osteogenesis 3/15; relative effect -; 29 participants (1…
  1 study · 29 participants
  Very low

Maxillary distraction osteogenesis vs Orthognathic surgery (conventional Le Fort I osteotomy)

• Maxillary distraction osteogenesis versus orthognathic surgery for cleft lip and palate patients 2018 · Cochrane All outcomes

  up to 2 years (significant at 3 months)
  Results text (Ungraded; not in SoF): social self-esteem (subset of the Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventory, CFSEI) - DO participants had lower social self-esteem in the first three months postoperatively, with a…
  1 study · 30 participants
  GRADE not reported

Early extraction of a compromised first permanent molar vs Contralateral non-extraction side (same patient)

Root closure and eruption of the second permanent molar appeared accelerated on the extraction side in a single case-control study; ungraded and not statistically tested.

• Consequences of early extraction of compromised first permanent molar: a systematic review. 2018 All outcomes

  Orthodontic clinic (Turkey)
  Root closure and eruption of the second permanent molar were accelerated on the extraction side versus the non-extraction side (Telli and Aytan; not statistically tested). Table 3: Category III, Class C.
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Early extraction of a compromised mandibular first permanent molar vs Contralateral non-extraction side (same patient)

Development and eruption of the third molar appeared accelerated after early first permanent molar extraction in two studies (e.g., eruption OR 2.86, 95% CI 1.37 to 5.96); ungraded.

• Consequences of early extraction of compromised first permanent molar: a systematic review. 2018 All outcomes

  Hospital-based oral surgery and orthodontic departments (Turkey)
  OR 2.86 [1.37, 5.96]
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported