Dental caries is a multifactorial disease that results from an imbalance between pathological and protective factors.
Common non-operative treatments for incipient enamel caries include: fluoride applications, fissure sealants, and behavioral modifications, such as increasing the frequency of brushing and flossing.
The effectiveness of topical fluoride, which acts as a cariostatic agent, has been well established, and fluoride is considered the most effective method for preventing or arresting the development of caries.
Studies have shown that silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is an effective agent against dental caries. 38% SDF is an alkaline (pH 10) colorless solution, containing 24%-27% silver (Ag), 8.5%-10.5% ammonia (NH3) and 5.0%-6.0% fluoride.
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SDF’s effect on enamel is primarily due to fluoride, while the effect on dentin is predominantly due to silver. Fluoride inhibits the demineralization and promotes the remineralization of dental tissues, mainly enamel.
The deposition of silver salt and the antibacterial effect of silver ions are the two main mechanisms related to the effect of silver in SDF in preventing and arresting caries in dentin.
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Watch pediatric dentist, Dr. Jeanette MacLean, apply SDF Advantage Arrest Silver Diamine Fluoride 38% to a 2 year old with severe early childhood caries.