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Stem Cell Research & Therapy May 2023Human adult dental pulp stem cells (hDPSC) and stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) hold promise in bone regeneration for their easy accessibility,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
INTRODUCTION
Human adult dental pulp stem cells (hDPSC) and stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) hold promise in bone regeneration for their easy accessibility, high proliferation rate, self-renewal and osteogenic differentiation capacity. Various organic and inorganic scaffold materials were pre-seeded with human dental pulp stem cells in animals, with promising outcomes in new bone formation. Nevertheless, the clinical trial for bone regeneration using dental pulp stem cells is still in its infancy. Thus, the aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to synthesise the evidence of the efficacy of human dental pulp stem cells and the scaffold combination for bone regeneration in animal bone defect models.
METHODOLOGY
This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD2021274976), and PRISMA guideline was followed to include the relevant full-text papers using exclusion and inclusion criteria. Data were extracted for the systematic review. Quality assessment and the risk of bias were also carried out using the CAMARADES tool. Quantitative bone regeneration data of the experimental (scaffold + hDPSC/SHED) and the control (scaffold-only) groups were also extracted for meta-analysis.
RESULTS
Forty-nine papers were included for systematic review and only 27 of them were qualified for meta-analysis. 90% of the included papers were assessed as medium to low risk. In the meta-analysis, qualified studies were grouped by the unit of bone regeneration measurement. Overall, bone regeneration was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in experimental group (scaffold + hDPSC/SHED) compared to the control group (scaffold-only) (SMD: 1.863, 95% CI 1.121-2.605). However, the effect is almost entirely driven by the % new bone formation group (SMD: 3.929, 95% CI 2.612-5.246) while % BV/TV (SMD: 2.693, 95% CI - 0.001-5.388) shows a marginal effect. Dogs and hydroxyapatite-containing scaffolds have the highest capacity in % new bone formation in response to human DPSC/SHED. The funnel plot exhibits no apparent asymmetry representing a lack of remarkable publication bias. Sensitivity analysis also indicated that the results generated in this meta-analysis are robust and reliable.
CONCLUSION
This is the first synthesised evidence showing that human DPSCs/SHED and scaffold combination enhanced bone regeneration highly significantly compared to the cell-free scaffold irrespective of scaffold type and animal species used. So, dental pulp stem cells could be a promising tool for treating various bone diseases, and more clinical trials need to be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of dental pulp stem cell-based therapies.
Topics: Adult; Animals; Dogs; Humans; Bone Regeneration; Cell Differentiation; Dental Pulp; Osteogenesis; Stem Cell Transplantation; Tissue Scaffolds
PubMed: 37189187
DOI: 10.1186/s13287-023-03357-w -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Jul 2021Traditionally, cavitated carious lesions and those extending into dentine have been treated by 'complete' removal of carious tissue, i.e. non-selective removal and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Traditionally, cavitated carious lesions and those extending into dentine have been treated by 'complete' removal of carious tissue, i.e. non-selective removal and conventional restoration (CR). Alternative strategies for managing cavitated or dentine carious lesions remove less or none of the carious tissue and include selective carious tissue removal (or selective excavation (SE)), stepwise carious tissue removal (SW), sealing carious lesions using sealant materials, sealing using preformed metal crowns (Hall Technique, HT), and non-restorative cavity control (NRCC).
OBJECTIVES
To determine the comparative effectiveness of interventions (CR, SE, SW, sealing of carious lesions using sealant materials or preformed metal crowns (HT), or NRCC) to treat carious lesions conventionally considered to require restorations (cavitated or micro-cavitated lesions, or occlusal lesions that are clinically non-cavitated but clinically/radiographically extend into dentine) in primary or permanent teeth with vital (sensitive) pulps.
