Gap finder

Search review questions

Each row is one question a systematic review asked: who, what, compared with what, and which outcome, with the effect it found and how certain that is. Every word you type has to appear somewhere in the question, and the closest matches are ranked first.

Limit to evidence status or GRADE (optional)

5,762 questions in 263 reviews · Dental caries

current versions
No studies 321 · 5.6%Ungraded 4,450 · 77.2%Very low 455 · 7.9%Low 297 · 5.2%Moderate 200 · 3.5%High 39 · 0.7%

Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.

QuestionEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Intraglandular botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) injection vs No BoNT (placebo or pre-treatment baseline)
Oral/salivary pH · Patients with drooling (sialorrhea) due to neurological disease · Before vs after BoNT injection
Oral health effects of botulinum toxin treatment for drooling: a systematic review. (2020)
Wu et al. did not observe significant differences in participants' oral pH before and after BoNT-A injections between the active and control groups. There were also no statistically significant differences regarding…3 studiesUngraded
All fluorescence-based devices (red, blue, and green fluorescence combined) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation
Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) by subgroup: Low dentine-caries prevalence (<=14%) (detection of early enamel caries, D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Low dentine-caries prevalence (<=14%)
Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane
DOR 11.10 [6.88, 17.91]NRUngraded
GERD vs Healthy individuals without reflux (controls)
Dental caries (Decayed Missing Filled index) · Adults with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR)
Laryngopharyngeal reflux, gastroesophageal reflux and dental disorders: A systematic review. (2020)
Three studies reported higher decayed-missing-filled index scores or a positive association between GERD and caries compared with controls (Yoshikawa, Song, Watanabe); no pooled estimate.3 studiesUngraded
T allele of AMELX rs946252 vs C allele of AMELX rs946252
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Control group: Low caries
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 0.99 [0.53, 1.86]1 studyUngraded
TT genotype of AMELX rs17878486 vs CC + CT genotype of AMELX rs17878486
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Control group: Low caries
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 1.44 [0.75, 2.77]2 studiesUngraded
CT + TT genotype (T-allele carriers) of AMELX rs17878486 vs CC genotype of AMELX rs17878486
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Ethnicity: Asian
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 0.89 [0.04, 22.53]1 studyUngraded
CT genotype of ENAM rs3796703 vs CC genotype of ENAM rs3796703
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Ethnicity: Asian
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 0.89 [0.23, 3.48]2 studiesUngraded
GG genotype of LTF rs1126478 vs AA + AG genotype of LTF rs1126478
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Ethnicity: Caucasian
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 1.33 [0.77, 2.29]2 studiesUngraded
T allele of AMELX rs946252 vs C allele of AMELX rs946252
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Age group: Children
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 1.21 [0.77, 1.91]2 studiesUngraded
G allele of ENAM rs3796704 vs A allele of ENAM rs3796704
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Ethnicity: Caucasian
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 1.43 [1.10, 1.85]3 studiesUngraded
Canary System (Quantum Dental Technologies; red fluorescence, scale 0-100) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation
Outcome NR · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies)
Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane
The Canary System was not used by any included study.0 studiesNo studies
TT genotype of AMELX rs17878486 vs CC genotype of AMELX rs17878486
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Age group: Children
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 4.69 [0.55, 40.16]3 studiesUngraded
All fluorescence-based devices (red, blue, and green fluorescence combined) vs Reference standard: histology, enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs, or excavation
Sensitivity at fixed upper-quartile specificity 0.90 (detection of early enamel caries, D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies)
Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane
Sensitivity 0.60 [0.54, 0.65]79 studiesLow
AG + GG genotype (G-allele carriers) of ENAM rs1264848 vs AA genotype of ENAM rs1264848
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Age group: Children
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 1.16 [0.76, 1.75]4 studiesUngraded
GG genotype of ENAM rs1264848 vs AA + AG genotype of ENAM rs1264848
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Overall
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 0.83 [0.44, 1.58]5 studies · 1534 participantsUngraded
Preterm birth (<37 weeks gestation) vs Full-term birth (37 weeks or more gestation)
