What do systematic reviews say?

Alginate (two stage-two step final/wash impression) vs Silicone elastomer (two stage-two step)

• Final‐impression techniques and materials for making complete and removable partial dentures 2018 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 weeks
  Silicone impressions 57.7% (41 participants), alginate impressions 23.9% (17 participants); both equally satisfactory for 7 (9.9%) and equally unsatisfactory for 6 (8.5%) (McNemar chi-square 12.02, 1 df, P = 0.0005).
  1 study · 71 participants
  GRADE not reported

Preoperative analgesics (analgesics given before dental treatment) vs Placebo or no analgesics

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Preoperative analgesics for additional pain relief in children and adolescents having dental treatment 2016 · Cochrane All outcomes
  None of the included studies assessed anxiety or behaviour at baseline, and none recorded baseline anxiety. PUB3: 'The [three/four] studies did not measure ... preoperative and postoperative anxiety measures ...'
  0 studies
  No studies found

Prenatal vitamin D deficiency (low maternal 25(OH)D during pregnancy) vs Adequate prenatal vitamin D (sufficient maternal 25(OH)D)

For prenatal vitamin D measured across gestational weeks 6-38, the OR of dental caries was 1.32 (no CI reported); ungraded.

• Association between prenatal vitamin D deficiency with dental caries in infants and children: a systematic review and… 2024 All outcomes

  Maternal 25(OH)D measured at gestational weeks 6 to 38 · Observational pregnancy/birth-cohort studies (one cross-sectional), mostly in developed countries (USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, New Zealand, Turkey) · Gestational-age subgroup: weeks 6 to 38
  OR 1.32 [1.04, 1.59]
  4 studies
  GRADE not reported
• Association between prenatal vitamin D deficiency with dental caries in infants and children: a systematic review and… 2024 All outcomes

  Prenatal exposure; dental caries assessed in children aged 2 to 8 years · Observational pregnancy/birth-cohort studies (one cross-sectional), mostly in developed countries (USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, New Zealand, Turkey) · Overall (all studies pooled)
  OR 1.35 [1.22, 1.47]
  12 studies · 11021 participants
  GRADE not reported
• Association between prenatal vitamin D deficiency with dental caries in infants and children: a systematic review and… 2024 All outcomes

  Prenatal exposure; dental caries in children aged 2 to 8 years · Observational pregnancy/birth-cohort studies (one cross-sectional), mostly in developed countries (USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, New Zealand, Turkey) · Publication-bias adjustment: Trim & Fill corrected pooled estimate
  OR 1.28 [1.14, 1.48]
  Studies not reported
  GRADE not reported

Prenatal vitamin D deficiency (low maternal 25(OH)D during pregnancy) vs Adequate prenatal vitamin D (sufficient maternal 25(OH)D)

In the single study of children aged 6-8 years, the association was not statistically significant (OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.84-1.30); ungraded.

• Association between prenatal vitamin D deficiency with dental caries in infants and children: a systematic review and… 2024 All outcomes

  Prenatal exposure; dental caries at 6 to 8 years · Observational pregnancy/birth-cohort studies (one cross-sectional), mostly in developed countries (USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, New Zealand, Turkey) · Children's age subgroup: 6 to 8 years
  OR 1.07 [0.84, 1.30]
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Prenatal vitamin D deficiency (low maternal 25(OH)D during pregnancy) vs Adequate prenatal vitamin D (sufficient maternal 25(OH)D)

Among children aged 4-6 years, prenatal vitamin D deficiency is associated with significantly higher odds of dental caries (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.32-1.56); ungraded.

• Association between prenatal vitamin D deficiency with dental caries in infants and children: a systematic review and… 2024 All outcomes

  Prenatal exposure; dental caries at 4 to 6 years · Observational pregnancy/birth-cohort studies (one cross-sectional), mostly in developed countries (USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, New Zealand, Turkey) · Children's age subgroup: 4 to 6 years
  OR 1.44 [1.32, 1.56]
  8 studies
  GRADE not reported

No additional acid etching (self-etch adhesive alone) after Er,Cr:YSGG preparation vs Prior acid etching before self-etch adhesive after Er,Cr:YSGG preparation

At the dentin margin, prior acid etching with self-etch adhesives significantly reduced microleakage (RR 2.44, 95% CI 1.38-4.34; ungraded).