SEARCH METHODS
An information specialist searched four bibliographic databases to 21 July 2020 and used additional search methods to identify published, unpublished and ongoing studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised clinical trials comparing different levels of carious tissue removal, as listed above, against each other, placebo, or no treatment. Participants had permanent or primary teeth (or both), and vital pulps (i.e. no irreversible pulpitis/pulp necrosis), and carious lesions conventionally considered to need a restoration (i.e. cavitated lesions, or non- or micro-cavitated lesions radiographically extending into dentine). The primary outcome was failure, a composite measure of pulp exposure, endodontic therapy, tooth extraction, and restorative complications (including resealing of sealed lesions).
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Pairs of review authors independently screened search results, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias in the studies and the overall certainty of the evidence using GRADE criteria. We measured treatment effects through analysing dichotomous outcomes (presence/absence of complications) and expressing them as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). For failure in the subgroup of deep lesions, we used network meta-analysis to assess and rank the relative effectiveness of different interventions.
MAIN RESULTS
We included 27 studies with 3350 participants and 4195 teeth/lesions, which were conducted in 11 countries and published between 1977 and 2020. Twenty-four studies used a parallel-group design and three were split-mouth. Two studies included adults only, 20 included children/adolescents only and five included both. Ten studies evaluated permanent teeth, 16 evaluated primary teeth and one evaluated both. Three studies treated non-cavitated lesions; 12 treated cavitated, deep lesions, and 12 treated cavitated but not deep lesions or lesions of varying depth. Seventeen studies compared conventional treatment (CR) with a less invasive treatment: SE (8), SW (4), two HT (2), sealing with sealant materials (4) and NRCC (1). Other comparisons were: SE versus HT (2); SE versus SW (4); SE versus sealing with sealant materials (2); sealant materials versus no sealing (2). Follow-up times varied from no follow-up (pulp exposure during treatment) to 120 months, the most common being 12 to 24 months. All studies were at overall high risk of bias. Effect of interventions Sealing using sealants versus other interventions for non-cavitated or cavitated but not deep lesions There was insufficient evidence of a difference between sealing with sealants and CR (OR 5.00, 95% CI 0.51 to 49.27; 1 study, 41 teeth, permanent teeth, cavitated), sealing versus SE (OR 3.11, 95% CI 0.11 to 85.52; 2 studies, 82 primary teeth, cavitated) or sealing versus no treatment (OR 0.05, 95% CI 0.00 to 2.71; 2 studies, 103 permanent teeth, non-cavitated), but we assessed all as very low-certainty evidence. HT, CR, SE, NRCC for cavitated, but not deep lesions in primary teeth The odds of failure may be higher for CR than HT (OR 8.35, 95% CI 3.73 to 18.68; 2 studies, 249 teeth; low-certainty evidence) and lower for HT than NRCC (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.74; 1 study, 84 teeth, very low-certainty evidence). There was insufficient evidence of a difference between SE versus HT (OR 8.94, 95% CI 0.57 to 139.67; 2 studies, 586 teeth) or CR versus NRCC (OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.50 to 2.71; 1 study, 102 teeth), both very low-certainty evidence. CR, SE, SW for deep lesions The odds of failure were higher for CR than SW in permanent teeth (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.34 to 3.17; 3 studies, 398 teeth; moderate-certainty evidence), but not primary teeth (OR 2.43, 95% CI 0.65 to 9.12; 1 study, 63 teeth; very low-certainty evidence). The odds of failure may be higher for CR than SE in permanent teeth (OR 11.32, 95% CI 1.97 to 65.02; 2 studies, 179 teeth) and primary teeth (OR 4.43, 95% CI 1.04 to 18.77; 4 studies, 265 teeth), both very low-certainty evidence. Notably, two studies compared CR versus SE in cavitated, but not deep lesions, with insufficient evidence of a difference in outcome (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.21 to 1.88; 204 teeth; very low-certainty evidence). The odds of failure were higher for SW than SE in permanent teeth (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.33 to 3.82; 3 studies, 371 teeth; moderate-certainty evidence), but not primary teeth (OR 2.05, 95% CI 0.49 to 8.62; 2 studies, 126 teeth; very low-certainty evidence). For deep lesions, a network meta-analysis showed the probability of failure to be greatest for CR compared with SE, SW and HT.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