Early childhood caries (ECC) · Children aged 6 years or younger (preschool children) · Children aged 3 years or younger
Relationship between preterm, low birth weight and early childhood caries: a meta-analysis of the… (2020)
OR 0.90 [0.59, 1.37]2 studiesUngraded
TT genotype of ENAM rs3796703 vs CC genotype of ENAM rs3796703
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Ethnicity: Asian
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 5.22 [0.25, 108.96]2 studiesUngraded
Tooth-coloured direct restorative materials (composite, compomer, giomer, RMGIC, HVGIC, open-sandwich) vs No comparator group (single-arm pooled success rate; materials/techniques contrasted via moderator analyses)
Retention success rate · Children with primary molars requiring proximal (Class II) restorations · 24 months, Random assignment: No/Incorrect
Success rate of proximal tooth-coloured direct restorations in primary teeth at 24 months: a meta-analysis. (2020)
Proportion 0.897 [0.792, 0.952]12 studiesUngraded
All exposure-OHRQoL estimates pooled for publication-bias correction (meta-trim sensitivity); specific exposure set not defined in source vs Not specified
Poor oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) · Children aged 3-12 years · Trim-and-fill adjusted (publication-bias corrected), random-effects
The Association of Oral Health Status, demographic characteristics and socioeconomic determinants with Oral… (2020)
OR 0.17 [0.13, 0.21]NRUngraded
Intervention NR
Marginal integrity success rate · Use of cavity conditioner: No
Success rate of proximal tooth-coloured direct restorations in primary teeth at 24 months: a meta-analysis. (2020)
Proportion 0.963 [0.779, 0.995]2 studiesUngraded
LTF rs1126478 GG genotype vs AA genotype
Dental caries susceptibility · Age group: Children (n=4) individuals with caries/high caries and controls · Age group: Children (n=4)
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 1.03 [0.80, 1.33]4 studiesUngraded
AMELX rs17878486 TT genotype vs CC genotype
Dental caries susceptibility · Ethnicity: Caucasian (n=2) individuals with caries/high caries and controls · Ethnicity: Caucasian (n=2)
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 5.12 [0.09, 278.85]2 studiesUngraded
Intervention NR
Anatomic form success rate · Study design: Noncontrolled trial
Success rate of proximal tooth-coloured direct restorations in primary teeth at 24 months: a meta-analysis. (2020)
Proportion 0.950 [0.867, 0.982]4 studiesUngraded
Combined index test: visual examination + radiograph + DIAGNOdent (Alomari 2015) vs Reference standard: histology
Sensitivity for detection of early enamel caries (D1 threshold) · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (in vivo/clinical studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies)
Fluorescence devices for the detection of dental caries (2020) · Cochrane
Sensitivity 0.82 [0.75, 0.88]1 studyUngraded
Resin-based fissure sealant plus fluoride varnish vs Fluoride varnish alone
Progression of dentinal carious lesions into enamel or dentine · Children and adolescents from the general population, younger than 20 years of age at the start of the study
Pit and fissure sealants versus fluoride varnishes for preventing dental decay in the permanent teeth of… (2020) · Cochrane
The study (Splieth 2001) did not report progression of dentinal carious lesions into enamel or dentine.0 studiesNo studies
AG genotype of ENAM rs3796704 vs AA genotype of ENAM rs3796704
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Control group: Caries-free
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 1.74 [0.81, 3.74]2 studiesUngraded
CT + TT genotype (T-allele carriers) of AMELX rs946252 vs CC genotype of AMELX rs946252
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Age group: Children
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 1.24 [0.66, 2.33]2 studiesUngraded
AMELX rs2106416 TT genotype vs CC + CT genotype
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals with caries/high caries and caries-free or low-caries controls · Overall (n=3)
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 1.67 [0.44, 6.34]3 studies · 285 participantsUngraded
G allele of ENAM rs3796704 vs A allele of ENAM rs3796704
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Control group: Low caries
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 0.97 [0.63, 1.50]2 studiesUngraded
Intervention NR
Anatomic form success rate · Material type: Resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC)
Success rate of proximal tooth-coloured direct restorations in primary teeth at 24 months: a meta-analysis. (2020)
Proportion 0.934 [0.848, 0.973]5 studiesUngraded
Intervention NR
Marginal integrity success rate · Material type: Resin-based material + self-etching adhesion
Success rate of proximal tooth-coloured direct restorations in primary teeth at 24 months: a meta-analysis. (2020)
Proportion 0.916 [0.848, 0.956]8 studiesUngraded
T allele of AMELX rs17878486 vs C allele of AMELX rs17878486
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Overall
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 2.25 [0.81, 6.24]4 studies · 442 participantsUngraded
Intervention NR
Anatomic form success rate · Material type: Resin-based material + self-etching adhesion
