Caries arrestment at the individual (patient) level · Children and adults with active dental caries (aged 1-50; mostly preschool/school children with primary dentition)
In one trial, SDF greatly increased individual-level caries arrestment versus ART/glass ionomer cement (OR 18.03); this subgroup was not separately GRADE-rated.
1 finding from 1 review
Caries arrestment at the tooth level · Children and adults with active dental caries (aged 1-50; mostly preschool/school children with primary dentition)
In one trial, SDF increased tooth-level caries arrestment versus 5% sodium fluoride varnish (OR 4.75; ungraded subgroup).
1 finding from 1 review
Caries arrestment at the surface level · Children and adults with active dental caries (aged 1-50; mostly preschool/school children with primary dentition)
Pooling two highly heterogeneous trials, SDF showed no significant difference versus 5% sodium fluoride varnish in surface-level caries arrestment (OR 1.46; ungraded subgroup).
1 finding from 1 review
Caries arrestment at the individual (patient) level · Children and adults with active dental caries (aged 1-50; mostly preschool/school children with primary dentition)
Pooling two trials, SDF markedly increased individual-level caries arrestment versus placebo (OR 18.10; ungraded subgroup).
1 finding from 1 review
Caries arrestment at the tooth level · Children and adults with active dental caries (aged 1-50; mostly preschool/school children with primary dentition)
Pooling two trials, SDF and ART/glass ionomer cement showed no clear difference in tooth-level caries arrestment (OR 1.22, wide CI; ungraded subgroup).
1 finding from 1 review
Caries arrest · Children with dentine carious lesions (ICDAS 4-5) in primary teeth
A second meta-analysis reported odds ratios of 2.44 to 3.63 favouring 38% SDF over fluoride varnish/water for caries arrest (ungraded).
2 findings from 1 review
OR (caries arrest) OR 2.44-3.63 (range); 2.44 = Chu estimate including 30% SDF
3 studies
GRADE not reported
Proportion (caries arrest) 81 [68, 89]
12 studies
GRADE not reported
Arrest of dentine caries · Children with dentine caries in primary and permanent teeth
Professionally applied 38% silver diamine fluoride arrested about two-thirds of active dentine caries surfaces in children (pooled proportion 65.9%, 95% CI 41.2% to 90.7%; 5 studies); certainty was not GRADE-rated and heterogeneity was very high (I2=96%).
1 finding from 1 review
Caries/restoration status in permanent molars · Children with dental caries in permanent (first) molars
SDF gave significantly better caries/restoration outcomes than ART over 9 months in children's permanent molars (p=0.004; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Satyarup et al. (2022): 38% SDF vs ART; SDF group 5.6% carious teeth with partly lost restorations vs ART 16.7% carious with partly lost and 8.9% carious with completely lost restorations (p=0.004, favoring SDF).
1 study · 190 participants
GRADE not reported
Caries prevention (preventive fraction, SDF vs GIC+5% fluoride varnish) · intellectually disabled individuals with caries in permanent posterior teeth
SDF had a 45% preventative fraction versus glass ionomer cement plus fluoride varnish; no pooled estimate or GRADE rating was reported.
1 finding from 1 review
restoration and caries status · children with caries in permanent molars
The review reported SDF was beneficial for arresting caries; no effect estimate or GRADE rating was reported.
1 finding from 1 review
new active or inactive carious lesions · Children with dental caries in permanent (first) molars
SDF had a 72% preventative fraction; no pooled estimate or GRADE rating was reported.
1 finding from 1 review
new carious lesions or fillings at tooth level · children with caries in permanent molars
SDF had a 41% preventative fraction at tooth level; no pooled estimate or GRADE rating was reported.
1 finding from 1 review
new carious lesions or fillings at fissure-site level · children with caries in permanent molars
SDF had a 52% preventative fraction at fissure-site level; no pooled estimate or GRADE rating was reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Remineralization/arrest of early enamel carious lesions · Patients with early enamel carious lesions on permanent molars
For early enamel lesions, annual SDF+KI was significantly less effective than twice-daily CPP-ACP (54.8% vs 100% arrested; p<0.001; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Inactive (arrested) carious lesions on permanent first molars · Children with dental caries in permanent (first) molars
Six-monthly SDF produced significantly more inactive (arrested) lesions than no treatment in children's permanent molars (0.3 vs 0.1; p<0.05; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
new carious lesions or fillings · Children with dental caries in permanent (first) molars
SDF had a 57% preventative fraction; the comparator was not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
New coronal carious lesions or fillings on permanent (first) molars (caries prevention) · Children with dental caries in permanent (first) molars
One-time SDF within a brushing programme did not significantly reduce caries vs control (p>0.05; ungraded).
2 findings from 1 review
New coronal carious lesions or fillings on permanent (first) molars (caries prevention) · Children with dental caries in permanent (first) molars
One-time 38% SDF gave a 57% prevented fraction for caries in children's permanent first molars (single study; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Restoration color, marginal staining and luster (esthetics) · Children with deep occlusal caries in young permanent first molars (indirect pulp capping)
RMGIC gave significantly better restoration esthetics than SDF, which caused black staining (p=0.03; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Baraka et al. (2022): significant differences in restoration color, marginal staining and luster favoring RMGIC over both SDF groups (p=0.03); SDF caused black staining that darkened over time.
1 study · 49 participants
GRADE not reported
Remineralization/arrest of early enamel carious lesions · Patients with early enamel carious lesions on permanent molars
For early enamel lesions, annual SDF+KI was significantly LESS effective than twice-daily tricalcium silicate paste (54.8% vs 100% arrested; p<0.001; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review