What do systematic reviews say?

Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) vs Super ethoxybenzoic acid (Super-EBA)

It is very uncertain whether mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) changes success rate at 1 year compared with super ethoxybenzoic acid (Super-EBA) (very low certainty).

• Materials for retrograde filling in root canal therapy 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  1 year
  RR 1.03 [0.96, 1.10]
  1 study
  Very low

ARP with alloplast vs ARP with xenograft

It is very uncertain whether ARP with alloplast changes changes in bucco-lingual/palatal width of alveolar ridge (mm) compared with ARP with xenograft (very low certainty).

• Interventions for replacing missing teeth: alveolar ridge preservation techniques for dental implant site development 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 to 8 months
  MD -0.31 [-0.66, 0.04]
  2 studies · 37 participants
  Very low

Combined index tests (e.g. vital staining plus light-based detection or cytology) vs Surgical or punch biopsy with histological assessment

• Diagnostic tests for oral cancer and potentially malignant disorders in patients presenting with clinically evident… 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Sensitivity 0.78 [0.45, 0.94]
  9 studies
  Very low

Extraction of lower deciduous canines vs No active treatment (control)

Extraction of lower deciduous canines led to lower size of the lower jaw (arch length, change) at 1 year compared with no active treatment (control); GRADE not reported.

• Orthodontic treatment for crowded teeth in children 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  1 year
  MD -2.73 [-3.69, -1.77]
  1 study · 83 participants
  GRADE not reported

ARP with demineralised bone matrix, single particle size vs ARP with demineralised bone matrix, multiple particle size

It is very uncertain whether ARP with demineralised bone matrix, single particle size changes changes in bucco-lingual/palatal width of alveolar ridge (mm) compared with ARP with demineralised bone matrix, multiple particle size (very low certainty).

• Interventions for replacing missing teeth: alveolar ridge preservation techniques for dental implant site development 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 months
  MD 0.1 [-0.97, 1.17]
  1 study · 30 participants
  Very low

Hall technique vs Non-restorative cavity control (NRCC)

• Interventions for treating cavitated or dentine carious lesions 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Primary dentition
  Cost-effectiveness reported narratively: HT found more cost-effective than NRCC in primary teeth (Santamaria 2018); not GRADE-rated.
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Chemotherapy regimen A (+/- locoregional treatment) vs Chemotherapy regimen B (+/- locoregional treatment)

• Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer: chemotherapy 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Locoregional control reported in 12 studies; not pooled. Olasz 2000 RR 0.50 (0.26 to 0.96); Prevost 2005 RR 1.48 (1.04 to 2.11); Molinari 1982 RR 0.35 (0.19 to 0.66).
  12 studies
  GRADE not reported

Rubber dam isolation and moisture control (alone or with saliva aspiration) vs Cotton rolls (with or without saliva aspiration)

• Rubber dam isolation for restorative treatment in dental patients 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6, 12, 18 months · Non-carious cervical lesions (composite restoration)
  Loguercio 2015: no significant differences (P>0.05) in marginal staining and marginal adaptation of NCCL restorations between rubber dam and cotton rolls/retraction cords at 6, 12 and 18 months.
  1 study · 30 participants
  GRADE not reported

Visual classification: ERK (Ekstrand-Ricketts-Kidd system) vs Reference standard (histology, excavation, radiographs/microCT, or tooth separation)

• Visual or visual‐tactile examination to detect and inform the diagnosis of enamel caries 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies)
  Sensitivity 0.85 [0.74, 0.92]
  15 studies
  GRADE not reported

Electrical conductance devices (electronic caries monitor (ECM) and/or CarieScan Pro), used as an adjunct to clinical oral examination vs Reference standard: histology or enhanced visual examination (with or without radiographs)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Electrical conductance for the detection of dental caries 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies)
  No eligible studies. 'No studies reported the inclusion of a low prevalence (0% to 14%) of d3/D3 of tooth surfaces'; all included studies reported d3/D3 prevalence of 15% or above, so the planned low-prevalence…
  0 studies
  No studies found

Rubber dam isolation and moisture control (alone or with saliva aspiration) vs Cotton rolls (with or without saliva aspiration)

• Rubber dam isolation for restorative treatment in dental patients 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Non-carious cervical lesions (composite restoration)
  Evidence did not support higher acceptance/preference for rubber dam than cotton rolls (P = 0.85 from binomial test on 28 participants; very low-certainty evidence) (Loguercio 2015).
  1 study · 28 participants
  Very low

Concomitant (concurrent) chemoradiotherapy vs Radiotherapy alone

Concomitant (concurrent) chemoradiotherapy probably leads to lower overall survival, concurrent chemoradiotherapy vs radiotherapy alone… compared with radiotherapy alone (non-resectable tumours) (moderate certainty).

• Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer: chemotherapy 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes
  HR 0.74 [0.67, 0.83]
  24 studies · 2852 participants
  Moderate

Bonded Minne appliance (slow maxillary expansion) vs Banded Minne appliance (slow maxillary expansion)

• Orthodontic treatment for posterior crossbites 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  7 to 15 weeks after start of treatment
  Bonded Minne 7.9 mm (SD 1.5) vs Banded Minne 8.3 mm (SD 1.1); P=NS
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Light-based detection and/or oral spectroscopy (e.g. ViziLite, VELscope, Microlux DL, Identafi 3000) vs Surgical or punch biopsy with histological assessment

• Diagnostic tests for oral cancer and potentially malignant disorders in patients presenting with clinically evident… 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Sensitivity 0.87 [0.78, 0.93]
  23 studies
  Low

Schwarz appliance vs No active treatment (control)

Schwarz appliance led to higher lower incisors to mandible (position, mm) at 9 months compared with no active treatment (control); GRADE not reported.

• Orthodontic treatment for crowded teeth in children 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  9 months
  MD 0.39 [0.11, 0.67]
  1 study · 28 participants
  GRADE not reported

Copper nickel-titanium archwire vs Nickel-titanium archwire

Copper nickel-titanium archwire showed no clear difference in time to alignment (days) compared with nickel-titanium archwire; GRADE not reported.

• Orthodontic treatment for crowded teeth in children 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  alignment
  MD -2.63 [-14.50, 9.24]
  2 studies · 191 participants
  GRADE not reported

Active self-ligating brackets vs Passive self-ligating brackets

• Orthodontic treatment for crowded teeth in children 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  baseline
  Only baseline upper anterior crowding reported (Pandis 2010a, n=70); evidence of baseline imbalance between groups (P=0.04); no post-treatment between-group crowding estimate reported.
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Sealing using sealant materials vs no treatment

• Interventions for treating cavitated or dentine carious lesions 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Non-cavitated lesions, permanent dentition
  Lesion progression reported narratively: da Silveira 2012 found 3/27 lesions progressed after 1 year; not pooled and not GRADE-rated.
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Double primary (canine and first molar) tooth extraction vs Single primary (canine) tooth extraction

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for promoting the eruption of palatally displaced permanent canine teeth, without the need for surgical… 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes
  no estimate extracted
  0 studies
  No studies found

Systemic antibiotic prophylaxis (any regimen; topical therapy excluded) administered before and/or after tooth extraction vs placebo

It is very uncertain whether systemic antibiotic prophylaxis (any regimen; topical therapy… changes adverse effects compared with placebo (very low certainty).

• Antibiotics to prevent complications following tooth extractions 2021 · Cochrane All outcomes

  1st to 7th day
  RR 1.46 [0.81, 2.64]
  8 studies · 1277 participants
  Very low