Longitudinal In Vitro Effects of Silver Diamine Fluoride on Early Enamel Caries Lesions

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate surface microhardness changes in early, incipient, non-cavitated white-spot, enamel caries lesions treated with silver diamine fluoride (SDF) longitudinally. The utilization of silver nitrate and potassium fluoride test groups served as additional controls to assist in evaluating if the remineralization effects were due to the silver or fluoride component in SDF. Hypotheses: 1. SDF treatment will result in increased surface microhardness of early, incipient, non-cavitated white-spot, enamel caries lesions compared to all other tested interventions. 2. Specimen storage for 2-weeks in artificial saliva will result in greater surface rehardening in lesions treated with SDF compared to other tested interventions. Design: This laboratory study had 5 intervention groups (SDF, silver nitrate (AgNO3), potassium fluoride (KF), 5.0-percent sodium fluoride varnish (FV), deionized water (DI)) × 2-time intervals after intervention (immediate & delayed pH-cycling), resulting in 10 groups (n = 18). Early, incipient, non-cavitated white-spot, enamel caries lesions were created in bovine enamel and extent of demineralization was determined using Vickers surface microhardness (VHNlesion). Intervention treatments were applied. Half the specimens from each group underwent immediate 5-day pH-cycling and half were stored in an incubator with artificial saliva for two weeks before undergoing 5-day pH-cycling. After pH-cycling, lesion hardness was evaluated using VHNpost. Specimens were then exposed to a second demineralization challenge and lesion softening was evaluated using VHNsecdem. Surface rehardening was calculated: ΔVHN =VHNpost - VHNlesion. Surface softening was calculated: ΔVHNsecdem =VHNsecdem – VHNpost. Data was analyzed using two-way ANOVA. Results: Immediately cycled, SDF had significantly (p < .0001) greater remineralization than DI, AgNO3, and FV. All delayed cycling groups had significantly (p < .0001) greater remineralization than FV. Significantly greater remineralization was noted in delayed AgNO3 (p < .0001), DI (p = .0003), and FV (p = .0006) compared to immediately cycled. After the second demineralization challenge, FV had significantly less surface softening than AgNO3 (p = 0.0002), DI (p = 0.0003), KF (p = 0.0225), and SDF (p = 0.0388) intervention groups. No significant difference was found between the pH-cycle timings. Conclusion: Based on our findings, FV maybe better suitable than SDF to treat early, incipient, non-cavitated white-spot, enamel caries lesions. Longitudinally, SDF exhibited greater remineralization than both FV and DI groups, though not statistically significant. However, upon a second demineralization challenge, FV significantly outperformed SDF in preventing surface softening.