Gap finder
Search review questions
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.
5,762 questions in 263 reviews · Dental caries
current versionsNo studies 321 · 5.6%Ungraded 4,450 · 77.2%Very low 455 · 7.9%Low 297 · 5.2%Moderate 200 · 3.5%High 39 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Intervention NR Fluoride ion release · nCaF2-containing orthodontic adhesive (Yi 2024 [35]); significant increase up to 56 days vs control Remineralization and anti-demineralization effect of orthodontic adhesives on enamel surrounding orthodontic… (2024) | no estimate extracted | 1 study | Ungraded |
Highest BMI category (overweight/obese) vs Lowest BMI category (normal weight/underweight) Dental caries / early childhood caries (ECC) · Children (approx. 4-18 years) · Country population: small Childhood obesity in relation to risk of dental caries: a cumulative and dose-response systematic review and… (2024) | OR 1.31 [0.95, 1.81] | 7 studies | Ungraded |
Adhesive flash-free ceramic brackets vs Adhesive precoated ceramic brackets Enamel demineralization (QLF ΔF) · Patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment · Baseline to debonding Can Orthodontic Adhesive Systems Inhibit the Formation and Development of White Spot Lesions During Fixed… (2024) | ΔF values (T0-debonding) were not statistically significantly different between the groups. | 1 study · 50 participants | Ungraded |
Intervention NR Spontaneous space closure · Maxilla: M2 Demirjian E-F vs G-H Spontaneous space closure after extraction of permanent first molars in children and adolescents: a… (2024) | OR 8.0 | 1 study | Ungraded |
Pulpotomy (full or partial) vs None (single-arm success proportion) Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure · 24 months, 24-month follow-up Efficacy of pulpotomy for permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure: A systematic review and meta-analysis… (2024) | Proportion 0.902 | NR | Ungraded |
Probiotics (any strain, dose, or presentation), minimum intake duration 0.2 months vs No treatment or placebo (control) Bacterial plaque index · Children and/or adolescents (<18 years) without background systemic disease · follow-up: mean 2.3 months, Overall (all presentations pooled) Efficacy of Probiotic Consumption on Oral Outcomes in Children and/or Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis. (2024) | MD 0.21 [-0.55, 0.96] | 4 studies · 171 participants | Very low |
Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) vs Fluoride varnish Primary caries prevention · Children and adults (with or without carious lesions) · 12 months, Primary dentition Topical silver diamine fluoride (SDF) for preventing and managing dental caries in children and adults (2024) · Cochrane | MD 0.00 [-0.26, 0.26] | 1 study · 434 participants | Low |
TT+CC (homozygous) genotypes vs TC (heterozygous) genotype Dental caries · Children (<18 years) with vs without dental caries · Over-dominant model (TT+CC vs TC) Association of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms with caries risk in children: a systematic review and… (2024) | OR 1.33 [1.06, 1.67] | 6 studies · 1986 participants | Ungraded |
Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) plus fluoride varnish vs Sealants plus fluoride varnish (with or without restorations) Secondary prevention of caries · Children and adults (with or without carious lesions) Topical silver diamine fluoride (SDF) for preventing and managing dental caries in children and adults (2024) · Cochrane | No studies reported data for this outcome in this comparison | 0 studies | No studies |
Silver diamine fluoride (SDF; 38% in most trials, 30% in three) vs Nano-silver fluoride (NSF; with or without green tea extract) Caries arrestment at the tooth level · Children and adults with active dental caries (aged 1-50; mostly preschool/school children with primary dentition) · 6 to 12 months, SDF vs NSF The role of silver diamine fluoride as dental caries preventive and arresting agent: a systematic review and… (2024) | OR 1.47 [0.93, 2.33] | 2 studies · 408 participants | Ungraded |
Highest BMI category (overweight/obese) vs Lowest BMI category (normal weight/underweight) Dental caries / early childhood caries (ECC) · Children (approx. 4-18 years) · Adjustment for age: no Childhood obesity in relation to risk of dental caries: a cumulative and dose-response systematic review and… (2024) | OR 1.68 [1.29, 2.18] | 10 studies | Ungraded |
Teledentistry diagnosis using DSLR or smartphone extra-oral photographs vs Visual or clinical examination Sensitivity for dental caries diagnosis · Children and adults with primary or permanent dentition · Overall Teledentistry accuracy for caries diagnosis: a systematic review of in-vivo studies using extra-oral… (2024) | Sensitivity Overall 48% to 98.3% across 13 studies; sensitivity is lesion-stage dependent: Kohara reported <40% for initial/moderate caries (75-100% for extensive) and early enamel lesions were less sensitive | 13 studies | Ungraded |
