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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. Each row links to its question's own page, which gathers every review that asked it, however worded; see the questions asked by more than one review.
10,375 questions in 429 reviews · Oral Health
current versionsNo studies 1,344 · 13%Ungraded 6,832 · 65.9%Very low 1,228 · 11.8%Low 613 · 5.9%Moderate 290 · 2.8%High 68 · 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.
| Question | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Difference in specificity · Children or adults asymptomatic or suspected of enamel caries; extracted teeth · Clinical studies and in vitro extracted teeth, Analysis 1: fully within-person comparison Enamel Caries Detection and Diagnosis: An Analysis of Systematic Reviews. (2021) | Difference in specificity -0.03 [-0.09, 0.16] | 19 studies · 2849 participants | Ungraded |
Lactobacilli presence (CFU > 10^5) · Adults undergoing orthodontic treatment · 6 months, Adults Impact of Aligners and Fixed Appliances on Oral Health during Orthodontic Treatment: A Systematic Review and… (2021) | RR 0.19 [0.08, 0.45] | 2 studies · 140 participants | Low |
Diagnostic accuracy for occlusal caries detection at the caries detection level (D0 versus D1-D4) · Human permanent posterior teeth (premolars and molars) in patients, occlusal (pit-and-fissure) surfaces · in vivo Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic methods for occlusal surface caries. (2021) | Specificity 0.58 [0.42, 0.72] | 1 study | Ungraded |
Water samples with fluoride concentration above the acceptable range · Artificially fluoridated public water supply in Brazilian cities (water samples under external control) · Public water supply / water treatment stations in Brazilian cities (external control of artificial fluoridation), Region: Southeast Brazil External control of fluoridation in the public water supplies of Brazilian cities as a strategy against… (2021) | Prevalence 11.5 | NR | Ungraded |
COE with light-based detection (e.g. ViziLite Plus, Microlux/DL, VELscope, Identafi 3000) vs Reference standard: examination and clinical evaluation by a physician/clinician with specialist knowledge or training (long-term follow-up accepted for those screened negative) Outcome NR · Apparently healthy adults not reporting symptoms of OPMD or OSCC, attending an organised screening or surveillance… Clinical assessment for the detection of oral cavity cancer and potentially malignant disorders in… (2021) · Cochrane | There were no eligible studies evaluating light-based detection. | 0 studies | No studies |
Molar expansion (inter-molar distance) · Children and adults with a posterior crossbite, without a Class III skeletal relationship, cleft lip or palate (or… · Children Orthodontic treatment for posterior crossbites (2021) · Cochrane | MD 5.80 [5.15, 6.45] | 2 studies · 71 participants | Moderate |
Severe early childhood caries · Children aged 5-6 years in Ajman schools · Overall Oral Health of Children and Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review of the Past Decade. (2021) | OR 1.43 [1.11, 1.85] | 1 study · 1036 participants | Ungraded |
Presence of pain (dichotomous, yes/no on 6th-7th day) · People undergoing tooth extraction (21 of 23 trials: healthy patients undergoing impacted third molar extraction; 1… · 6th to 7th day Antibiotics to prevent complications following tooth extractions (2021) · Cochrane | RR 0.59 [0.31, 1.12] | 3 studies · 675 participants | Very low |
Dental fluorosis prevalence · School-aged children in the United Arab Emirates (Dubai) · Dubai, UAE; governmental schools Oral Health of Children and Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review of the Past Decade. (2021) | Ahmad et al. (Dubai, school-aged children; n=779) reported dental fluorosis in 10.9%, mostly very mild or mild (Table 2). | 1 study · 779 participants | Ungraded |
Dental erosion · Five-year-old preschool children in Sharjah · Overall Oral Health of Children and Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review of the Past Decade. (2021) | OR 0.30 [0.19, 0.41] | 1 study · 403 participants | Ungraded |
Changes in bucco-lingual/palatal width of alveolar ridge (mm) · Adults aged 18 years or older, in good general health (including well-controlled systemic disease), requiring… · 6 months Interventions for replacing missing teeth: alveolar ridge preservation techniques for dental implant site… (2021) · Cochrane | MD -0.4 [-1.13, 0.34] | 3 studies · 87 participants | Very low |
