The effect of silver diamine fluoride on the remineralization of early enamel carious lesions under pH-cycling conditions

Abstract

Background This study explored the in vitro anticaries efficacy of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) in remineralizing early enamel carious lesions.

Methods Lesions were created in human enamel specimens, which were divided into 5 groups (n = 36): SDF (38%), SDF and potassium iodide (SDF and KI), potassium fluoride (KF), silver nitrate (AgNO3), and deionized water (DIW). Treatments were applied once. Groups were divided into 2 subgroups (n = 18), pH cycled for 5 days with twice-daily treatments with either fluoride or DIW. Vickers hardness number measurements were conducted at each stage. Data were analyzed using a 2-way analysis of variance.

Results The 2-way analysis of variance for ΔVickers hardness number was significant (P < .0001). In both pH-cycling models (with or without fluoride), SDF, SDF and KI, and KF promoted more remineralization than AgNO3 and DIW (P < .0001). In the presence of twice-daily fluoride treatments, there was no difference between SDF, SDF and KI, and KF (P = .4577). However, in the absence of fluoride treatments, SDF promoted more remineralization than SDF and KI and KF (P < .0001). There were no differences between SDF and KI and KF (P = .4577 and P = .2156; pH-cycling models with and without fluoride, respectively) and AgNO3 vs DIW (P = .6553 and P = .1194).

Conclusion With the copresence of fluoride, SDF and SDF and KI equally promote remineralization of enamel lesions. KI impairs SDF-related remineralization in the absence of fluoride treatments.