Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

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Evidence found and GRADE certainty

2,745 questions · 4,389 findings · 203 reviews · Dental caries

No studies found 39 · 0.9%GRADE not reported 3,844 · 87.6%Very low 198 · 4.5%Low 137 · 3.1%Moderate 134 · 3.1%High 37 · 0.8%

38% SDF plus oral health education vs oral health instruction plus tonic water

new root-surface carious lesions or restorations · community-dwelling older adults with root caries

SDF had a 62% preventative fraction; no pooled estimate or GRADE rating was reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Irradiated carious dentin vs Non-irradiated carious dentin

MMP-2 expression/activity · Human ex vivo carious dentin (head/neck radiotherapy)

MMP-2 showed no difference between irradiated and non-irradiated carious dentin (one study; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Sodium fluoride (5% NaF, one-time [Mauro] or every 6 months [Liu]) vs Control (water or unspecified)

New coronal caries in permanent molars (caries prevention) · Children with dental caries in permanent (first) molars

NaF gave a 48% prevented fraction (fissure site) vs water (p<0.002; ungraded).

3 findings from 1 review

Carious dentin vs Sound dentin

MMP-8 expression/activity · Human ex vivo carious dentin (mostly coronal), natural caries lesions

For MMP-8, no clear direction of difference between carious and sound dentin was found; the evidence is very uncertain (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

38% SDF plus potassium iodide and oral health instruction vs oral health instruction plus tonic water

new root-surface carious lesions or restorations · community-dwelling older adults with root caries

SDF plus potassium iodide had a 52% preventative fraction; no pooled estimate or GRADE rating was reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Indirect restoration placement by undergraduate students vs None (single-group incidence)

Pulp necrosis · Vital teeth

The pooled incidence with undergraduate students was 5.68%.

2 findings from 1 review

Chlorhexidine mouthwash vs placebo

Cariogenic bacteria (Mutans streptococci) · People undergoing orthodontic treatment (any age; 9 to 34 years in included studies)

Chlorhexidine mouthwash reduced Mutans streptococci versus placebo, but certainty is very low.

1 finding from 1 review

Resin infiltration vs P11-4 + fluoride varnish

Remineralization / reduction in lesion severity (change in QLF, laser fluorescence, or lesion area) · Patients with white spot lesions / early caries lesions (WSLs/ECLs), including orthodontic and non-orthodontic lesions, active caries…

Resin infiltration and P11-4 plus fluoride varnish did not differ significantly (SMD 0.01, 95% CI -0.62 to 0.65; indirect evidence only); certainty of evidence not assessed (no GRADE).

1 finding from 1 review

Cariogram multivariable caries-risk model (including modified/reduced-predictor versions) vs Alternative prediction model(s) within the same study, or no formal comparator (models compared descriptively; no between-model statistical test)

Predictive performance of the Cariogram for caries increment (positive likelihood ratio, LR+) · Children/adolescents (coronal caries) and older adults (root caries); populations from areas with varying caries risk

Modified Cariogram models showed modest positive likelihood ratios (LR+ ~1.1-3.8) for predicting caries increment, generally below the useful threshold; no pooled estimate; ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review
  • Multivariable prediction models of caries increment: a systematic review and critical appraisal. 2023 All outcomes
    Follow-up >=1 year (included studies 1-5 years) · Oral health care; children/adolescents and older adults; multiple countries · Model validation studies
    Six validation studies (5 coronal, 1 root) evaluated modified Cariogram models (not the original model per se). Review-stated LR+ range 1.1-3.8 (with one exception). LR+ was not substantially changed by excluding the…
    6 studies
    GRADE not reported

Malocclusion vs No malocclusion

Impaired OHRQoL measured with CPQ 11-14 (quantitative synthesis / meta-analysis) · Adolescents (10-19 years)

Malocclusion (DAI) probably increases the prevalence of impaired OHRQoL (CPQ 11-14) by about 15% in adolescents (RR/PR 1.15, 95% CI 1.12-1.18; moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Calcium-enriched mixture (CEM) cement vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA)

Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Patients with carious pulp exposure in permanent teeth undergoing pulpotomy

MTA and CEM performed comparably for clinical and radiographic success (2 RCTs, not pooled; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Light-cured resin-modified glass ionomer cement vs Glass ionomer cement (GIC)

Secondary caries · Patients requiring dental restoration; permanent teeth

Over 1 year in permanent teeth, secondary caries did not differ significantly between RMGIC and GIC (RR 1.82, 95% CI 0.45-7.28; low certainty).

2 findings from 1 review

Malocclusion vs No malocclusion

Oral health-related quality of life · Indian children, adolescents and adults

One GOHAI study found no significant difference in OHRQoL by malocclusion status; ungraded.

3 findings from 1 review

Bruxism vs No bruxism

Oral health-related quality of life · Indian children and adults

Two studies found bruxers have poorer OHRQoL than non-bruxers; narrative, ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review

Chlorhexidine mouthwash vs Blank control

Cariogenic bacteria (Mutans streptococci) · People undergoing orthodontic treatment (any age; 9 to 34 years in included studies)

Chlorhexidine mouthwash reduced Mutans streptococci versus blank control, but certainty is very low.

1 finding from 1 review

Atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) sealant (one-time) vs no treatment

New coronal caries in permanent first molars (caries prevention) · Children with dental caries in permanent (first) molars

ART within a brushing programme significantly reduced caries vs control (p<0.01; ungraded).

2 findings from 1 review

Carious dentin vs Sound dentin

MMP-2 presence/activity · Human ex vivo carious dentin (mostly coronal), natural caries lesions

MMP-2 may be increased in carious dentin compared with sound dentin, but the evidence is very uncertain (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

2.26% ammonium bifluoride (one-time) vs Control (details reported as unavailable)

New coronal caries in permanent first molars (caries prevention) · Children with dental caries in permanent (first) molars

One-time ammonium bifluoride gave a 56% prevented fraction, similar to SDF (57%) (single study; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Dental (tooth) agenesis vs No dental agenesis

Oral health-related quality of life · Adolescents (10-19 years)

The umbrella review reported insufficient scientific evidence to support an association between dental agenesis and oral health-related quality of life.

2 findings from 1 review