In spite of that, it is undeniable that methodological flaws of some benchtop studies using extracted teeth may be responsible for the conflicting data, thus triggering the need for more sophisticated

The gap

Consensus across the literature

Supporting evidence — 5 representative gaps

• From blood to biology: evaluating platelet-rich plasma as a scaffold in regenerative endodontics — a systematic review (2026) · doi

  The evidence base is limited by small sample sizes, inconsistent reporting of baseline tooth characteristics, and variability in RET protocols and imaging modalities. Restricting inclusion to RCTs improved internal validity but reduced the number of eligible studies. Meta-analysis was not possible because of substantial heterogeneity, and publication bias could not be meaningfully assessed with fewer than ten studies.

  Keywords: evidence base limited small sample sizes inconsistent reporting baseline tooth characteristics variability protocols imaging modalities
• Photobiomodulation in clinical practice: knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of Australian dental practitioners (2026) · doi

  This study has several limitations. First, the use of snowball sampling may introduce selection bias, as practitioners with an interest in technologies may have been more likely to respond. Second, data were based on self-reported knowl- edge and behaviours, which may be subject to recall bias. Third, although the sample size exceeded the calculated minimum requirement, the findings may not be fully gen- eralisable to all Australian dental practitioners. Finally, the sample size limits the ability to assess causal relationships between education, attitudes, and clinical behaviour. 1 3Lasers in Dental Science (2026) 10:20  20 Page 6 of 7 Future research should explore barriers to PBM adop- tion in greater depth using qualitative methods such as interviews or focus groups. Additional studies could assess whether targeted CPD interventions improve knowledge and increase clinical uptake. Additionally, national guide- lines and standardised clinical protocols for PBM in den- tistry would support safe and consistent implementation. Further economic evaluations may also be useful to deter- mine cost-effectiveness in routine practice.

  Keywords: clinical bias practitioners sample size dental assess several limitations first snowball sampling introduce selection interest
• Association between tooth agenesis and root morphology assessed by periapical radiographs (2026) · doi

  This study presents several methodological limitations that must be acknowledged for accurate interpretation of the findings. First, the cross-sectional and retrospective design prevents the establishment of causal or temporal relation- ships between tooth agenesis and altered root morphology. Despite the verified statistically significant associations, the findings should be interpreted as correlations rather than cause-and-effect relationships. Second, the sample was ex- clusively obtained from private dental radiology centers, which may introduce a selection bias and limit the exter- nal validity of the results to broader populations, including those found in public healthcare systems. Additionally, the reduced sample size in specific subgroups may have de- creased the statistical power and limited the generalization of some analyses. Although three calibrated professionals carefully reviewed the records and rigorously excluded un- certain cases, the lack of access to complete clinical records represents an additional limitation, as it restricts the abil- ity to verify potentially confounding conditions. Root mor- phology assessment was based solely on two-dimensional periapical radiographs, which are less capable of detecting subtle three-dimensional variations than cone-beam com- puted tomography. Furthermore, the study did not incor- porate genetic or environmental variables, which influence dental development. Genes involved in root morphogene- sis, such as WNT10A and MSX1, as well as environmental factors during odontogenesis, may have contributed to the outcomes but were not assessed in this dataset. These limi- tations evidence the need for future prospective and multi- center studies that integrate clinical, radiographic, and ge- nomic data to deepen the understanding of root anomalies associated with tooth agenesis. Moreover, the imbalance between the groups with and without agenesis may compromise the precision of the esti- mates and limit the generalizability of the findings, particu- larly in the subgroups with lower representativeness. Future studies with more balanced samples and prospective multi- center designs are necessary to validate these findings with more robustness. Finally, this study suggests the need for future research investigating the interaction of environmental and epige- netic factors with genetic predispositions to influence root morphology, considering that the existing literature ad- dresses these factors in isolation rather than integrating their contributions for advanced development. Longitudinal studies, such as that of Intarak et al. [8], may provide valu- able insights into the impact of external factors on tooth development and their clinical implications.

  Keywords: root ndings factors tooth agenesis clinical environmental development future morphology rather sample dental limit subgroups
• Present status and future directions – Minimal endodontic access cavities (2022) · doi

  In spite of that, it is undeniable that methodological flaws of some benchtop studies using extracted teeth may be responsible for the conflicting data, thus triggering the need for more sophisticated devices/facilities and specifically designed research in an attempt to make clear the role of the access size/design on long-term teeth survival.

  Keywords: teeth spite undeniable methodological flaws benchtop using extracted responsible conflicting thus triggering need sophisticated devices
• Panoramic radiographic prevalence of dental developmental anomalies and jaw lesions in Mallorca, Spain: a retrospective cross-sectional study (2026) · doi

  clinical Future multicenter studies including broader populations, detailed confirmatory risk-factor profiling, diagnostic methods such as cone-beam computed tomography or histopathological analysis when indicated are warranted to further the epidemiological understanding of radiographically detected dental anomalies and jawbone lesions.

  Keywords: clinical future multicenter including broader populations detailed rmatory risk factor ling diagnostic cone beam computed