Compared with CR, there were lower numbers of failures with HT and SE in the primary dentition, and with SE and SW in the permanent dentition. Most studies showed high risk of bias and limited precision of estimates due to small sample size and typically limited numbers of failures, resulting in assessments of low or very low certainty of evidence for most comparisons.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Bias; Child; Child, Preschool; Crowns; Dental Atraumatic Restorative Treatment; Dental Caries; Dental Restoration Failure; Dentin; Dentition, Permanent; Humans; Middle Aged; Network Meta-Analysis; Pit and Fissure Sealants; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Tooth, Deciduous
PubMed: 34280957
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD013039.pub2 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Sep 2015Endodontic treatment involves removal of the dental pulp and its replacement by a root canal filling. Restoration of root filled teeth can be challenging due to... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Endodontic treatment involves removal of the dental pulp and its replacement by a root canal filling. Restoration of root filled teeth can be challenging due to structural differences between vital and non-vital root-filled teeth. Direct restoration involves placement of a restorative material e.g. amalgam or composite, directly into the tooth. Indirect restorations consist of cast metal or ceramic (porcelain) crowns. The choice of restoration depends on the amount of remaining tooth, and may influence durability and cost. The decision to use a post and core in addition to the crown is clinician driven. The comparative clinical performance of crowns or conventional fillings used to restore root-filled teeth is unknown. This review updates the original, which was published in 2012.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the effects of restoration of endodontically treated teeth (with or without post and core) by crowns versus conventional filling materials.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched the following databases: the Cochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE via OVID, EMBASE via OVID, CINAHL via EBSCO, LILACS via BIREME. We also searched the reference lists of articles and ongoing trials registries.There were no restrictions regarding language or date of publication. The search is up-to-date as of 26 March 2015.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-randomised controlled trials in participants with permanent teeth that have undergone endodontic treatment. Single full coverage crowns compared with any type of filling materials for direct restoration or indirect partial restorations (e.g. inlays and onlays). Comparisons considered the type of post and core used (cast or prefabricated post), if any.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors independently extracted data from the included trial and assessed its risk of bias. We carried out data analysis using the 'treatment as allocated' patient population, expressing estimates of intervention effect for dichotomous data as risk ratios, with 95% confidence intervals (CI).
MAIN RESULTS
We included one trial, which was judged to be at high risk of performance, detection and attrition bias. The 117 participants with a root-filled, premolar tooth restored with a carbon fibre post, were randomised to either a full coverage metal-ceramic crown or direct adhesive composite restoration. None experienced a catastrophic failure (i.e. when the restoration cannot be repaired), although only 104 teeth were included in the final, three-year assessment. There was no clear difference between the crown and composite group and the composite only group for non-catastrophic failures of the restoration (1/54 versus 3/53; RR 0.33; 95% CI 0.04 to 3.05) or failures of the post (2/54 versus 1/53; RR 1.96; 95% CI 0.18 to 21.01) at three years. The quality of the evidence for these outcomes is very low. There was no evidence available for any of our secondary outcomes: patient satisfaction and quality of life, incidence or recurrence of caries, periodontal health status, and costs.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
There is insufficient evidence to assess the effects of crowns compared to conventional fillings for the restoration of root-filled teeth. Until more evidence becomes available, clinicians should continue to base decisions about how to restore root-filled teeth on their own clinical experience, whilst taking into consideration the individual circumstances and preferences of their patients.
Topics: Adult; Crowns; Dental Restoration, Permanent; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Post and Core Technique; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Tooth Root; Tooth, Nonvital
PubMed: 26403154
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009109.pub3 -
Journal of Endodontics Jul 2022Pulp stone (PS) is a dystrophic calcification in the tooth's pulp chamber and was suggested in the literature to be associated with other calcifications in the body.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Pulp stone (PS) is a dystrophic calcification in the tooth's pulp chamber and was suggested in the literature to be associated with other calcifications in the body. This study aimed to investigate the association of PS to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and renal stones (RS).
