Caries
Jennifer D. Kim, DDS
Resident
University of Maryland, Baltimore
University of Maryland
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Vineet Dhar, DDS
Program Director
University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Kuei-Ling C. Hsu, DDS, MS
Clinical Assistant Professor
University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Ameena Jaafar, BDS
University of Maryland, Baltimore
Jayakumar Jayaraman, BDS, MDS, FDSRCS, MS, PhD (he/him/his)
Associate Professor
VCU Pediatric Dentistry
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, Virginia, United States
Norman Tinanoff, DDS, MS
University of Maryland, Baltimore
Mary Ann Williams, MSLS
University of Maryland, Baltimore
Vineet Dhar, DDS
Program Director
University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Purpose: To assess the success rates for SDF and ITR/ART in carious primary teeth.
Methods: This review was registered (PROSPERO CRD42021276120). The following databases, MEDLINE (OVID); EMBASE, SCOPUS, CENTRAL; ICTRP; ProQuest Dissertation & Theses Global; and OpenGrey, were searched from 1960 forward for RCTs, non-randomized studies, such as cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies; in vitro or in vivo articles; and case series. Covidence web-based screening systematic review software was utilized to manage the screening of titles and abstracts and full-text review according to PICOS. The primary outcome was arrest of existing carious lesions in primary teeth. The secondary outcomes assessed included parental acceptance and success of restorations post-SDF application, and outcome moderators such as SDF concentration, caries depth and/or location, application time, application frequency, mode of isolation, and oral health related behaviors.
Results: The search retrieved 1,557 studies. Thirty-seven studies were included for analysis. Included studies were independently determined, agreed upon, data extraction assessed, risk of bias, and assignment of quality of evidence. Preliminary analysis of the data suggests that more frequent applications of SDF lead to higher probability of caries arrest. It also suggests that stronger concentrations of SDF are more effective in arresting carious lesions in comparison to weaker concentrations of SDF and NaF varnish. In addition, it shows that SDF caries arrest is more probable in anterior teeth than in posterior teeth.
Conclusions: SDF is effective in arrest of carious lesions in primary teeth. However, the strength and application frequency affect the success of arrest.