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Evidence found and GRADE certainty

2,066 questions · 3,346 findings · 178 reviews · Dental caries

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No studies found 48 · 1.4%GRADE not reported 2,789 · 83.4%Very low 208 · 6.2%Low 129 · 3.9%Moderate 136 · 4.1%High 36 · 1.1%

Theory-based oral health education/promotion interventions (HBM, TPB, SCT, HAPA, TTM, PMT, SOC, PRECEDE-PROCEED, MI) vs Control (waitlist, routine/standard oral health education, or minimal intervention)

Plaque index (PI) / oral hygiene · school‐age children and adolescents

Theory-based interventions significantly reduced dental plaque (SMD -1.92; moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) vs Reference standard (bitewing radiography, ADA classification, ICDAS II)

Proximal caries detection: sensitivity · Patients (in vivo); permanent and primary teeth, proximal (approximal) surfaces

In vivo, QLF pooled sensitivity for proximal caries detection was 0.74 (4 studies; ungraded).

2 findings from 1 review

Restricted partial pulpotomy (pulp removal 2-3 mm from exposure site only) vs Extended partial pulpotomy (pulp removal 2-3 mm from entire pulp chamber with complete deroofing)

Postoperative pain and analgesic intake · Adults (18-45 y) with mature permanent molars, carious exposure and symptomatic irreversible pulpitis

Restricted partial pulpotomy causes less early postoperative pain and analgesic use than extended amputation (p<0.05; ungraded, single trial).

1 finding from 1 review

Partial pulpotomy (PP) with calcium hydroxide vs Direct pulp capping (DPC) with calcium hydroxide

Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Adults (>=18 y) with mature permanent teeth, carious exposure and normal/reversibly inflamed pulp

At 1 year, partial pulpotomy and direct pulp capping (both calcium hydroxide) gave similarly low success in reversibly inflamed pulps (34.5% vs 31.8%; ungraded, single trial).

2 findings from 1 review

Mesoporous silica (SiO2) vs Calcium phosphate agent (e.g., CPP-ACP, Ca/P-PILP, niobophosphate)

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, Silica vs Calcium Phosphate showed no significant difference in 24 h bond strength (MD -0.699, 95% CI -7.633 to 6.234; Moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Anticaries vaccine or antibody (DNA, recombinant protein, nanoparticle-adjuvanted, live-vector, plant-based, or passive IgY immunization) targeting S. mutans vs Control (unvaccinated / empty vector / PBS / placebo animals)

Development of >=1 new carious lesion (caries incidence) · Animal caries models (mice, rats, hamsters) challenged/colonized with Streptococcus mutans; one transgenic-plant antigen-expression system

In preclinical animal models, anticaries vaccines significantly reduced dental caries risk (pooled RR 0.53, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.62; random-effects), but the evidence is ungraded and limited to short-term animal studies.

1 finding from 1 review

Children with dental caries vs Children without dental caries

Haemoglobin (g/dL) · Children or adolescents

Haemoglobin tends to be lower in children with dental caries, but the pooled difference is not statistically significant (MD -2.20 g/dL, 95% CI -4.59 to 0.19; very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) vs Healthy controls without cleft

Plaque · Individuals assessed for periodontal health (mainly children and adolescents, age >2 years)

Persons with orofacial cleft have a higher plaque index than healthy controls (MD 0.29, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.34; low certainty).

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

Ion-releasing restorations (IRR): RMGIC, HVGIC, GIC, compomer/PMRC, giomer vs Composite resin (CR), including bulk-fill composite

Proper surface staining · Children receiving dental restorations (aged 4-11 years; primary teeth; Class I/II/V cavities)

No significant difference between IRR and CR in surface staining (moderate certainty; downgraded for inconsistency).

1 finding from 1 review

Anorexia nervosa (as exposure; diagnosed by DSM-III/III-R/IV/V) vs Healthy controls

Salivary alpha-amylase · Patients with anorexia nervosa aged >=12 years (mean age ~18.4; entirely female in reported data), general community-dwelling population

There is no significant difference in salivary alpha-amylase between anorexia nervosa patients and healthy controls (MD 6.32 U/l, 95% CI -6.14 to 18.79; low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Partial pulpotomy with immediate (same-visit) permanent restoration vs Partial pulpotomy with delayed permanent restoration (7-14 days or >14 days)

Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Adults (>=18 y) with mature permanent teeth and deep carious pulp exposure

Immediate permanent restoration after partial pulpotomy is associated with much higher success than delayed restoration (89.9% immediate vs 23.2% beyond 14 days; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review