METHODS
Three databases were searched until June 2021 in addition to manual searching of Google Scholar and grey literature. Original studies were only included and critically appraised using an adapted version of the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. The odds ratio (OR) effect measure was calculated using the Mantel-Haenszel statistical test (95% confidence interval [CI]) to investigate the association of PS with CVD and or RS (P value ˂ .05).
RESULTS
The database search identified 4933 studies, and 19 studies were finally included. The risk of bias was low in 13 studies, moderate in 4 studies, and high in 2 studies. The meta-analysis of the moderate and low risk of bias studies revealed a significant association between PS and CVD (OR, 3.35; 95% CI, 1.91-5.89; P < .001, I = 65%), but no association was found between PS and RS. The results also revealed an association between PS and CVD in patients older than 40 (OR, 8.78; 95% CI, 3.64-21.17; P < .001, I = 0%).
CONCLUSIONS
The current study results showed an association between PS and CVD, but no association was found between PS and RS. PS in patients older than 40 years, compared with younger patients (<40 years), was associated with CVD.
Topics: Calcinosis; Cardiovascular Diseases; Dental Pulp Calcification; Humans; Kidney Calculi; Odds Ratio
PubMed: 35447295
DOI: 10.1016/j.joen.2022.02.010 -
Scientific Reports Nov 2022Treatment planning is key to clinical success. Permanent teeth diagnosed with "irreversible pulpitis" have long been implied to have an irreversibly damaged dental pulp... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Treatment planning is key to clinical success. Permanent teeth diagnosed with "irreversible pulpitis" have long been implied to have an irreversibly damaged dental pulp that is beyond repair and warranting root canal treatment. However, newer clinical approaches such as pulpotomy, a minimally invasive and biologically based procedure have re-emerged to manage teeth with pulpitis. The primary aim of the study was to conduct a meta-analysis to comprehensively estimate the overall success rate of pulpotomy in permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis as a result of carious pulp exposure. The secondary aim of the study was to investigate the effect of predictors such as symptoms, root apex development (closed versus open), and type of pulp capping material on the success rate of pulpotomy. Articles were searched using PubMed, Scopus, CENTRAL, and Web of Science databases, until January 2021. Outcomes were calculated by pooling the success rates with a random effect model. Comparison between the different subgroups was conducted using the z statistic test for proportion with significance set at alpha = 0.05. A total of 1,116 records were retrieved and 11 studies were included in the quantitative analysis. The pooled success rate for pulpotomy in teeth with irreversible pulpitis was 86% [95% CI: 0.76-0.92; I = 81.9%]. Additionally, prognostic indicators of success were evaluated. Stratification of teeth based on (1) symptoms demonstrated that teeth with symptomatic and asymptomatic irreversible pulpitis demonstrated success rate of 84% and 91% respectively, with no significant difference (p = 0.18) using z-score analysis; (2) open apex teeth demonstrated a significantly greater success rate (96%) compared to teeth with closed apex (83%) (p = 0.02), and (3) pulp capping materials demonstrated that Biodentine yielded significantly better success rates compared to Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA), calcium hydroxide, and Calcium Enriched Mixture (CEM.) Collectively, this is the first meta-analytical study to determine the clinical outcome of pulpotomy for carious teeth with irreversible pulpitis and it's predictors for success. Moreover, we identify the stage of root development and type of biomaterial as predictors for success of pulpotomy.
