Arrest or reversal of noncavitated and cavitated root carious lesions · Adults (including institutionalized/older adults) with noncavitated and cavitated carious lesions on root surfaces (permanent teeth)
38% SDF solution (applied annually) may not differ from no treatment for arrest or reversal of root carious lesions (RR 1.92, 95% CI 0.52 to 6.87; very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Enamel surface microhardness · Extracted human teeth with early/artificial enamel lesions (in vitro)
In vitro, CPP-ACP increased Vickers microhardness versus control (SMD 1.19, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.66; ungraded).
3 findings from 1 review
SMD 1.19 [0.72, 1.66]
5 studies · 106 participants
GRADE not reported
SMD 2.07 [1.24, 2.89]
8 studies · 170 participants
GRADE not reported
SMD 3.52 [2.68, 4.36]
3 studies · 64 participants
GRADE not reported
Sealant retention rate (completely retained) · Children with permanent molars requiring pit-and-fissure sealants
At 12 months, Er:YAG laser combined with acid-etching significantly improved sealant retention versus acid-etching alone (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.80, favouring laser+acid; ungraded, single study).
4 findings from 1 review
OR 0.39 [0.19, 0.80]
1 study · 42 participants
GRADE not reported
OR 0.55 [0.23, 1.34]
1 study · 42 participants
GRADE not reported
OR 0.41 [0.21, 0.80]
1 study · 42 participants
GRADE not reported
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Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Immature (young) permanent teeth with open apex and vital pulp exposed to dental caries or trauma, in children aged 6-14 years
A single RCT found no difference in pulpotomy success between MTA and platelet-rich fibrin (both 100% through 24 months; not pooled; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Single RCT (Keswani 2014, 62 teeth): 100% clinical and radiographic success in both MTA and PRF at 6, 12 and 24 months (MTA 29/29, 27/27, 26/26; PRF 30/30, 29/29, 27/27); no difference between groups; not pooled
1 study · 62 participants
GRADE not reported
Intervention not reported
Untreated dental caries prevalence
1 finding from 1 review
Discriminant power for caries severity: mean difference in log10 CFU (microbial load) between lesion categories · Patients with dentine carious lesions (deciduous/permanent teeth; children and adults)
For yellow-vs-other colour compared with soft-vs-harder hardness, hardness was significantly the more discriminant test (pooled WMD -3.87, 95% CI -4.46 to -2.87; ungraded).
6 findings from 1 review
WMD -3.867 [-4.461, -2.874]
2 studies
GRADE not reported
WMD -4.446 [-5.241, -3.650]
2 studies
GRADE not reported
WMD -0.067 [-1.877, 1.743]
2 studies
GRADE not reported
Show 3 more findings
Only one study (Beighton et al.) permitted this comparison: the mean log10 CFU difference was 2.32 for the colour contrast (black vs rest) versus 3.72 for the hardness contrast (soft vs medium/hard); hardness appeared…
1 study
GRADE not reported
WMD -4.741 [-4.979, -4.502]
2 studies
GRADE not reported
WMD -3.369 [-3.595, -3.143]
2 studies
GRADE not reported
Arrest of advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface · Preschool children with advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface (primary teeth)
30% SDF solution (applied annually) was more effective than 5% NaF varnish (once weekly for 3 weeks) for arrest or reversal of cavitated coronal carious lesions (RR 1.41, 95% CI 1.2 to 1.66; high certainty).
3 findings from 1 review
Any planned outcome (sealant retention, caries, etc.) · Patients with premolars/molars requiring pit-and-fissure sealants
No eligible studies compared laser preparation with enameloplasty for fissure sealant placement (evidence gap).
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
0 studies
No studies found
Arrest or reversal of noncavitated occlusal carious lesions · Children and adults with noncavitated carious lesions on occlusal surfaces (primary and permanent teeth)
1.23% APF gel was probably more effective than no treatment for arrest or reversal of occlusal carious lesions (RR 2.13, 95% CI 1.79 to 2.54; moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Arrest of advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface · Preschool children with advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface (primary teeth)
38% SDF solution (applied annually) was more effective than 12% SDF solution (applied annually) for arrest or reversal of cavitated coronal carious lesions (RR 1.27, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.4; high certainty).
4 findings from 1 review
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DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 0-12 years in Ireland
The single Irish study showed lower DMFT/S with OHPP (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.61; ungraded, single study).
1 finding from 1 review
Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Immature (young) permanent teeth with open apex and vital pulp exposed to dental caries or trauma, in children aged 6-14 years
MTA and calcium hydroxide had similar clinical and radiographic pulpotomy success at 6 months (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.06; 2 RCTs; ungraded).
2 findings from 1 review
Care index (CI), permanent teeth · Children aged 1-18 years
The care index (met dental care need) for permanent teeth could not be meta-analyzed because no study reported variance; it was lower or equal in children with learning disabilities in 5 of 8 studies (certainty not graded).
1 finding from 1 review
Arrest or reversal of noncavitated approximal carious lesions · Children and adults with noncavitated carious lesions on approximal surfaces (primary and permanent teeth)
5% NaF varnish may not differ from Resin infiltration for arrest or reversal of approximal carious lesions (RR 1.09, 95% CI 0.32 to 3.65; very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
DMFT/DMFS index (dental caries experience) · Children aged 0-12 years in Japan
The single Japanese study yielded a degenerate estimate of OR 0.00 (95% CI 0.00 to 0.00; ungraded, single study).
1 finding from 1 review
Arrest of advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface · Preschool children with advanced cavitated carious lesions on any coronal surface (primary teeth)
12% SDF solution (applied annually) did not differ from 12% SDF solution (applied biannually) for arrest or reversal of cavitated coronal carious lesions (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.02; high certainty).
4 findings from 1 review
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Arrest or reversal of noncavitated facial/lingual carious lesions · Children and adults with noncavitated carious lesions on facial/lingual surfaces (primary and permanent teeth)
10% CPP-ACP cream (+ 900-ppm NaF mouthrinse + 1,000-ppm NaF dentifrice) may not differ from Placebo cream (+ 900-ppm NaF mouthrinse + 1,000-ppm NaF dentifrice) for arrest or reversal of facial/lingual carious lesions (RR 1.28, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.68; low certainty).
3 findings from 1 review
Overall success (composite of clinical and radiographic success) · Immature (young) permanent teeth with open apex and vital pulp exposed to dental caries or trauma, in children aged 6-14 years
A single RCT found no difference in pulpotomy success between MTA and calcium-enriched mixture (both 100% at 6 and 12 months; not pooled; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Single RCT (Nosrat 2012, 118 roots): 100% clinical and radiographic success in both MTA and CEM at 6 and 12 months (MTA 53/53 then 54/54 roots; CEM 55/55 then 57/57 roots); no statistical difference between groups at…
1 study · 118 participants
GRADE not reported
Plaque · Medically healthy individuals (adults and children, 6-60 years)
Salvadora persica was less effective than 0.2% chlorhexidine at reducing plaque (favours chlorhexidine); not GRADE-rated.
1 finding from 1 review
Lactobacillus count (CFU/mL) · Medically healthy individuals (adults and children, 6-60 years)
Salvadora persica rinse reduced Lactobacillus counts more than placebo (favours Salvadora persica); not GRADE-rated.
1 finding from 1 review