Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF)
Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) is a painless, non-invasive, and effective alternative for treating cavities and tooth decay in toddlers and children who don’t have their permanent teeth, yet.
What is Silver Diamine Fluoride?
Silver Diamine Fluoride is a liquid substance used to prevent tooth cavities from forming, growing, or spreading to other teeth. It’s made up of silver, water, fluoride, and ammonia. The silver helps kill any bacteria while the fluoride helps your teeth rebuild the materials they are made of naturally.
Silver Diamine Fluoride is applied directly to the surface of your teeth, most commonly those affected by cavities, but also occasionally used as a preventative measure. Because the fluoride is so effective at reducing cavity growth and requires few treatments it can be used as a great alternative to fillings for younger children and youth who are either restless or don’t yet have permanent teeth.
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Does silver diamine fluoride fade?
One of the largest benefits of SDF is that it has few risks and is commonly free of side effects. One negative side effects is purely cosmetic—teeth discoloration on the area where the cavity is present. SDF does not stain healthy enamel. When the silver in SDF is applied to a tooth, it oxidizes and leaves a black stain on the damaged cavity portion of the tooth.
People commonly wonder if there are silver diamine fluoride stain removal options, but the staining is permanent, which is why it’s recommended for use on baby teeth or teeth that are temporary or will be removed at some point.
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Is silver diamine fluoride safe?
Silver diamine fluoride has been used around the world for decades as a safe treatment and has shown no adverse reactions other than turning the area affected by cavities black.
It’s an inexpensive and easy to use solution, especially for children who still have baby teeth. This is why it has become such a popular alternative to fillings.
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Who should use silver diamine fluoride treatments?
Silver diamine fluoride works best for temporary cavity control and management. It’s not a permanent solution for long-term care, but it can act as a great interim solution for the following types of dental patients and cases.
- Children with baby teeth
- Young infants or toddlers who may have difficulty sitting through a filling
- Dental patients with cavities that are hard to treat with one visit
- Dental patients with behavioral challenges or special needs
- Dental patients requiring a more cost-effective solution than a tooth filling
Questions About Silver Diamine Fluoride?
If you have any questions about silver diamine fluoride treatment contact us today, request an appointment for your child, or explore the other pediatric dental services we offer using the links below.