evidencegaps
Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

Refine by population, intervention, comparison or outcome
More filters
Evidence found and GRADE certainty

2,297 questions · 3,638 findings · 215 reviews · Oral Health

Sort:Best matchNewestHighest certaintyDownload CSV
No studies found 98 · 2.7%GRADE not reported 2,946 · 81%Very low 263 · 7.2%Low 158 · 4.3%Moderate 137 · 3.8%High 36 · 1%

Higher waist circumference vs Lower waist circumference

Dental caries in children · Children (approx. 4-18 years)

Waist circumference was not significantly associated with childhood dental caries (pooled OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.30; I2=47.7%); ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review

Teledentistry (index test): dental caries diagnosis from photographs taken with DSLR or smartphone cameras; store-and-forward vs Visual or clinical examination

Negative predictive value · Children and adults with primary or permanent dentition undergoing dental caries assessment

Negative predictive value was reported in 10 studies and ranged widely across studies (about 31% to 99.5%); no pooled estimate and certainty not graded.

1 finding from 1 review

Extraction of the mandibular permanent first molar vs Not applicable (single-group prevalence)

Rotation of the mandibular second permanent molar · Children and adolescents after extraction of a mandibular permanent first molar (before eruption of the second molar)

After mandibular first molar extraction, the second molar was rotated in about 77% of cases (2 studies; very imprecise; not GRADE-rated).

1 finding from 1 review

Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) graft vs Calcium hydroxide (CH)

Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Mature permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis and carious pulp exposure (treated with full pulpotomy)

Platelet-rich fibrin and calcium hydroxide showed no significant difference in success (ungraded; effect size not reported).

1 finding from 1 review

Probiotics vs placebo or control

Streptococcus mutans count · Children and/or adolescents (<18 years) without background systemic disease

Probiotics probably reduce Streptococcus mutans count versus control (MD -0.40 CFU/mL, 95%CI -0.57 to -0.24; moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Second molar at Demirjian stage E at extraction vs Second molar at Demirjian stage F-H at extraction

Spontaneous space closure · Children and adolescents after extraction of a mandibular permanent first molar (before eruption of the second molar)

In the mandible, extraction at Demirjian stage E (vs later F-H) increases odds of space closure (OR 3.81; low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Dental crowding present vs Dental spacing present

Spontaneous space closure · Children and adolescents after extraction of a mandibular permanent first molar (before eruption of the second molar)

One study found space closure more likely with crowding than spacing (OR 5.9; single study; not GRADE-rated).

1 finding from 1 review

Institutionalization (living in an orphanage/institution) vs Parented children living with their families

Dental caries prevalence · Institutionalized orphan children (roughly 3 to 18 years)

Institutionalized orphan children may be at higher risk of dental caries than parented children (pooled RR 1.19), but the estimate is imprecise and not statistically significant (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Probiotics vs placebo or control

Gingival bleeding (various bleeding indices) · Children and/or adolescents (<18 years) without background systemic disease

Only one trial (Borrell 2021) reported the bleeding index, showing slightly more bleeding with probiotics (MD 0.10, 95%CI 0.02 to 0.18); not pooled or GRADE-rated.

1 finding from 1 review

Moderate-severe active dental caries (exposure) vs Caries-free or mild dental caries (control)

TNF-α level · Children and young adults (3-25 years)

Salivary TNF-α levels are significantly higher in children and young adults with active dental caries than in caries-free or mild-caries controls (SMD 14.81 pg/mL, 95% CI 4.76 to 24.86; 7 studies); ungraded.

1 finding from 1 review

Obesity (Unclassified) vs Normal Weight or Non‐Obese

Caries experience (mean DMFT) · Brazilian children/adolescents in permanent dentition (BMI classified by CDC 2000 growth charts)

Normal-weight adolescents may have higher caries experience (DMFT) than obese peers in the permanent dentition, but the evidence is very uncertain (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review