Silver Diamine Fluoride

Benefits of Silver Diamine Fluoride

• Non-Invasive Treatment: SDF offers a non-invasive alternative to traditional cavity treatment that would normally involve drilling and fillings. This can be helpful in patients who are young or who have special healthcare needs that may prevent the ability to treat cavities with conventional methods. 
• Quick Application: The application process is quick and painless, which is excellent for maintaining the comfort of young patients. It is recommended to follow up within 2-4 weeks to determine the need for reapplication. 
• Effective Decay Management: SDF can greatly slow, if not effectively stop tooth decay and prevent further progression in small to moderately sized lesions. 

How is Silver Diamine Fluoride Applied?

The application process of SDF is straightforward:

1. Preparation: The teeth are cleaned to remove any debris or plaque.
2. Isolation and Drying: The area around the cavity is isolated and dried. Vaseline is applied to the perioral area to minimize risk of staining the mucosa. 
3. Application: Depending on the location for application, a small brush or floss is used to apply SDF directly to the decayed area of the tooth.
4. Setting: After application, the SDF is allowed to dry for one minute. No rinsing is needed. Excess is removed and a topical fluoride varnish is placed. Your child may eat or drink right away. 

Considerations and Aesthetic Impact

While SDF is highly effective in treating and preventing tooth decay, one of its downsides is that it will cause a black staining of the decayed areas treated. For this reason, it is often considered more suitable for back teeth or temporary baby teeth that will eventually be replaced by permanent teeth. While a white filling can often be placed over SDF in the future for a more aesthetic option, it is important to know that while it may lessen the appearance of the dark discoloration, it will not completely get rid of it. 

Ideal Candidates for Silver Diamine Fluoride

SDF is particularly suitable for small to moderately sized carious lesions in:

• Children who have difficulty sitting still enough to allow adequate isolation for routine dental treatments.
• Patients with a high number of cavities or those who are particularly prone to decay.
• Young children, or those with special healthcare needs who may struggle to withstand traditional restorative dental procedures.

Continuing Care and Regular Check-Ups

After treatment with SDF, regular follow-up appointments are important to monitor the effectiveness of the treatment and to decide if additional applications are necessary. Continual assessment of overall oral health is also crucial to ensure that no new areas of decay develop.

Commitment to Innovative Dental Care

At Little Pearls Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Mary Margaret and her team are dedicated to providing the most current and effective dental treatments available. Silver diamine fluoride may allow for complete arrest of caries, or greatly slow the progression of caries, allowing active surveillance of lesions and the potential to allow a tooth to exfoliate without treating it, as long as the progression of exfoliation is faster than the progression of caries. This is just one of the many tools we use to allow preventative, conservative treatment and ensure that every child receives personalized, high-quality dental care. If you have questions about SDF or wish to find out if it is a suitable option for your child, please contact us to schedule a consultation.