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Evidence found and GRADE certainty

1,171 questions · 1,373 findings · 60 reviews · Dental caries

No studies found 282 · 20.5%GRADE not reported 606 · 44.1%Very low 257 · 18.7%Low 160 · 11.7%Moderate 66 · 4.8%High 2 · 0.1%

Conditioning and sealing with an adhesive resin (smear-removing bonding system) vs Conventional calcium hydroxide lining

Maintenance of pulp vitality (freedom from pulpal breakdown) up to 36 months · Healthy adults with asymptomatic posterior permanent teeth with deep caries and a vital (non-exposed) pulp requiring restoration
1 finding from 1 review
  • Whitworth 2005: 602 teeth randomised; 39 emergency recalls over the 36 months after restoration, with pulp breakdown associated with 16 teeth. The authors concluded that "dentists should be confident that pulps will be…
    1 study · 602 participants
    GRADE not reported

Glycerrhetinic acid/antibiotic mixture vs Calcium hydroxide (CH)

Clinical success (survival free of symptoms) at 24 months · Adults with asymptomatic teeth with vital carious pulp exposures
1 finding from 1 review
  • Shovelton 1971 (Analysis 1.1): 275 teeth followed for 2 years (235 at 6 months, 160 at 12 months, 85 analysed at 24 months). Success rates 50% to 80%. Ledermix and calcium hydroxide had the highest success rates,…
    1 study · 275 participants
    GRADE not reported

Prefabricated metal post and core (Category II) vs Metal custom-cast post and core (Category I)

Outcome not reported · Participants with permanent endodontically-treated (root-filled) teeth for which a post is indicated to retain the final restoration

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Ledermix (corticosteroid/antibiotic pulp-capping cement) vs Calcium hydroxide (CH)

Clinical success (survival free of symptoms) at 24 months · Adults with asymptomatic teeth with vital carious pulp exposures
1 finding from 1 review
  • Shovelton 1971 (Analysis 1.1): 275 teeth followed for 2 years (235 at 6 months, 160 at 12 months, 85 analysed at 24 months). Success rates 50% to 80%. Ledermix and calcium hydroxide had the highest success rates,…
    1 study · 275 participants
    GRADE not reported

Ledermix (corticosteroid/antibiotic pulp-capping cement) vs Glycerrhetinic acid/antibiotic mixture

Clinical success (survival free of symptoms) at 24 months · Adults with asymptomatic teeth with vital carious pulp exposures
1 finding from 1 review
  • Shovelton 1971 (Analysis 1.1): 275 teeth followed for 2 years (235 at 6 months, 160 at 12 months, 85 analysed at 24 months). Success rates 50% to 80%. Ledermix and calcium hydroxide had the highest success rates,…
    1 study · 275 participants
    GRADE not reported

Metal post of one alloy type vs Metal post of a different alloy type

Outcome not reported · Participants with permanent endodontically-treated (root-filled) teeth for which a post is indicated to retain the final restoration

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Potassium nitrate/dimethyl isosorbide/polycarboxylate cement (KNO3/DMI/PCa) vs Potassium nitrate/polycarboxylate cement (KNO3/PCa)

Clinical success (absence of periapical pathology, tenderness to pressure and fistula formation) at 24 months · Adults with asymptomatic teeth with vital carious pulp exposures
1 finding from 1 review
  • Hodosh 2003 (Analysis 3.1): all 18 patients receiving KNO3/DMI/PCa responded favourably (0/18 developed clinical symptoms) versus 9/17 in the KNO3/PCa group; symptomatic teeth required endodontic therapy or extraction.…
    1 study · 35 participants
    GRADE not reported

Cast post and core with a diaphragm vs Cast post and core without a diaphragm

Outcome not reported · Participants with permanent endodontically-treated (root-filled) teeth for which a post is indicated to retain the final restoration

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Calcium hydroxide cement (Dycal) vs Zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE)

Clinical symptoms at 12 months · Adults (aged 20 to 60 years, mean 27) with deep carious lesions in permanent teeth (indirect or direct pulp capping, or complete caries…
1 finding from 1 review
  • Pulp management for caries in adults: maintaining pulp vitality 2007 · Cochrane All outcomes
    12 months · Complete caries removal
    Analysis 2.2 (clinical symptoms at 12 months following complete caries removal, Dycal vs Cavitec). Fitzgerald 1991: 151 teeth in 55 patients (analysis at tooth level, not patient level); substantial attrition (11 teeth…
    1 study · 151 participants
    GRADE not reported

Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE)

Clinical success (survival free of symptoms) at 24 months · Adults with asymptomatic teeth with vital carious pulp exposures
1 finding from 1 review
  • Shovelton 1971 (Analysis 1.1): 275 teeth followed for 2 years (235 at 6 months, 160 at 12 months, 85 analysed at 24 months). Success rates 50% to 80%. Ledermix and calcium hydroxide had the highest success rates,…
    1 study · 275 participants
    GRADE not reported

Life (calcium hydroxide pulp-capping material) vs Zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE)

Clinical symptoms at 12 months · Adults (aged 20 to 60 years, mean 27) with deep carious lesions in permanent teeth (indirect or direct pulp capping, or complete caries…
1 finding from 1 review
  • Pulp management for caries in adults: maintaining pulp vitality 2007 · Cochrane All outcomes
    12 months · Complete caries removal
    Analysis 2.2 (clinical symptoms at 12 months following complete caries removal, Life vs Cavitec). Fitzgerald 1991: 151 teeth in 55 patients (analysis at tooth level, not patient level); substantial attrition (11 teeth…
    1 study · 151 participants
    GRADE not reported