Topics: Humans; Pulpotomy; Pulpitis; Dentition, Permanent; Calcium Hydroxide; Root Canal Therapy
PubMed: 36385132
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20918-w -
Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2022Recently, biomimetic bioactive biomaterials have been introduced to the market for dental pulp capping. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine any... (Review)
Review
Recently, biomimetic bioactive biomaterials have been introduced to the market for dental pulp capping. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine any variation between the effect of using TheraCal LC and other bioactive biomaterials for pulp capping is different, as measured by dentin increment and clinical success. The risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias 2 and Newcastle−Ottawa tools for randomized clinical trials and observational studies. A search for relevant articles was performed on five databases. Additionally, the quality of the included studies was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria. A summary of individual studies and a meta-analysis were performed. The odds ratio of data from clinical success was combined using a random-effects meta-analysis. The meta-analysis results showed homogeneity between the studies (I2 = 0%). They revealed that the clinical success showed no differences between the patients who received TheraCal LC, light-cured calcium silicate-based biomimetic biomaterial, for dental pulp capping or the comparator biomaterials (p > 0.5). However, the certainty of the evidence was low to moderate due to the risk of bias in the included studies.
PubMed: 36546911
DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics7040211 -
The Journal of Evidence-based Dental... Jun 2022This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the association between pulp calcifications (PC) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
INTRODUCTION
This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the association between pulp calcifications (PC) and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
METHOD
Five databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science and ProQuest) were searched to identify articles. Quality assessment of the selected articles was done using Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool and the inter-examiner agreement was calculated using the Cohen-Kappa test. The random-effects maximum likelihood model was used to evaluate the association between the conditions. Trim-and-fill funnel plot was used to evaluate the presence of publication bias. The level of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) tool.
RESULTS
A total of 2487 articles were identified from the initial search. Ten articles were included in this review of which 7 were cross-sectional and 3 were case-control studies. Eight articles had a low risk of bias (RoB), one article each had a moderate and high RoB. Inter-examiner reliability score was 0.8592. Seven articles reported a statistically significant positive association between CVD patients and PC. Two articles reported a non-significant positive association and one article reported no association between the same. A significant difference was observed in favor of CVD patients to possess more PC in comparison to non-CVD patients with an OR of 4.30 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.19, 8.46; p = .000). Asymmetry in the Trim-and-fill funnel Plot suggested the presence of publication bias. GRADE analysis demonstrated low certainty of the evidence for the overall sample.
CONCLUSION
There exists a low level of evidence to show that CVD patients are more prone to have PC in comparison to non-CVD patients.
Topics: Cardiovascular Diseases; Case-Control Studies; Dental Pulp Calcification; Humans; Reproducibility of Results
PubMed: 35718431
DOI: 10.1016/j.jebdp.2022.101707 -
International Endodontic Journal Sep 2023The results of vital pulp treatments in permanent teeth have been encouraging. Currently, pulpotomy treatment for permanent teeth primarily utilizes mineral trioxide... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
The results of vital pulp treatments in permanent teeth have been encouraging. Currently, pulpotomy treatment for permanent teeth primarily utilizes mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) as the dressing material, followed by calcium hydroxide. While other calcium-silicate-based cements have been suggested for pulpotomy, there is a limited number of studies evaluating their long-term effectiveness.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the success rate of pulpotomies performed on permanent teeth, comparing the use of ProRoot MTA with that of calcium hydroxide and other bioceramic materials.
METHODS
A comprehensive search was conducted in several electronic databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase and Science Direct until December 2022. The search was guided by PICOS criteria, including only randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that evaluated the success rate of pulpotomy treatments in permanent teeth using ProRoot MTA in comparison to calcium hydroxide and other bioceramic materials. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the RoB-2 tool to evaluate the risk of bias, and relevant data were extracted and analysed in RevMan software 5.3 using fixed-effect models. The GRADE tool was used to determine the overall quality of evidence.
RESULTS
The initial search retrieved 1072 studies and, after eliminating duplicates, 677 studies were screened and 28 studies were considered for eligibility. In the final selection process, 16 studies were included in the systematic review, with 10 being determined as having a high risk of bias. Pulpotomy showed an overall mean success rate of 92% after 1 year. The meta-analysis indicated a significantly higher success rate for pulpotomies utilizing MTA in comparison with calcium hydroxide, while no significant difference was seen between MTA and calcium-enriched mixture (CEM) or Biodentine. The GRADE assessment revealed an overall low level of evidence for the included studies.
