523 - Effectiveness of Silver Diamine Fluoride in Delaying Progression of Dental Caries

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) in delaying progression of dental caries in primary anterior dentition within a pediatric population.

Methods: This retrospective study consisted of patients aged 2-5 seen in a community clinic with decayed primary anterior dentition. All patients received SDF treatment. The primary outcome was arrest of caries lesions, as assessed at follow up visits. Delay in progression of caries from baseline to follow-up was examined using survival analysis. Log rank tests were used to compare differences in survival times across selected baseline covariates (e.g., age at SDF application, gender, American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) classification).

Results: 120 patients were included in the sample. Their average age was 3-years 8-months (standard deviation = 1 year), 56 (46.7%) were females, 96 (80.0%) were classified as ASA I, and the median number of teeth per patient treated with SDF was 3 (interquartile range = 2). Fifty-nine children had caries marked as arrested during re-evaluations. Kaplan Meir curves indicated survival probabilities of 0.73 & 0.47 at 6 & 12 months, respectively. Log rank tests did not indicate significant differences in survival times based on age, gender, ethnicity, or ASA classification.


Conclusion: SDF application can be used as a temporary measure to delay progression of dental caries until more definitive treatment is possible. The probability of caries being arrested reduced 150% from 6 to 12 months, suggesting that clinicians might consider reapplication of SDF after the 6 months mark.

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