Saving the split: protocol for an umbrella review on therapeutic approaches for cracked tooth syndrome

Cracked tooth syndrome (CTS) is challenging to diagnose and manage due to its variable clinical presentation, resulting in inconsistent conclusions across existing reviews. Although several systematic reviews have investigated interventions independently, the evidence remains disparate, highlighting the need for an umbrella review to consolidate the different pieces of evidence and address any inconsistencies, thereby informing clinical recommendations.

This umbrella review will include published systematic reviews and meta-analyses focusing on treatment for CTS. Various databases like PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science will be searched till June 01, 2025. Two reviewers will independently perform the article screening, study identification, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment using the AMSTAR-2 tool. Overlap between relevant primary sources will be evaluated with the Corrected Covered Area (CCA) method. Certainty of evidence will be determined using the GRADE approach. The results will be reported as a narrative synthesis accompanied by summary tables. There will be an inclusion of only English-language publications, and the possibility of language bias will be recognized.

This umbrella review will offer a broad and detailed summary of the available evidence pertaining to the management of CTS to facilitate the implementation of more uniform, evidence-based clinical decisions. The review, through assessing the quality of the methods used, locating the points of agreement or dispute, and indicating the gaps in the research, will be a guide for both the present practice and the next research directions.

PROSPERO CRD420250648720.