Table 1.

PICO(S) questions

PICO question	6 Caries Excavation	7 Work field isolation	8 Matrix technique	9 Adhesive technique	10 Light polymerization	11 Finishing and polishing
PICO aspect	Explanation
Population	Patients with permanent teeth and carious defects requiring treatment, insufficient restorations or hypersensitive teeth (without endodontically pre-treated teeth, build-up fillings, MIH or other structural anomalies)	Patients with permanent teeth and carious defects requiring treatment, insufficient restorations or hypersensitive teeth (without endodontically pre-treated teeth, build-up fillings, MIH or other structural anomalies)	Patients with permanent teeth and carious defects requiring treatment, insufficient restorations or hypersensitive teeth (without endodontically pre-treated teeth, build-up fillings, MIH or other structural anomalies)	Patients with permanent teeth and carious defects requiring treatment, insufficient restorations or hypersensitive teeth (without endodontically pre-treated teeth, build-up fillings, MIH or other structural anomalies)	Patients with permanent teeth and carious defects requiring treatment, insufficient restorations or hypersensitive teeth (without endodontically pre-treated teeth, build-up fillings, MIH or other structural anomalies)	Patients with permanent teeth and carious defects requiring treatment, insufficient restorations or hypersensitive teeth (without endodontically pre-treated teeth, build-up fillings, MIH or other structural anomalies)
Intervention	Non-selective caries excavation (conventional) in combination with composite restoration	Absolute work field isolation (rubber dam)	Acrylic matrix Teflon tape Sectional matrices Wedges	Etch and rinse technique, multi-bottle	Light curing of direct composite restorations	Finishing, polishing of direct composite restorations
Comparison control	Selective caries excavation, in combination with composite restoration	Relative work field isolation	Search without specifying comparison, selection during screening, e.g., matrix band	One-bottle, universal, selective etching or similar	–	–
Outcome	Survival rate	Survival rate	Survival rate	Survival rate	Survival rate	Survival rate Quality indicators, surface gloss/surface discoloration
Study type/setting	Study designs: Systematic reviews, meta-analyses At least 12 months’ follow-up At least 15 restorations Publication since 1990 Languages: German, English, French, Russian	Study designs: CCTs, RCTs Systematic reviews, meta-analyses At least 12 months’ follow-up At least 15 restorations Publication since 1990 Languages: German, English, French, Russian	Study designs: CCTs, RCTs Systematic reviews, meta-analyses Prospective/retrospective cohort studies At least 12 months’ follow-up At least 15 restorations Publication since 1990 Languages: German, English, French, Russian	Study designs: Systematic reviews, meta-analyses At least 12 months’ follow-up At least 15 restorations Publication since 1990 Languages: German, English, French, Russian	Study designs: CCTs, RCTs Prospective/retrospective cohort studies Systematic reviews, meta-analyses At least 12 months’ follow-up At least 15 restorations Publication since 1990 Languages: German, English, French, Russian	Study designs: CCTs, RCTs Systematic reviews, meta-analyses At least 12 months’ follow-up At least 15 restorations Publication since 1990 Languages: German, English, French, Russian

CCT= Controlled Clinical Trial.

RCT = Randomized Clinical Trial.