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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. Words match anywhere in the field.
5,762 questions in 263 reviews · Dental caries
current versionsNo 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.
| Question | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Full strength formocresol (FC) vs 1:25 diluted formocresol (FC) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | No event in any participant; not estimable | 1 study · 30 participants | Ungraded |
Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) vs Buffered glutaraldehyde Outcome NR · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | Assessed pain, soft tissue, mobility, radiolucency, root resorption, pulp canal obliteration (Goyal 2016); no clinical/radiological failure outcome; pain, mobility, radiolucency, root resorption significantly favour MTA | 1 study · 60 participants | Ungraded |
Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) vs Diode laser Outcome NR · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | Assessed pain, soft tissue, mobility, radiolucency, root resorption, premature tooth loss (Niranjani 2015); no clinical/radiological failure outcome; no significant differences (RR 0.33, 0.01 to 7.72) | 1 study · 40 participants | Ungraded |
3Mix (ciprofloxacin + metronidazole + minocycline) pulpotomy vs 3Mix pulpectomy Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 5.00 [0.25, 99.95] | 1 study · 60 participants | Ungraded |
Low level of schooling (>33.60% of the population) vs Not applicable Mean DMFT · Adult participants in 25 meta-regression studies · Unadjusted model Socioeconomic Factors and Caries in People between 19 and 60 Years of Age: An Update of a Systematic Review… (2018) | Meta-regression coefficient -2.301079 | 11 studies | Ungraded |
Primary education vs University education Prevalence of fair/poor self-rated oral health · Adults aged 25 years and older in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States · 2004-2006, Australia Socioeconomic status, oral health and dental disease in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. (2018) | AD 10.88 [8.42, 13.33] | 1 study · 5073 participants | Ungraded |
Zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE) vs ZOE + calcium hydroxide + iodoform (unnamed product) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | Radiological failure favouring ZOE+CH+iodoform product | 1 study · 109 participants | Ungraded |
Visual caries detection (ICDAS visual/visual-tactile inspection) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted) Sensitivity for detecting advanced occlusal caries · Occlusal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly… · Conventional meta-analysis (all studies) Visual and radiographic caries detection: a tailored meta-analysis for two different settings, Egypt and… (2018) | Sensitivity 64.6 [57, 71] | 94 studies | Ungraded |
Low polymerization shrinkage resin composite (silorane, ormocer, bulk-fill or other modified-monomer composite) vs Conventional methacrylate-based resin composite Retention (restoration loss) · People with permanent posterior teeth restored with class I or II direct restorations · 12 months Meta-analysis of the clinical behavior of posterior direct resin restorations: Low polymerization shrinkage… (2018) | OR 0.83 [0.33, 2.09] | 11 studies · 1834 participants | Ungraded |
Calcium-enriched mixture (CEM) cement vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | No radiological failure in any participant at 6 months; not estimable | 1 study · 42 participants | Very low |
Ferric sulphate (FS) vs Formocresol (FC) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 1.33 [0.73, 2.42] | 6 studies · 394 participants | Low |
ProRoot MTA vs RetroMTA Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 and 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 0.35 [0.04, 3.22] | 1 study · 96 participants | Ungraded |
Erbium:YAG laser vs Ferric sulphate (FS) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 24 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 0.61 [0.19, 1.94] | 1 study · 97 participants | Ungraded |
Fluoride in gel vs No treatment Caries increment in permanent teeth (DMFS change from baseline) · Children or adolescents · At least 1 year or school year, Network meta-regression covariate: randomization year Graphs of study contributions and covariate distributions for network meta-regression. (2018) | no estimate extracted | NR | Ungraded |
Slow-release fluoride device (fluoride glass beads) vs Placebo or usual care (control) Harms of slow-release fluoride devices · Children with high risk of dental decay Slow‐release fluoride devices for the control of dental decay (2018) · Cochrane | 132 (1 study); very low; Study reported that no irritations or other harms were reported | 1 study · 132 participants | Very low |
Low polymerization shrinkage resin composite (silorane, ormocer, bulk-fill or other modified-monomer composite) vs Conventional methacrylate-based resin composite Marginal discoloration · People with permanent posterior teeth restored with class I or II direct restorations · 12 months Meta-analysis of the clinical behavior of posterior direct resin restorations: Low polymerization shrinkage… (2018) | OR 1.53 [0.98, 2.41] | 13 studies · 2082 participants | Ungraded |
Electrosurgery vs Calcium-enriched mixture (CEM) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6, 12 and 24 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | No clinical failure in any participant at 6/12/24 months (Khorakian 2014); not estimable | 1 study · 102 participants | Ungraded |