DISCUSSION
Most randomized controlled trials exhibited a significant absence of control over confounding factors.
CONCLUSIONS
This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrate that pulpotomy is a highly effective treatment for managing permanent teeth. The results indicate that the success rate of pulpotomy using ProRoot MTA is significantly higher than when using calcium hydroxide. However, the certainty of evidence supporting these findings is low, and there is a need for well-designed RCTs to assess the long-term outcomes of pulpotomy using newer bioceramic materials.
REGISTRATION
This systematic review was registered in the PROSPERO database (registration number CRD42023393970).
Topics: Humans; Calcium Hydroxide; Pulpotomy; Calcium; Aluminum Compounds; Drug Combinations; Oxides; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Calcium Compounds; Treatment Outcome; Silicates
PubMed: 37254176
DOI: 10.1111/iej.13939 -
International Endodontic Journal Jun 2022Experimental studies are controversial regarding the effects of radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (HNC) on the dental pulp. Therefore, a systematic review of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Experimental studies are controversial regarding the effects of radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (HNC) on the dental pulp. Therefore, a systematic review of clinical studies is necessary to investigate whether alterations in pulp status occur.
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the evidence on radiotherapy for HNC and pulp status.
METHODS
A systematic search of articles published until November 2021 was performed in the MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science (All Databases), Scopus, EMBASE, and Open Grey databases. The eligibility criteria were based on the PICOS strategy, as follows: (P) vital teeth of adult patients with intraoral and/or oropharyngeal cancer; (I) radiotherapy; (C) control group or values of the same tooth before radiotherapy (basal values); (O) pulpal status after radiotherapy; and (S) clinical studies. The Cochrane Risk of Bias in Nonrandomized Studies of Interventions tool was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Meta-analyses were performed using fixed and random effects. The overall quality of evidence was assessed through the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) tool.
RESULTS
Six studies were included for qualitative analysis. Five were classified as serious risk of bias and one as moderate risk of bias. Four studies reported altered pulp responses to cold thermal tests after radiotherapy initiation. Meta-analyses were performed using three included studies. From these, all were included in the meta-analysis for pulp response values to cold sensitivity test immediately after radiotherapy initiation (risk ratio: 0.00 [CI: 0.00, 0.02], p < .00001; I = 0%); and two in the meta-analysis for pulp response values to cold sensitivity test after 4-5 months of radiotherapy (risk ratio: 0.01 [CI: 0.00. 0.06], p < .00001; I = 0%). Two reported progressively higher readings to pulp response in the electrical test after radiotherapy initiation (mean difference: -11.46 [-13.09, -9.84], p < .00001; I = 68%). Two studies demonstrated a pulp oxygen saturation (SpO ) decrease at the end of radiotherapy; and an increase after 4-6 months of radiotherapy beginning. And other demonstrated normal dental pulp SpO 4-6 years after treatment. GRADE analysis presented a moderate certainty of evidence.
DISCUSSION
This review verified that radiotherapy for HNC causes significant alterations on the dental pulp responses, but does not seem to induce pulp necrosis. Significant limitations regarding controlling for confounding factors, classification of interventions, and measurement of outcomes were verified, evidencing the need for well-designed studies.
CONCLUSIONS
This systematic review demonstrated that radiotherapy for HNC induced significant changes in the pulp response with moderate quality of evidence. Such altered responses cannot determine pulp status accurately.
Topics: Adult; Dental Pulp; Dental Pulp Necrosis; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Humans
PubMed: 35298027
DOI: 10.1111/iej.13726 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Dec 2016Root canal treatment (RoCT), or endodontic treatment, is a common procedure in dentistry. The main indications for RoCT are irreversible pulpitis and necrosis of the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Root canal treatment (RoCT), or endodontic treatment, is a common procedure in dentistry. The main indications for RoCT are irreversible pulpitis and necrosis of the dental pulp caused by carious processes, tooth cracks or chips, or dental trauma. Successful RoCT is characterised by an absence of symptoms (i.e. pain) and clinical signs (i.e. swelling and sinus tract) in teeth without radiographic evidence of periodontal involvement (i.e. normal periodontal ligament). The success of RoCT depends on a number of variables related to the preoperative condition of the tooth, as well as the endodontic procedures. This review updates the previous version published in 2007.