Life (calcium hydroxide pulp-capping material) vs Dycal (calcium hydroxide pulp-capping material)

Clinical symptoms at 12 months · Adults (aged 20 to 60 years, mean 27) with deep carious lesions in permanent teeth (indirect or direct pulp capping, or complete caries…
3 findings from 1 review
  • Pulp management for caries in adults: maintaining pulp vitality 2007 · Cochrane All outcomes
    12 months · Complete caries removal
    Analysis 2.2 (clinical symptoms at 12 months following complete caries removal, Life vs Dycal). Fitzgerald 1991: 151 teeth in 55 patients (analysis at tooth level, not patient level); substantial attrition (11 teeth…
    1 study · 151 participants
    GRADE not reported
  • Pulp management for caries in adults: maintaining pulp vitality 2007 · Cochrane All outcomes
    12 months · Indirect pulp capping
    Analysis 2.1 (clinical symptoms at 12 months following indirect pulp capping, Life vs Dycal). Fitzgerald 1991: 151 teeth in 55 patients (analysis at tooth level, not patient level); substantial attrition (11 teeth lost…
    1 study · 151 participants
    GRADE not reported
  • Pulp management for caries in adults: maintaining pulp vitality 2007 · Cochrane All outcomes
    12 months · Direct pulp capping
    Analysis 2.3 (clinical symptoms at 12 months following direct pulp capping, Life vs Dycal). Fitzgerald 1991: 151 teeth in 55 patients (analysis at tooth level, not patient level); substantial attrition (11 teeth lost…
    1 study · 151 participants
    GRADE not reported

Potassium nitrate/dimethyl isosorbide/polycarboxylate cement (KNO3/DMI/PCa) vs Polycarboxylate cement (PCa) alone

Clinical success (absence of periapical pathology, tenderness to pressure and fistula formation) at 24 months · Adults with asymptomatic teeth with vital carious pulp exposures
1 finding from 1 review
  • Hodosh 2003 (Analysis 3.1): all 18 patients receiving KNO3/DMI/PCa responded favourably (0/18 developed clinical symptoms) versus 10/12 in the PCa group. "The results in groups two and three were statistically…
    1 study · 30 participants
    GRADE not reported

Glycerrhetinic acid/antibiotic mixture vs Zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE)

Clinical success (survival free of symptoms) at 24 months · Adults with asymptomatic teeth with vital carious pulp exposures
1 finding from 1 review
  • Shovelton 1971 (Analysis 1.1): 275 teeth followed for 2 years (235 at 6 months, 160 at 12 months, 85 analysed at 24 months). Success rates 50% to 80%. Ledermix and calcium hydroxide had the highest success rates,…
    1 study · 275 participants
    GRADE not reported

Post and core restoration with a ferrule vs Post and core restoration without a ferrule

Outcome not reported · Participants with permanent endodontically-treated (root-filled) teeth for which a post is indicated to retain the final restoration

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Non-metal carbon-fibre post and core (Category III; Composipost) vs Metal custom-cast post and core (Category I)

Clinical/technical failure (root fracture) · Participants with permanent endodontically-treated (root-filled) teeth for which a post is indicated to retain the final restoration

Non-metal carbon-fibre post and core (Category III; Composipost) led to lower clinical/technical failure (root fracture) compared with metal custom-cast post and core (Category I; gold alloy); GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Potassium nitrate/polycarboxylate cement (KNO3/PCa) vs Polycarboxylate cement (PCa) alone

Clinical success (absence of periapical pathology, tenderness to pressure and fistula formation) at 24 months · Adults with asymptomatic teeth with vital carious pulp exposures
1 finding from 1 review
  • Hodosh 2003 (Analysis 3.1): 9/17 in the KNO3/PCa group and 10/12 in the PCa group developed clinical symptoms requiring endodontic therapy or extraction. No significance test reported for this specific contrast; no…
    1 study · 29 participants
    GRADE not reported

Direct composite resin restoration vs Full-coverage metal-ceramic crown

Clinical failure (post dislodgement) · Participants with endodontically-treated permanent premolars restored with a carbon-fibre post (Category III)

Direct composite restoration (final restoration) showed no clear difference in clinical failure (post dislodgement) compared with full-coverage metal-ceramic crown; GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Ledermix (corticosteroid/antibiotic pulp-capping cement) vs Zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE)

Clinical success (survival free of symptoms) at 24 months · Adults with asymptomatic teeth with vital carious pulp exposures
1 finding from 1 review
  • Shovelton 1971 (Analysis 1.1): 275 teeth followed for 2 years (235 at 6 months, 160 at 12 months, 85 analysed at 24 months). Success rates 50% to 80%. Ledermix and calcium hydroxide had the highest success rates,…
    1 study · 275 participants
    GRADE not reported

Potassium containing toothpaste (5% potassium nitrate) vs Control toothpaste (without potassium)

Tactile sensitivity (method a, ordinal scale) · Healthy human adults (18 years or more) with dentine hypersensitivity from exposed root surfaces

Potassium containing toothpaste (5% potassium nitrate) led to lower tactile sensitivity (method a, ordinal scale) compared with control toothpaste (without potassium); GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review