Populations with a low level of schooling (>=33.60% of the population with low schooling) vs Populations with a higher level of schooling (<33.60% of the population with low schooling) Dental caries experience (DMFT) · Adults aged 19-60 years · Overall Socioeconomic Factors and Caries in People between 19 and 60 Years of Age: An Update of a Systematic Review… (2018) | MEAN 10.87 [7.53, 14.20] | 11 studies | Ungraded |
Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) vs Ferric sulphate (FS) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 4.39 [0.22, 87.82] | 2 studies · 110 participants | Very low |
Endoflas chlorophenol free (Endoflas-CF) vs Zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 and 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 1.33 [0.35, 5.03] | 1 study | Ungraded |
Radiographic caries detection (bitewing radiography) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted) PPV for detecting all (initial and advanced) occlusal caries · Occlusal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly… · Tailored to Egypt Visual and radiographic caries detection: a tailored meta-analysis for two different settings, Egypt and… (2018) | PPV 32.1 | 11 studies | Ungraded |
Fluorides combined with CPP-ACP vs Fluorides alone (monotherapy) Laser fluorescence (LF) change · Patients with early caries lesions in permanent teeth (non-fluoridated water area) · Post-treatment (12-24 weeks), Location of lesions: smooth surfaces Efficacy of fluorides and CPP-ACP vs fluorides monotherapy on early caries lesions: A systematic review and… (2018) | MD -13.90 [-39.25, 11.46] | 4 studies | Ungraded |
Sealapex (eugenol-free calcium hydroxide) vs Calcium hydroxide (CH) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 0.50 [0.10, 2.43] | 1 study · 40 participants | Ungraded |
Fluoride in varnish vs No treatment Caries increment in permanent teeth (DMFS change from baseline) · Children or adolescents · At least 1 year or school year, Network meta-regression covariate: randomization year Graphs of study contributions and covariate distributions for network meta-regression. (2018) | no estimate extracted | NR | Ungraded |
Full strength formocresol (FC) vs 1:5 diluted formocresol (FC) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | No event in any participant (Goyal 2014); not estimable | 1 study · 30 participants | Ungraded |
Enamel matrix derivative (EMD) vs Formocresol (FC) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 0.80 [0.23, 2.83] | 2 studies · 100 participants | Very low |
Low income vs High income Prevalence of untreated decay (% DT > 0) · Adults aged 25 years and older in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States · 2003-2004, United States Socioeconomic status, oral health and dental disease in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. (2018) | AD 8.93 [4.79, 13.06] | 1 study · 4568 participants | Ungraded |
3Mix (ciprofloxacin + metronidazole + minocycline) pulpotomy vs 3Mix pulpectomy Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 11.00 [0.64, 190.53] | 1 study · 60 participants | Ungraded |
Radiographic caries detection (bitewing radiography) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted) NPV for detecting advanced occlusal caries · Occlusal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly… · Tailored to Germany Visual and radiographic caries detection: a tailored meta-analysis for two different settings, Egypt and… (2018) | NPV 94.3 | 36 studies | Ungraded |
Radiographic caries detection (bitewing radiography) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted) PPV for detecting advanced occlusal caries · Occlusal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly… · Tailored to Germany Visual and radiographic caries detection: a tailored meta-analysis for two different settings, Egypt and… (2018) | PPV 39.5 | 36 studies | Ungraded |
Visual caries detection (ICDAS visual/visual-tactile inspection) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted) Specificity for detecting advanced occlusal caries · Occlusal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly… · Tailored to Egypt Visual and radiographic caries detection: a tailored meta-analysis for two different settings, Egypt and… (2018) | Specificity 84.9 [82, 89] | 55 studies | Ungraded |
Visual caries detection (ICDAS visual/visual-tactile inspection) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted) PPV for detecting all (initial and advanced) occlusal caries · Occlusal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly… · Tailored to Egypt Visual and radiographic caries detection: a tailored meta-analysis for two different settings, Egypt and… (2018) | PPV 35.6 | 51 studies | Ungraded |
Low polymerization shrinkage resin composite (silorane, ormocer, bulk-fill or other modified-monomer composite) vs Conventional methacrylate-based resin composite Marginal discoloration · People with permanent posterior teeth restored with class I or II direct restorations · 18 months Meta-analysis of the clinical behavior of posterior direct resin restorations: Low polymerization shrinkage… (2018) | Only two articles, both testing silorane resins, evaluated marginal discoloration after 18 months; one favored the experimental group and one the control group, with the meta-analysis showing no difference in the… | 2 studies | Ungraded |