• Does Er,Cr:YSGG reduce the microleakage of restorations when used for cavity preparation? A systematic review and… 2020 All outcomes

  In vitro (extracted human teeth) · Dentin margin
  RR 2.44 [1.38, 4.34]
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported
• Does Er,Cr:YSGG reduce the microleakage of restorations when used for cavity preparation? A systematic review and… 2020 All outcomes

  In vitro (extracted human teeth) · Enamel margin
  RR 3.00 [1.54, 5.83]
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported
• Does Er,Cr:YSGG reduce the microleakage of restorations when used for cavity preparation? A systematic review and… 2020 All outcomes

  In vitro (extracted human teeth)
  RR 2.69 [1.74, 4.15]
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Prenatal vitamin D deficiency (maternal 25(OH)D measured at gestational weeks 24 to 38) vs Adequate prenatal vitamin D (sufficient maternal 25(OH)D)

For prenatal vitamin D measured across gestational weeks 24-38, the OR of dental caries was 1.30 (no CI reported); ungraded.

• Association between prenatal vitamin D deficiency with dental caries in infants and children: a systematic review and… 2024 All outcomes

  Maternal 25(OH)D measured at gestational weeks 24 to 38 · Observational pregnancy/birth-cohort studies (one cross-sectional), mostly in developed countries (USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, New Zealand, Turkey) · Gestational-age subgroup: weeks 24 to 38
  OR 1.30 [1.15, 1.45]
  4 studies
  GRADE not reported

No additional acid etching (etch-and-rinse adhesive alone) after Er,Cr:YSGG preparation vs Prior acid etching before etch-and-rinse adhesive after Er,Cr:YSGG preparation

Prior acid etching with etch-and-rinse adhesives did not significantly change microleakage after Er,Cr:YSGG preparation (RR 1.18, 95% CI 0.63-2.22; ungraded).

• Does Er,Cr:YSGG reduce the microleakage of restorations when used for cavity preparation? A systematic review and… 2020 All outcomes

  In vitro (extracted human teeth)
  RR 1.18 [0.63, 2.22]
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Biofunctional Prosthetic System (BPS): closed-mouth two stage-two step final impression with addition silicone elastomer vs Conventional complete denture technique (CCD): open-mouth two stage-two step conventional technique using elastomer

• Final‐impression techniques and materials for making complete and removable partial dentures 2018 · Cochrane All outcomes

  3 months
  When participants were asked which denture they would prefer to use long term, nine out of 10 opted for the one made with the BPS complete denture technique.
  1 study · 10 participants
  GRADE not reported

High-dose vitamin D3 supplementation during pregnancy (2400 IU/day from pregnancy week 24 to 1 week postpartum, in addition to the recommended 400 IU/day) vs Low-dose (standard) vitamin D supplementation as recommended in national pregnancy guidelines

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions with pregnant women, new mothers and other primary caregivers for preventing early childhood caries 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes
  dmft was listed in the SoF table but not assessed (not reported for this comparison).
  0 studies
  No studies found
• Interventions with pregnant women, new mothers and other primary caregivers for preventing early childhood caries 2024 · Cochrane All outcomes
  dmfs was listed in the SoF table but not assessed (not reported for this comparison).
  0 studies
  No studies found

Dental caries assessment (WHO/clinical diagnostic criteria; caries = DMFT>0) vs None (descriptive prevalence meta-analysis)

In permanent dentition, the pooled prevalence of dental caries was 57.2% (95% CI 26.3 to 85.3); ungraded.

• Prevalence of dental caries in Pakistan: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2021 All outcomes

  Pakistan (school-, community-, and hospital/clinic-based cross-sectional surveys) · Dentition: permanent
  Prevalence 57.184 [26.288, 85.251]
  Studies not reported
  GRADE not reported
• Prevalence of dental caries in Pakistan: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2021 All outcomes

  Pakistan (school-, community-, and hospital/clinic-based cross-sectional surveys) · Dentition: mixed
  Prevalence 61.183 [43.796, 73.274]
  Studies not reported
  GRADE not reported
• Prevalence of dental caries in Pakistan: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2021 All outcomes

  Pakistan (school-, community-, and hospital/clinic-based cross-sectional surveys) · City: Islamabad and Rawalpindi (combined)
  Prevalence 57.377 [32.642, 80.287]
  4 studies
  GRADE not reported

Presence of dental plaque vs Absence of dental plaque

The presence of dental plaque was not significantly associated with dental caries (OR 5.14, 95% CI 0.67 to 39.39); certainty not graded.

