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Evidence found and GRADE certainty

48 questions · 56 findings · 8 reviews

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No studies found 21 · 37.5%GRADE not reported 19 · 33.9%Very low 11 · 19.6%Low 3 · 5.4%Moderate 2 · 3.6%High 0 · 0%

Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) vs Other methods (pooled: nano-silver fluoride, sodium fluoride varnish)

Caries arrestment at the surface level · Children and adults with active dental caries (aged 1-50; mostly preschool/school children with primary dentition)

SDF probably makes little to no difference to surface-level caries arrestment versus other methods (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) vs Other methods (pooled: ART/glass ionomer cement, nano-silver fluoride, sodium fluoride varnish, placebo)

Adverse effects (tooth staining and other side effects) · Children and adults with active dental caries (aged 1-50; mostly preschool/school children with primary dentition)

SDF commonly causes black staining of arrested lesions; only mild, transient adverse events were reported, with no major adverse events (ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Silver diamine fluoride (SDF; 30% or 38%) vs No treatment or another non-invasive/minimally-invasive treatment (ART, sodium fluoride or silver-based varnish, or 12% SDF)

Caries arrest · Children (age 1-10 years) with active cavitated dentin caries lesions in primary molars

SDF is effective in arresting caries progression in cavitated primary molars overall (pooled ES 0.33, 95% CI 0.26-0.40; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

Silver diamine fluoride (SDF >=30%, i.e. 30% or 38%), applied annually or biannually vs No treatment or another non-invasive/minimally-invasive treatment (ART, sodium fluoride or silver-based varnish, or 12% SDF)

Caries arrest · Children (age 1-10 years) with active cavitated dentin caries lesions in primary molars

The pooled caries arrest rate with SDF (>=30%, applied annually/biannually) was 51.62% (622/1205 lesions arrested) at >=12 months follow-up.

1 finding from 1 review

38% silver diamine fluoride vs No treatment / other preventive agents (GIC, 5% NaF varnish)

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

38% SDF varnish plus oral health instruction vs oral health instruction plus water

new root-surface carious lesions or restorations · Older adults with root caries in permanent (mature) teeth (mean age 75 years)

SDF had a 71% preventative fraction at 36 months; no pooled estimate or GRADE rating was reported.

1 finding from 1 review

SDF applied once (single application, no re-application) vs Other non/minimally-invasive treatment (ART or silver-fluoride varnish)

Caries arrest · Children (age 1-10 years) with active cavitated dentin caries lesions in primary molars

A single (one-time) SDF application did not significantly arrest caries (pooled ES -0.09, 95% CI -0.48 to 0.29; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review

SDF applied biannually (every 6 months) vs Other non/minimally-invasive treatment (ART or 5% NaF varnish)

Caries arrest · Children (age 1-10 years) with active cavitated dentin caries lesions in primary molars

Biannual SDF application significantly arrested caries (pooled ES 0.39, 95% CI 0.19-0.60; ungraded).

1 finding from 1 review