Costs: operation/chair time · Dental patients undergoing restorative treatment (no age or gender restriction) · Pit and fissure sealing (permanent molars) Rubber dam isolation for restorative treatment in dental patients (2021) · Cochrane | MD 9.36 [8.42, 10.30] | 1 study · 42 participants | Very low |
Specificity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies) Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane | Specificity 0.81 [0.73, 0.88] | 7 studies | Ungraded |
Sensitivity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), CBCT Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane | Sensitivity 0.76 [0.65, 0.85] | 6 studies | Ungraded |
Amount of crowding (number of children with crowding, mandible) after 1 year · Children or adolescents (aged 16 years old or under) receiving orthodontic treatment to prevent or correct crowded teeth · 1 year Orthodontic treatment for crowded teeth in children (2021) · Cochrane | OR 0.19 [0.05, 0.68] | 1 study · 46 participants | Very low |
Crossbite correction · Children and adults with a posterior crossbite, without a Class III skeletal relationship, cleft lip or palate (or… · Adolescents Orthodontic treatment for posterior crossbites (2021) · Cochrane | Alberta 2010: bone-borne expansion corrected all posterior crossbites (21/21); no self-correction in the untreated group | 1 study | Ungraded |
Initiation of white spot lesions (WSL), visual-tactile assessment · Patients of any age (11-40 years) receiving comprehensive/fixed orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances · 1-24 months follow-up, Patients undergoing fixed (multibracket) orthodontic appliance treatment; clinical/dental setting; analysis at tooth level, Compomer-based bonding agents Efficacy of sealants and bonding materials during fixed orthodontic treatment to prevent enamel… (2021) | RR 0.71 [0.46, 1.11] | 2 studies · 400 participants | Ungraded |
Diagnostic accuracy for occlusal caries detection at the caries detection level (D0 versus D1-D4) · Human permanent posterior teeth (premolars and molars) in patients, occlusal (pit-and-fissure) surfaces · in vivo Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic methods for occlusal surface caries. (2021) | Specificity 0.94 [0.46, 0.996] | 1 study | Ungraded |
Gingivitis · School children aged 3-12 years in Sharjah clinic · Overall Oral Health of Children and Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review of the Past Decade. (2021) | OR 0.33 [0.17, 0.62] | 1 study · 405 participants | Ungraded |
Changes in intensity of pain (VAS 0 to 10) tested through air blast stimuli · Patients aged above 12 years with self-reported tooth hypersensitivity confirmed on clinical evaluation · Short term (0 to 24 hours) Laser therapy for dentinal hypersensitivity (2021) · Cochrane | MD -2.62 [-5.61, 0.38] | 4 studies | Ungraded |
Dental caries prevalence · Children with beta-thalassemia major in Dubai · Children with beta-thalassemia major Oral Health of Children and Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review of the Past Decade. (2021) | Prevalence 68.4 | 1 study | Ungraded |
Diagnostic accuracy for occlusal caries detection at the 1/3 dentin caries detection level (Ekstrand; D0-2 versus D3-4) · Human permanent posterior teeth (premolars and molars) in patients, occlusal (pit-and-fissure) surfaces · in vivo Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic methods for occlusal surface caries. (2021) | Sensitivity 0.72 [0.52, 0.86] | 3 studies | Ungraded |
Dental caries prevalence · General Pakistani population (all ages and both sexes; predominantly children and adolescents) · Pakistan (school-, community-, and hospital/clinic-based cross-sectional surveys), City: Karachi Prevalence of dental caries in Pakistan: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2021) | Prevalence 61.988 [45.504, 77.161] | 7 studies | Ungraded |
Changes in vertical height of alveolar ridge (mm) · Adults aged 18 years or older, in good general health (including well-controlled systemic disease), requiring… · 6 to 8 months Interventions for replacing missing teeth: alveolar ridge preservation techniques for dental implant site… (2021) · Cochrane | MD -0.6 [-1.27, 0.07] | 1 study · 25 participants | Very low |
Mean DMFT · School children aged 11-17 years in Sharjah · Overall Oral Health of Children and Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review of the Past Decade. (2021) | MEAN 3.19 | 1 study · 803 participants | Ungraded |