Package of oral health education/promotion including oral hygiene advice for pregnant women, mothers, infants and young children, plus dietary and feeding practice advice for infants and young children vs Standard care d1-4 efs · For interventions, pregnant women, mothers or other caregivers of infants in the first year of life; for outcomes,… Interventions with pregnant women, new mothers and other primary caregivers for preventing early childhood… (2024) · Cochrane | Veronneau 2010 (narrative): at 5-6 yrs mean d1-4efs 4.9 (test) vs 6.8 (control) (p < 0.001). | 1 study | Ungraded |
AA+GG (homozygous) genotypes vs AG (heterozygous) genotype Dental caries · Children (<18 years) with vs without dental caries · Over-dominant model (AA+GG vs AG) Association of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms with caries risk in children: a systematic review and… (2024) | OR 1.04 [0.64, 1.70] | 3 studies · 855 participants | Ungraded |
Extraction of the permanent first molar vs None (single-group prevalence) Spontaneous space closure · Children and adolescents (<18 years) after extraction of a permanent first molar before eruption of the permanent… · Until eruption of the permanent second molar (median follow-up 4.0 years), Overall (both jaws) Spontaneous space closure after extraction of permanent first molars in children and adolescents: a… (2024) | Prevalence 61.6 [50.2, 71.9] | 13 studies · 1787 participants | Ungraded |
TT genotype vs TC+CC genotypes Dental caries · Children (<18 years) with vs without dental caries · Recessive model (TT vs TC+CC), Mixed dentition Association of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms with caries risk in children: a systematic review and… (2024) | OR 0.73 [0.43, 1.24] | NR | Ungraded |
Intervention NR Dental caries (early childhood caries) · Narrative single study (Ganesh 2022): BF in early morning sleep hours Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) | AOR 3.7 | 1 study | Ungraded |
Clearfil Protect Bond vs Transbond XT conventional adhesive White spot lesion rate and volume · Patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment · 8 weeks after bonding Can Orthodontic Adhesive Systems Inhibit the Formation and Development of White Spot Lesions During Fixed… (2024) | There was no significant difference among the WSL rates of the Clearfil, Opal Seal, and Transbond XT adhesives (p > 0.05). | 1 study · 15 participants | Ungraded |
Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) plus fluoride varnish vs Sealants plus fluoride varnish (with or without restorations) Primary caries prevention · Children and adults (with or without carious lesions) Topical silver diamine fluoride (SDF) for preventing and managing dental caries in children and adults (2024) · Cochrane | No studies reported data for this outcome in this comparison | 0 studies | No studies |
Transbond XT with 1% chitosan and 1% TiO2 nanoparticles vs Transbond XT adhesive Enamel mineral content · Patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment · 1 day, 2 months, and 6 months after bonding Can Orthodontic Adhesive Systems Inhibit the Formation and Development of White Spot Lesions During Fixed… (2024) | There were no significant differences in enamel mineral content between the experimental group and control group at all time points. | 1 study · 24 participants | Ungraded |
Prenatal vitamin D level ≤35 nmol/L vs Normal or sufficient prenatal vitamin D level Dental caries · Children aged 2 to 8 years · Maternal pregnancy to child age 2 to 8 years, Vitamin D threshold ≤35 nmol/L Association between prenatal vitamin D deficiency with dental caries in infants and children: a systematic… (2024) | OR 1.36 [1.20, 1.53] | 9 studies | Ungraded |
Not applicable (single-group prevalence) vs Not applicable (single-group prevalence) Early childhood caries experience (mean dmft) · Children younger than 71 months (under 6 years) · Region: Europe A systematic review and meta-analysis on early-childhood-caries global data. (2024) | MEAN 2.26 [0.69, 3.82] | 11 studies | Ungraded |
Health service and/or policy intervention designed to modify access to oral health information or services for pregnant women, new mothers or other primary caregivers vs Standard care (or any comparator) Outcome NR · For interventions, pregnant women, mothers or other caregivers of infants in the first year of life; for outcomes,… Interventions with pregnant women, new mothers and other primary caregivers for preventing early childhood… (2024) · Cochrane | No trials evaluated policy or health service interventions designed to modify access to oral health information or services. | 0 studies | No studies |
Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) vs Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure · >=12 months Efficacy of pulpotomy for permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure: A systematic review and meta-analysis… (2024) | OR 1.02 [0.43, 2.43] | 3 studies · 109 participants | Ungraded |
Slum setting vs Non-slum urban setting Self-perceived oral health · Adults in LMIC urban and slum settings Systematic review of oral health in slums and non-slum urban settings of Low and Middle-Income Countries… (2024) | no estimate extracted | 6 studies | Ungraded |