Populations with a low level of schooling (>=33.60% of the population with low schooling) vs Populations with a higher level of schooling (<33.60% of the population with low schooling) Association with dental caries experience (DMFT) by random-effects meta-regression · Adults aged 19-60 years · Adjusted (Model 1) Socioeconomic Factors and Caries in People between 19 and 60 Years of Age: An Update of a Systematic Review… (2018) | Meta-regression coefficient 7.205453 | NR | Ungraded |
Low polymerization shrinkage resin composite (silorane, ormocer, bulk-fill or other modified-monomer composite) vs Conventional methacrylate-based resin composite Postoperative sensitivity · People with permanent posterior teeth restored with class I or II direct restorations · 24 months Meta-analysis of the clinical behavior of posterior direct resin restorations: Low polymerization shrinkage… (2018) | Six articles (seven experimental groups) evaluated postoperative sensitivity after 24 months; four showed no sensitivity in either group and three favored the control group, but the overall meta-analytic effect was not… | 6 studies | Ungraded |
Vitapex (calcium hydroxide/iodoform) vs Sealapex (eugenol-free calcium hydroxide) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 and 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 0.20 [0.01, 3.92] | 1 study · 40 participants | Ungraded |
Calcium hydroxide/iodoform (CH/iodoform) vs Calcium hydroxide (CH) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 1.17 [0.87, 1.59] | 1 study · 65 participants | Ungraded |
Intervention NR Caries and/or fillings in adjacent teeth · Occlusal surfaces (extraction vs FPM present; more decayed/filled with extraction) Consequences of early extraction of compromised first permanent molar: a systematic review. (2018) | OR 1.64 [1.35, 2.1] | 1 study | Ungraded |
Biodentine vs Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 1.72 [0.42, 6.99] | 4 studies · 234 participants | Low |
Lower university education (<33.78% of the population) vs Not applicable Mean DMFT · Adult participants in 25 meta-regression studies · Unadjusted model Socioeconomic Factors and Caries in People between 19 and 60 Years of Age: An Update of a Systematic Review… (2018) | Meta-regression coefficient -0.3066788 | 18 studies | Ungraded |
Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) vs Simvastatin Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | No radiological failure in any participant; not estimable | 1 study · 160 participants | Ungraded |
Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) vs Calcium hydroxide (CH) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 6 and 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | No clinical failure in any participant (Fernandes 2015); not estimable | 1 study · 30 participants | Ungraded |
Radiographic caries detection (bitewing radiography) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted) Specificity for detecting advanced occlusal caries · Occlusal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly… · Tailored to Egypt Visual and radiographic caries detection: a tailored meta-analysis for two different settings, Egypt and… (2018) | Specificity 89.1 [86, 92] | 38 studies | Ungraded |
Fluoride in rinse vs Placebo Caries increment in permanent teeth (DMFS change from baseline) · Children or adolescents · At least 1 year or school year, Network meta-regression covariate: randomization year Graphs of study contributions and covariate distributions for network meta-regression. (2018) | no estimate extracted | NR | Ungraded |
3Mixtatin vs Simvastatin Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | No radiological failure in any participant; not estimable | 1 study · 160 participants | Ungraded |
Glutaraldehyde + zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE) vs Full strength formocresol (FC) Radiological failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 3 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 0.46 [0.09, 2.28] | 1 study · 48 participants | Ungraded |
Ferric sulphate (FS) vs Formocresol (FC) Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · 12 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | RR 1.38 [0.45, 4.27] | 6 studies · 394 participants | Low |
Radiographic caries detection (bitewing radiography) vs Reference standard (histological validation or cavity/lesion opening; advanced = cavitated/dentin-involved lesions, all = enamel-confined initial lesions also counted) Sensitivity for detecting advanced proximal caries · Proximal surfaces of permanent molars (demonstrated in 12-14 year-olds; underlying diagnostic accuracy studies, mostly… · Conventional meta-analysis (all studies) Visual and radiographic caries detection: a tailored meta-analysis for two different settings, Egypt and… (2018) | Sensitivity 44.4 [38, 51] | 22 studies | Ungraded |
HDI (quantitative) vs Populations in countries with a higher Human Development Index (very high, HDI >=0.800) Association with dental caries experience (DMFT) by random-effects meta-regression · Adults aged 19-60 years · Adjusted (Model 2) Socioeconomic Factors and Caries in People between 19 and 60 Years of Age: An Update of a Systematic Review… (2018) | Meta-regression coefficient 6.901906 | NR | Ungraded |
Portland cement (PC) vs Portland cement + iodoform or Portland cement + zirconium oxide Clinical failure · Children with extensive decay involving the dental pulp in primary teeth · up to 24 months Pulp treatment for extensive decay in primary teeth (2018) · Cochrane | No events in any participant (Lourenco 2015a); not estimable | 1 study · 30 participants | Ungraded |