Dental caries prevalence · School children aged 12-14 years in Dubai schools · Overall Oral Health of Children and Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review of the Past Decade. (2021) | Prevalence 41.6 | 1 study · 2237 participants | Ungraded |
Intervention NR Mean DMFT (decayed, missing, filled permanent teeth) · Kenya Prevalence of Dental Caries and Associated Factors in East Africa, 2000-2020: Systematic Review and… (2021) | MEAN 1.410 [-0.045, 2.865] | 4 studies | Ungraded |
Radiographic proximal caries lesion progression · Patients with non-cavitated proximal (approximal) caries lesions (primary or permanent dentition) · Longest available follow-up, Primary dentition Infiltration and sealing for managing non-cavitated proximal lesions: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2021) | OR 0.30 [0.20, 0.45] | 5 studies | Ungraded |
Diagnostic accuracy for occlusal caries detection at the dentin caries detection level (D0-2 versus D3-4) · Extracted human permanent posterior teeth (premolars and molars), occlusal (pit-and-fissure) surfaces · in vitro Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic methods for occlusal surface caries. (2021) | AUC 0.75 | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Harms: allergic reaction · People with permanent or adult posterior teeth requiring restoration (parallel-group trials involved children aged 6… Direct composite resin fillings versus amalgam fillings for permanent posterior teeth (2021) · Cochrane | We did not find any eligible studies that evaluated allergic reaction or injury (no studies reported on outcomes of relevance to allergic reaction). | 0 studies | No studies |
Plasma level of hs-CRP (mg/L) · Adults (any age/sex) with chronic periodontitis (>=5 teeth remaining; PPD >4 mm), with or without hypertension · Long term, People diagnosed with periodontitis Effect of periodontal treatments on blood pressure (2021) · Cochrane | MD 1.19 [-0.55, 2.93] | 1 study · 168 participants | Ungraded |
Need for additional augmentation prior to implant placement · Adults aged 18 years or older, in good general health (including well-controlled systemic disease), requiring… · 6 months Interventions for replacing missing teeth: alveolar ridge preservation techniques for dental implant site… (2021) · Cochrane | Outcome not reported | 0 studies | No studies |
Diagnostic accuracy for proximal caries detection (1/3 dentin detection level) · Extracted permanent posterior teeth with proximal surfaces (in vitro) · In vitro (laboratory; extracted teeth); permanent posterior teeth, proximal surfaces, 1/3 dentin detection level Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic studies of proximal surface caries. (2021) | AUC 0.95 | 1 study | Ungraded |
Diagnostic accuracy for proximal caries detection (dentin detection level) · Patients with permanent posterior teeth, proximal surfaces assessed clinically (in vivo) · In vivo (clinical); permanent posterior teeth, proximal surfaces, Dentin detection level Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic studies of proximal surface caries. (2021) | AUC 0.79 | 1 study | Ungraded |
Transillumination/OCT device used as an adjunct to a conventional visual examination vs Reference standard: histology, or enhanced visual examination with or without radiographs (also operative excavation, tooth separation, or microcomputed tomography) Outcome NR · Children or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of having enamel caries (clinical/in vivo studies);… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo; in vitro no limit if stored appropriately) Transillumination and optical coherence tomography for the detection and diagnosis of enamel caries (2021) · Cochrane | No studies formally reported the use of the illumination devices as an adjunct to a conventional visual examination, and therefore it has not been possible to make an assessment. | 0 studies | No studies |
Intervention NR Water samples with fluoride concentration outside the acceptable range · Region: South Brazil External control of fluoridation in the public water supplies of Brazilian cities as a strategy against… (2021) | Prevalence 50.7 [40.7, 60.6] | NR | Ungraded |
Aesthetic outcomes of future prosthodontic rehabilitation · Adults aged 18 years or older, in good general health (including well-controlled systemic disease), requiring… · 6 months Interventions for replacing missing teeth: alveolar ridge preservation techniques for dental implant site… (2021) · Cochrane | Outcome not reported | 0 studies | No studies |