• Dental caries and associated factors in Ethiopia: systematic review and meta-analysis. 2021 All outcomes

  Community-, school-, and hospital/clinic-based populations across regions of Ethiopia
  OR 5.14 [0.67, 39.39]
  3 studies
  GRADE not reported

Job-stress-related depression vs Women without depression

Depressed women had higher periodontal disease and GCF IL-6 after adjustment for age and smoking.

• Social-Biological Interactions in Oral Disease: A 'Cells to Society' View. 2016 All outcomes

  Stockholm Sweden
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 49 participants
  GRADE not reported

CMC/sorbitol pre-moistened swabs vs Lemon glycerin swabs

• Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies 2011 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Patient preference favoured CMC/sorbitol (Chi2 10.89, df=1; P = 0.001).
  1 study · 20 participants
  GRADE not reported

Dental caries vs Caries-free status

S. mutans prevalence in plaque is significantly higher in caries-active than caries-free individuals (pooled OR 2.58, 95% CI 1.65 to 4.02; I2=16%); ungraded.

• Streptococcus mutans and Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2025 All outcomes

  Cross-sectional · Clinical oral-microbiome studies; saliva and/or supragingival plaque samples; 7 countries; DNA/RNA-based sequencing or microarray · Plaque sample
  OR 2.58 [1.65, 4.02]
  7 studies · 559 participants
  GRADE not reported

Prenatal passive tobacco exposure (maternal smoking during pregnancy / in the womb) vs No passive tobacco exposure (non-exposed children)

No eligible studies examined prenatal tobacco exposure and caries in permanent dentition.

• Association between passive tobacco exposure and caries in children and adolescents. A systematic review and… 2018 All outcomes

  Community/population-based samples of children and adolescents (households, schools and clinics) across multiple countries; mostly cross-sectional surveys plus some cohort and case-control studies · Prenatal exposure; permanent dentition
  no estimate extracted
  0 studies
  No studies found

Prenatal passive tobacco exposure (maternal smoking during pregnancy / in the womb) vs No passive tobacco exposure (non-exposed children)

Prenatal (in-womb) tobacco exposure is associated with higher odds of caries in primary dentition (pooled OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.41 to 1.52; 4 studies; no heterogeneity); certainty not graded.

• Association between passive tobacco exposure and caries in children and adolescents. A systematic review and… 2018 All outcomes

  Community/population-based samples of children and adolescents (households, schools and clinics) across multiple countries; mostly cross-sectional surveys plus some cohort and case-control studies · Prenatal exposure; primary dentition
  OR 1.463 [1.405, 1.523]
  4 studies
  GRADE not reported

Passive tobacco exposure (prenatal maternal smoking or postnatal secondhand/household smoke) vs No passive tobacco exposure (non-exposed children)

In children and adolescents, passive tobacco exposure (prenatal or postnatal) is associated with higher odds of dental caries (pooled OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.39 to 1.68; 21 studies), though heterogeneity was high (I2=86.5%); certainty of evidence not graded.

• Association between passive tobacco exposure and caries in children and adolescents. A systematic review and… 2018 All outcomes

  Community/population-based samples of children and adolescents (households, schools and clinics) across multiple countries; mostly cross-sectional surveys plus some cohort and case-control studies
  OR 1.528 [1.394, 1.676]
  21 studies
  GRADE not reported

Repair of a defective amalgam restoration in a permanent molar or premolar tooth (with amalgam) vs Replacement of a defective amalgam restoration in a permanent molar or premolar tooth (with amalgam)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Replacement versus repair of defective restorations in adults: amalgam 2014 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Medium term (less than 5 years) or long term (5 years and above)
  No randomised controlled trials were found
  0 studies
  No studies found

Repair of a defective amalgam restoration in a permanent molar or premolar tooth (with amalgam) vs Replacement of a defective amalgam restoration in a permanent molar or premolar tooth (with amalgam)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Replacement versus repair of defective restorations in adults: amalgam 2014 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Medium term (less than 5 years) or long term (5 years and above)
  No randomised controlled trials were found
  0 studies
  No studies found