OBJECTIVES
To determine whether completion of root canal treatment (RoCT) in a single visit or over two or more visits, with or without medication, makes any difference in term of effectiveness or complications.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched the following electronic databases: Cochrane Oral Health's Trials Register (to 14 June 2016), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (the Cochrane Library, 2016, Issue 5), MEDLINE Ovid (1946 to 14 June 2016), and Embase Ovid (1980 to 14 June 2016). We searched ClinicalTrials.gov and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform for ongoing trials to 14 June 2016. We did not place any restrictions on the language or date of publication when searching the electronic databases.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs of people needing RoCT. We excluded surgical endodontic treatment. The outcomes of interest were tooth extraction for endodontic problems; radiological failure after at least one year, i.e. periapical radiolucency; postoperative pain; swelling or flare-up; painkiller use; sinus track or fistula formation; and complications (composite outcome including any adverse event).
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
We collected data using a specially designed extraction form. We contacted trial authors for further details where these were unclear. We assessed the risk of bias in the studies using the Cochrane tool and we assessed the quality of the body of evidence using GRADE criteria. When valid and relevant data were collected, we undertook a meta-analysis of the data using the random-effects model. For dichotomous outcomes, we calculated risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). For continuous data, we calculated mean differences (MDs) and 95% CIs. We examined potential sources of heterogeneity. We conducted subgroup analyses for necrotic and vital teeth.
MAIN RESULTS
We included 25 RCTs in the review, with a total of 3780 participants, of whom we analysed 3751. We judged three studies to be at low risk of bias, 14 at high risk, and eight as unclear.Only one study reported data on tooth extraction due to endodontic problems. This study found no difference between treatment in one visit or treatment over multiple visits (1/117 single-visit participants lost a tooth versus 2/103 multiple-visit participants; odds ratio (OR) 0.44, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.04 to 4.78; very low-quality evidence).We found no evidence of a difference between single-visit and multiple-visit treatment in terms of radiological failure (risk ratio (RR) 0.91, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.21; 1493 participants, 11 studies, I = 18%; low-quality evidence); immediate postoperative pain (dichotomous outcome) (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.17; 1560 participants, 9 studies, I = 33%; moderate-quality evidence); swelling or flare-up incidence (RR 1.36, 95% CI 0.66 to 2.81; 281 participants, 4 studies, I = 0%; low-quality evidence); sinus tract or fistula formation (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.15 to 6.48; 345 participants, 2 studies, I = 0%; low-quality evidence); or complications (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.11; 1686 participants, 10 studies, I = 18%; moderate-quality evidence).The studies suggested people undergoing RoCT in a single visit may be more likely to experience pain in the first week than those whose RoCT was over multiple visits (RR 1.50, 95% CI 0.99 to 2.28; 1383 participants, 8 studies, I = 54%), though the quality of the evidence for this finding is low.Moderate-quality evidence showed people undergoing RoCT in a single visit were more likely to use painkillers than those receiving treatment over multiple visits (RR 2.35, 95% CI 1.60 to 3.45; 648 participants, 4 studies, I = 0%).
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
There is no evidence to suggest that one treatment regimen (single-visit or multiple-visit root canal treatment) is better than the other. Neither can prevent all short- and long-term complications. On the basis of the available evidence, it seems likely that the benefit of a single-visit treatment, in terms of time and convenience, for both patient and dentist, has the cost of a higher frequency of late postoperative pain (and as a consequence, painkiller use).
Topics: Analgesics; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Appointments and Schedules; Dental Pulp Necrosis; Dentition, Permanent; Humans; Office Visits; Pain, Postoperative; Pulpitis; Radiography; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Root Canal Therapy; Tooth Extraction; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 27905673
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD005296.pub3