Sensitivity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Digital Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane | Sensitivity 0.47 [0.36, 0.59] | 15 studies | Ungraded |
Lower incisors to mandible (inclination, degrees) · Children or adolescents (aged 16 years old or under) receiving orthodontic treatment to prevent or correct crowded teeth · post-treatment Orthodontic treatment for crowded teeth in children (2021) · Cochrane | MD 1.29 [-1.77, 4.35] | 1 study · 33 participants | Ungraded |
Diagnostic accuracy for proximal caries detection (1/3 dentin detection level) · Extracted permanent posterior teeth with proximal surfaces (in vitro) · In vitro (laboratory; extracted teeth); permanent posterior teeth, proximal surfaces, 1/3 dentin detection level Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic studies of proximal surface caries. (2021) | DOR 283.6 [16.1, 5010.0] | 1 study | Ungraded |
Dental caries susceptibility (risk of dental caries) · Children and adults (no age limit) assessed for dental caries susceptibility · Case-control studies of children and adults (China, India, Czech Republic, Turkey), Dentition: Permanent tooth caries Association Between the TaqI (rs731236 T>C) Gene Polymorphism and Dental Caries Risk: A Meta-analysis. (2021) | OR 1.65 [0.33, 8.35] | 3 studies · 1271 participants | Ungraded |
Sensitivity for detection of enamel caries · Asymptomatic children or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted teeth of children… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Medium prevalence of dentine caries (15% to 34%) Visual or visual‐tactile examination to detect and inform the diagnosis of enamel caries (2021) · Cochrane | Sensitivity 0.81 [0.72, 0.88] | NR | Ungraded |
Specificity · Children, adolescents, or adults presenting asymptomatically or suspected of early enamel caries (in vivo), or… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies) Electrical conductance for the detection of dental caries (2021) · Cochrane | CarieScan Pro (3 studies, 244 tooth surfaces): specificity ranged from 0 to 1.00. | 3 studies | Ungraded |
Diagnostic accuracy for proximal caries detection (caries detection level) · Extracted permanent posterior teeth with proximal surfaces (in vitro) · In vitro (laboratory; extracted teeth); permanent posterior teeth, proximal surfaces, Caries detection level Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic studies of proximal surface caries. (2021) | Specificity 0.90 [0.85, 0.93] | 12 studies | Ungraded |
Changes in intensity of pain (VAS 0 to 10) tested through air blast stimuli · Patients aged above 12 years with self-reported tooth hypersensitivity confirmed on clinical evaluation · Long term (more than 2 months) Laser therapy for dentinal hypersensitivity (2021) · Cochrane | MD -5.19 [-5.50, -4.89] | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Locoregional control, concurrent chemoradiotherapy (platinum + 5-fluorouracil) vs radiotherapy alone (pooled) · People receiving curative-intent treatment for oral cavity and oropharyngeal (squamous cell) cancer Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer: chemotherapy (2021) · Cochrane | RR 0.75 [0.61, 0.93] | 3 studies | Ungraded |
Mean dmft · Preschool children of incarcerated mothers in UAE prison nurseries · Overall Oral Health of Children and Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: A Systematic Review of the Past Decade. (2021) | MEAN 4.97 | 1 study | Ungraded |
Radiographic proximal caries lesion progression · Patients with non-cavitated proximal caries lesions · Longest available follow-up, Caries risk: moderate to high Infiltration and sealing for managing non-cavitated proximal lesions: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2021) | OR 0.20 [0.10, 0.39] | 3 studies | Ungraded |
Sensitivity for detection and diagnosis of early (enamel) caries · Asymptomatic children, adolescents, or adults presenting for clinical examination (in vivo studies), or extracted… · Up to 3 months between index test and reference standard (in vivo studies), Sensitivity analysis: low risk of bias for index test Imaging modalities to inform the detection and diagnosis of early caries (2021) · Cochrane | Sensitivity 0.51 [0.43, 0.61] | NR | Ungraded |
Masking effect / color improvement · Patients with white spot lesions or developmental enamel defects Efficacy of resin infiltration to mask post-orthodontic or non-post-orthodontic white spot lesions or… (2021) | no estimate extracted | 2 studies | Ungraded |