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Evidence found and GRADE certainty

1,338 questions · 2,104 findings · 136 reviews · Dental caries

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No studies found 159 · 7.6%GRADE not reported 1,657 · 78.8%Very low 138 · 6.6%Low 111 · 5.3%Moderate 36 · 1.7%High 3 · 0.1%

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 usual care

Child dental attendance · For interventions, pregnant women, mothers or other caregivers of infants in the first year of life; for outcomes, children up to 6 years…
1 finding from 1 review

Analogue (conventional) radiographs vs Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) (direct within-person / paired comparison); reference standard: histology

Diagnostic accuracy: analogue versus CBCT (within-person, not pooled) · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted teeth of children or…
1 finding from 1 review
  • Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes
    Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies)
    Direct comparison analogue vs CBCT (within-person): 6 datasets from 3 studies (737 tooth sites or surfaces) provided data, but the results could not be pooled; only individual study results are shown (Figure 21). No…
    3 studies
    GRADE not reported

Radiographic imaging methods (any: analogue radiographs, digital radiographs, or CBCT) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, or enhanced visual examination)

Diagnostic accuracy on surfaces with pit and fissure sealants · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted teeth of children or…

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review
  • Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes
    Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies) · Pit and fissure sealants
    Pre-specified heterogeneity investigation of surfaces with pit and fissure sealants: no study reported the inclusion of sealants that would allow evaluation of early caries lesions.
    0 studies
    No studies found

Fluorescence-based devices vs Dental imaging (analog or digital radiographs)

Difference in specificity · Asymptomatic children or adults suspected of enamel caries (clinical studies); extracted teeth (in vitro studies)

Fluorescence and imaging had similar specificity in the fully within-person analysis.

1 finding from 1 review

Fluorescence-based devices vs Dental imaging (analog or digital radiographs)

Difference in sensitivity · Asymptomatic children or adults suspected of enamel caries (clinical studies); extracted teeth (in vitro studies)

Fluorescence had higher sensitivity than imaging in the fully within-person analysis.

1 finding from 1 review

Glass ionomer or resin-modified glass ionomer fissure sealant vs Fluoride varnish

Dentine caries in permanent molars (24 months) · Children and adolescents (general population, aged under 20 years)
1 finding from 1 review

Resin-based fissure sealant plus fluoride varnish vs Fluoride varnish

Dentine caries in permanent molars (24 months) · Children and adolescents (general population, aged under 20 years)

It is very uncertain whether resin-based fissure sealant plus fluoride varnish changes dentine caries in permanent molars (yes/no) compared with fluoride varnish alone (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Resin-based fissure sealant vs Fluoride varnish

Dentine caries in permanent molars (24 months) · Children and adolescents (general population, aged under 20 years)

It is very uncertain whether resin-based fissure sealant changes dentine caries in permanent molars (yes/no) compared with fluoride varnish (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Resin-based fissure sealant (2nd/3rd/4th generation) vs No sealant (control/no treatment)

Caries on occlusal surfaces of permanent molars (12 months) · Children and adolescents (general population, aged under 20 years)

Resin-based fissure sealant (2nd/3rd/4th generation) led to lower caries on occlusal surfaces of permanent molars (36 months) compared with no sealant (control/no treatment); GRADE not reported.

3 findings from 1 review

Glass ionomer-based sealant vs No sealant (control/no treatment)

Dentine caries in permanent molars (24 months) · Children and adolescents (general population, aged under 20 years)
1 finding from 1 review
  • Pit and fissure sealants for preventing dental decay in permanent teeth 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
    24 months
    Inconclusive results: two studies slightly favoured glass ionomers (Liu 2014b OR 0.46 (0.23-0.91); Tagliaferro 2011) evaluating 426 children; one study (Songpaisan 1995) found no difference (MD DFS -0.18 (-0.39 to…
    3 studies · 830 participants
    Very low

Dementia (any type or severity) vs Older people without dementia

Dental caries: prevalence of root caries · Older people (aged 60 years or older) with dementia

Root caries was higher in older people with dementia (0.6 to 4.9) than without (0.3 to 1.7), described as significantly more common but not pooled (ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review