Silver Diamine Fluoride
Silver Diamine Fluoride
Q: What is SDF (Silver diamine fluoride)?
SDF is an antibacterial liquid medication that has been FDA-approved. It is a minimally invasive treatment used to control dental caries by preventing disease progression in children’s teeth.
Q: What are advantages?
- SDF can help stop tooth decay and help relieve sensitivity.
- SDF can help buy time for those patients who are very young, fearful, or have special needs that may otherwise require sedation for traditional dental treatment. Applying SDF is painless, and most children tolerate the procedure better than traditional treatments.
Q: What are disadvantages?
- Treatment with SDF does not eliminate the need for dental fillings or crowns to repair function or esthetics. Additional procedures may be needed . It is most effective when applied twice yearly.
- The affected area will stain black permanently. Healthy tooth structure will not stain. Stained tooth structure can be replaced with a filling or crown in the future.
- There is no guarantee that SDF will stop a child’s tooth decay. If it does not, the decay will continue to harm the tooth and require further treatment. Another round of SDF may be applied, or additional treatment, such as a filling, root canal, or extraction, may be considered.
Q: Is Silver Diamine Fluoride Safe for Kids?
- SDF is a safe and effective alternative treatment to help prevent the growth of dental caries in children. However, SDF cannot be used on patients allergic to silver. Patients with canker sores, advanced gum disease, oral ulcerations, or severe tooth decay should not be treated with silver diamine fluoride.
- If SDF accidentally contacts the skin or gums, a white or brown stain may appear. This will not damage the tissue and will disappear within three weeks. Your child may also have a metallic taste that will quickly go away.