Success rate of proximal tooth-coloured direct restorations in primary teeth at 24 months: a meta-analysis. (2020)
Proportion 0.926 [0.829, 0.970]6 studiesUngraded
Intervention NR
Anatomic form success rate · Financial source: Public
Success rate of proximal tooth-coloured direct restorations in primary teeth at 24 months: a meta-analysis. (2020)
Proportion 0.919 [0.846, 0.959]10 studiesUngraded
AMELX rs6639060 CT + TT genotype vs CC genotype
Dental caries susceptibility · Ethnicity: Caucasian (n=1) individuals with caries/high caries and controls · Ethnicity: Caucasian (n=1)
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 1.14 [0.56, 2.29]1 studyUngraded
T allele of AMELX rs17878486 vs C allele of AMELX rs17878486
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Ethnicity: Mixed
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 1.87 [1.06, 3.30]1 studyUngraded
Periodontal disease (present) vs No periodontal disease
Poor oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) · Children aged 3-12 years
The Association of Oral Health Status, demographic characteristics and socioeconomic determinants with Oral… (2020)
OR 1.15 [1.12, 1.18]3 studiesUngraded
AG genotype of ENAM rs3796704 vs AA genotype of ENAM rs3796704
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Ethnicity: Caucasian
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 1.74 [0.81, 3.74]3 studiesUngraded
CT + TT genotype (T-allele carriers) of ENAM rs3796703 vs CC genotype of ENAM rs3796703
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Overall
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 0.90 [0.23, 3.63]2 studies · 1152 participantsUngraded
Tooth-coloured direct restorative materials (composite, compomer, giomer, RMGIC, HVGIC, open-sandwich) vs No comparator group (single-arm pooled success rate; materials/techniques contrasted via moderator analyses)
Absence of recurrent caries success rate · Children with primary molars requiring proximal (Class II) restorations · 24 months, Trim-and-fill adjusted (publication-bias sensitivity)
Success rate of proximal tooth-coloured direct restorations in primary teeth at 24 months: a meta-analysis. (2020)
Proportion 0.878 [0.828, 0.915]38 (30 observed + 8 imputed) studiesUngraded
Vegetarian diet (any diet excluding all meat, poultry and fish) vs Nonvegetarian diet
Presence of dental erosion · General population (children and adults) assessed for dental hard-tissue health
Vegetarian diet and its possible influence on dental health: A systematic literature review. (2020)
OR 2.40 [1.24, 4.66]6 studiesUngraded
AMELX rs946252 TT genotype vs CC genotype
Dental caries susceptibility · Ethnicity: Mixed (n=1) individuals with caries/high caries and controls · Ethnicity: Mixed (n=1)
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 1.03 [0.28, 3.75]1 studyUngraded
AG + GG genotype (G-allele carriers) of ENAM rs1264848 vs AA genotype of ENAM rs1264848
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Ethnicity: Caucasian
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 1.18 [0.86, 1.62]4 studiesUngraded
Female gender (girls) vs Male gender (boys)
Poor oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) · Children aged 3-12 years
The Association of Oral Health Status, demographic characteristics and socioeconomic determinants with Oral… (2020)
OR 1.13 [1.09, 1.17]3 studiesUngraded
Tooth-coloured direct restorative materials (composite, compomer, giomer, RMGIC, HVGIC, open-sandwich) vs No comparator group (single-arm pooled success rate; materials/techniques contrasted via moderator analyses)
Retention success rate · Children with primary molars requiring proximal (Class II) restorations · 24 months, Material type: Resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC)
Success rate of proximal tooth-coloured direct restorations in primary teeth at 24 months: a meta-analysis. (2020)
Proportion 0.956 [0.865, 0.986]5 studiesUngraded
GG genotype of ENAM rs1264848 vs AA genotype of ENAM rs1264848
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Control group: Caries-free
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 0.42 [0.03, 5.41]3 studiesUngraded
TT genotype of AMELX rs6639060 vs CC + CT genotype of AMELX rs6639060
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Ethnicity: Caucasian
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 1.00 [0.42, 2.39]1 studyUngraded
CT genotype of ENAM rs3796703 vs CC genotype of ENAM rs3796703
Dental caries susceptibility · Individuals assessed for dental caries (cases with caries/high caries vs. caries-free or low/very-low-caries controls) · Age group: Children
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 0.89 [0.23, 3.48]2 studiesUngraded
ENAM rs3796703 TT genotype vs CC genotype
Dental caries susceptibility · Ethnicity: Asian (n=2) individuals with caries/high caries and controls · Ethnicity: Asian (n=2)
Association of LTF, ENAM, and AMELX polymorphisms with dental caries susceptibility: a meta-analysis. (2020)
OR 5.22 [0.25, 108.96]2 studiesUngraded
Higher dental caries experience vs Caries-free children
Poor oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) · Children aged 3-12 years
The Association of Oral Health Status, demographic characteristics and socioeconomic determinants with Oral… (2020)
OR 1.66 [1.43, 1.88]6 studiesUngraded