Experimental adhesive containing ammonium-based methacrylate monomer (MADQUAT) vs Conventional/control orthodontic adhesive (e.g., Transbond XT) or negative control Enamel remineralization / carious lesion development · Human enamel specimens around orthodontic brackets (in vitro) · biofilm cariogenic challenge 5 days, Overall Remineralization and anti-demineralization effect of orthodontic adhesives on enamel surrounding orthodontic… (2024) | A study using an orthodontic adhesive containing ammonium-based methacrylate showed significant remineralization power compared with control adhesives [37]. | 1 study | Ungraded |
Periodontitis vs No periodontitis (periodontal health or gingivitis) Dental caries (prevalence) · Adults · Overall Association between periodontitis and dental caries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2024) | OR 1.57 [1.20, 2.07] | 10 studies | Ungraded |
Breastfeeding for <6 months vs Breastfeeding for ≥6 months Dental caries (early childhood caries) · Preschool children (<6 years) · Case-control studies Association of Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) | OR 0.53 [0.41, 0.67] | 2 studies · 1201 participants | Ungraded |
Highest BMI category (overweight/obese) vs Lowest BMI category (normal weight/underweight) Dental caries / early childhood caries (ECC) · Children (approx. 4-18 years) · Region: American countries Childhood obesity in relation to risk of dental caries: a cumulative and dose-response systematic review and… (2024) | OR 1.28 [0.91, 1.81] | 7 studies | Ungraded |
SDF (given at a particular frequency, concentration, or duration) vs SDF (given at a different frequency, concentration, or duration) Secondary prevention of caries · Children and adults (with or without carious lesions) · 30 months, Primary dentition Topical silver diamine fluoride (SDF) for preventing and managing dental caries in children and adults (2024) · Cochrane | MD -0.10 [-0.61, 0.41] | 1 study · 203 participants | Very low |
Overweight/obesity (combined) vs Normal weight (eutrophic) Dental caries prevalence (any dmft), dichotomous · Brazilian children in primary dentition (BMI classified by CDC 2000 growth charts) Overweight/obesity and dental caries in Brazilian children and adolescents: a systematic review and… (2024) | OR 0.83 [0.45, 1.54] | 2 studies · 826 participants | Very low |
Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) vs Placebo or no treatment Aesthetics · Children and adults (with or without carious lesions) · 30 months, Adults Topical silver diamine fluoride (SDF) for preventing and managing dental caries in children and adults (2024) · Cochrane | 1 study reported that "only 19 (7%) [older adult participants] raised a complaint about the interventions at the 30-mo [month] examination, and half of them complained of black stain on the treated root surfaces." No… | 1 study · 43 participants | Very low |
Cranberry extract / juice and proanthocyanidin (flavonoid) fractions vs Untreated or vehicle control (some studies vs positive antimicrobial controls, e.g. chlorhexidine/fluoride) Cell death / cytotoxicity induction · Streptococcus mutans (in vitro cultures and biofilms) Effect of flavonoids from grape seed and cranberry extracts on the microbiological activity of Streptococcus… (2024) | Cranberry extract produced a time- and concentration-dependent reduction in bacterial count, with a 50% reduction after 10 h (Singhal). | 1 study | Ungraded |
Children with early childhood caries (ECC) vs Caries-free children Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level · Preschool children ≤6 years The Association Between Vitamin D and Early Childhood Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) | MD -13.96 [-19.88, -8.03] | 9 studies · 3444 participants | Ungraded |
Gene sequencing (GS) applied to diagnose/manage oral conditions (predominantly 16S rRNA next-generation sequencing of the oral microbiome; also genome-wide/whole-genome sequencing) vs Negligible ('abysmal') effect of gene sequencing; no separate comparator arm (within-sample event contrast in the forest plots) Reduction in occurrence of oral conditions · Human patients (any age) with oral-cavity related disorders (e.g. dental caries, periodontitis, gingivitis,… · Overall Gene sequencing applications to combat oral-cavity related disorders: a systematic review with meta-analysis. (2024) | RD -0.29 [-0.32, -0.26] | 8 studies · 2211 participants | Ungraded |
Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) vs Restoration (restorative treatment) Primary caries prevention · Children and adults (with or without carious lesions) Topical silver diamine fluoride (SDF) for preventing and managing dental caries in children and adults (2024) · Cochrane | No studies reported data for this outcome in this comparison | 0 studies | No studies |
Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) vs Placebo or no treatment Adverse effects · Children and adults (with or without carious lesions) · 48 hours to 30 months, Children Topical silver diamine fluoride (SDF) for preventing and managing dental caries in children and adults (2024) · Cochrane | 1 study reported 3 adverse effects in the first 48 hours. Of these, 1 effect in SDF group was possibly related to treatment (spot on corner of lip that looked like a burn), and 2 effects in placebo group were possibly… | 3 studies · 983 participants | Very low |
Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) vs Placebo or no treatment Dental pain or sensitivity · Children and adults (with or without carious lesions) Topical silver diamine fluoride (SDF) for preventing and managing dental caries in children and adults (2024) · Cochrane | No studies measured this outcome | 0 studies | No studies |
Er:YAG laser irradiation of enamel after demineralisation vs No anticaries intervention (untreated enamel) Enamel surface microhardness · Human tooth enamel specimens with early demineralised lesions (in vitro) · Laser applied after demineralisation (no further acid challenge), demineralised enamel Effect of Er:YAG Laser Irradiation on Preventing Enamel Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) | SMD 0.66 [-1.12, 2.44] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Highest BMI category (overweight/obese) vs Lowest BMI category (normal weight/underweight) Dental caries / early childhood caries (ECC) · Children (approx. 4-18 years) · Sample size: <900 Childhood obesity in relation to risk of dental caries: a cumulative and dose-response systematic review and… (2024) | OR 1.25 [0.77, 2.02] | 8 studies | Ungraded |
TT+CC (homozygous) genotypes vs TC (heterozygous) genotype Dental caries · Children (<18 years) with vs without dental caries · Over-dominant model (TT+CC vs TC), Mixed dentition Association of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms with caries risk in children: a systematic review and… (2024) | OR 0.85 [0.50, 1.45] | NR | Ungraded |
Pulpotomy (full or partial) vs None (single-arm success proportion) Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure · >=12 months, Mature teeth Efficacy of pulpotomy for permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure: A systematic review and meta-analysis… (2024) | Proportion 0.838 [0.759, 0.904] | NR | Ungraded |
Prophylaxis (teeth cleaning) and CHX or iodine-NaF solution application in the dentition of women (mothers) vs Placebo Mother caries (DMFT increment) · For interventions, pregnant women and mothers of infants in the first year of life; for outcomes, children up to 6… Interventions with pregnant women, new mothers and other primary caregivers for preventing early childhood… (2024) · Cochrane | MD -0.30 [-1.86, 1.26] | 1 study · 66 participants | Ungraded |
Fluoride toothpaste 550 ppm (lower concentration) vs Fluoride toothpaste 1000 ppm (higher concentration) Fluorosis (percentage prevalence in permanent teeth) · Children exposed to topical fluoride when under 6 years old; fluorosis assessed in permanent teeth at 6 to 18 years · Fluorosis assessed when most permanent teeth of interest had erupted (6 to 18 years) Topical fluoride as a cause of dental fluorosis in children (2024) · Cochrane | RR 0.75 [0.57, 0.99] | 1 study · 959 participants | Moderate |
Cranberry extract or cranberry flavonoid fractions vs No extract or vehicle control; other antimicrobial agents Biofilm morphology or biomass · Streptococcus mutans cultures and biofilms Effect of flavonoids from grape seed and cranberry extracts on the microbiological activity of Streptococcus… (2024) | no estimate extracted | 4 studies | Ungraded |
Periodontitis vs No periodontitis (periodontal health or gingivitis) Dental caries (prevalence) · Adults · Male Association between periodontitis and dental caries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2024) | OR 1.48 [1.26, 1.74] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Intervention NR Prenatal vitamin D deficiency prevalence · Meta-regression adjusted estimate Association between prenatal vitamin D deficiency with dental caries in infants and children: a systematic… (2024) | Proportion 0.38 [0.30, 0.46] | NR | Ungraded |
History of toothache vs No history of toothache Dental caries · Primary school children in Ethiopia Prevalence of dental caries and associated factors among primary school children in Ethiopia: systematic… (2024) | OR 2.99 [2.679, 3.314] | NR | Ungraded |
Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) vs Placebo or no treatment Primary caries prevention · Children and adults (with or without carious lesions) · 36 months, Permanent dentition (coronal) Topical silver diamine fluoride (SDF) for preventing and managing dental caries in children and adults (2024) · Cochrane | MD -0.69 [-0.97, -0.41] | 1 study · 373 participants | Very low |
Pulpotomy (full or partial) vs None (single-arm success proportion) Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure · >=12 months, Immature teeth Efficacy of pulpotomy for permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure: A systematic review and meta-analysis… (2024) | Proportion 0.872 [0.803, 0.929] | NR | Ungraded |