Silver Diamine Fluoride is Not Just for Kids!

Silver Diamine Fluoride was named “one of the miracles of modern dentistry” by Dr. Ned Robertson. However, this dental miracle is not new. SDF was first developed in Japan in the 1960s though it did not gain popularity in the United States until only about a decade ago. When it was introduced Stateside, it quickly became a favorite among pediatric dentists – this fast and painless treatment works great for young patients who cannot tolerate more complex procedures. Dentists working with elderly patients and patients with disabilities also saw the value of the product for their patients and swiftly added SDF into their toolkits. 

Though there is one area of dentistry where SDF is underutilized: general dentistry. When the average general practitioner is asked about SDF, they often say something along the lines of “It’s a great product for kids but it turns the teeth black so my adult patients would never accept it.” However, this assumption is far from the truth. According to a survey conducted by Care Quest Institute for Oral Health, “78% of the surveyed adults think that the application of SDF on posterior teeth is acceptable¹”.

It matters how the treatment is explained to the patient. Think about it – would you accept a procedure that “turns your teeth black”? When you hear these words, an image like the one shown below comes to mind. 

The truth is SDF is a site-specific solution. Only the lesion being treated turns darker. Healthy tooth structure remains unaffected. Below is an example of a typical adult patient who received SDF treatment. As we can see, the lesion turned only a bit darker. Since the tooth is outside of the smile zone, the patient was not concerned about aesthetics. In fact, the lesion itself was already a dark shade of brown so the SDF treatment did not make a major difference. 

SDF has many benefits for both the patient and clinician – it eliminates your patient’s oral pain and provides more treatment options and more choice. It allows you to deliver assured care to your patients even when they delay the recommended treatment. You can easily incorporate SDF into your standard treatment process. The good news is studies show that SDF does not negatively affect bond strength^2,3. You can easily restore the form and function of the tooth with material of choice whether that be glass ionomer or resin composite. This is very important for adult patients, especially since they have permanent teeth that need to serve them for many years. One thing to keep in mind when restoring after SDF is that free silver may lead to darkening of the restoration and/or margins after light curing. There are a few ways to address this issue including clean margins, sandwich technique, and opaquers.

Don’t wait, transform the way you treat your adult patients today and add SDF into your toolkit! You will deliver better care, and your patients will be thankful. 

If you are looking for an evidence-based solution that is also cost-effective, try SilverSense SDF^™.  It is available in a 1-bottle Standard Kit (with 20 applicators) or a 3-bottle Clinic Kit (with 50 applicators). SilverSense SDF is the best-value SDF product on the market, conveniently available through your dental distributor of choice. 

If you have any questions about SilverSense SDF or SDF in general, our knowledgeable reps will be happy to assist. Call 800.235.5862 or reach out to your Centrix Account Manager!

1. https://www.carequest.org/resource-library/provider-and-public-perceptions-silver-diamine-fluoride-sm
2. Danaeifar N, Nejat AH, Cehreli Z, Ballard RW, Johnson JT. The Effect of Silver Diamine Fluoride on Bond Strength of Three Types of Bulk-Fill Restorative Materials to Dentin. Pediatr Dent. 2022 Jul 15;44(4):290-295. PMID: 35999684. 
3.  Wang AS, Botelho MG, Tsoi JKH, Matinlinna JP. Effects of silver diammine fluoride on microtensile bond strength of GIC to dentine. Int J Adhes Adhes. 2016;70:196–203. doi: 10.1016/j.ijadhadh.2016.06.011. [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]