Treatment success (caries lesion arrest or restoration survival) · Children (aged 3-11 y) with cavitated caries lesions in primary teeth
At 6 months, SDF had significantly higher treatment success than placebo (OR 33.62).
1 finding from 1 review
OR 33.62 [3.01, 375.92]
44 studies
GRADE not reported
Caries arrestment at the surface level · Children and adults without systemic diseases affecting dental health
SDF showed no clear advantage for caries arrestment at the surface level.
1 finding from 1 review
Caries arrestment at the individual (patient) level · Children and adults without systemic diseases affecting dental health
SDF showed a higher caries-arrestment proportion at the individual level, but the reported difference was not statistically significant.
1 finding from 1 review
Caries arrestment at the tooth level · Children and adults without systemic diseases affecting dental health
SDF showed a higher caries-free proportion at the tooth level, but the reported difference was not statistically significant.
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
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
Caries arrest · Patients with early enamel carious lesions on permanent molars
SDF plus potassium iodide arrested 54.8% of early enamel lesions at 24 months; no pooled estimate or GRADE rating was reported.
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
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
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 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
Not applicable (no eligible studies) · Adults with coronal (crown) dental caries in permanent teeth
No eligible studies assessed SDF for coronal caries in adults; this is an evidence gap identified by the review.
1 finding from 1 review
Oral health-related quality of life · Children with dental caries
SDF did not significantly differ from placebo for oral health-related quality of life in children (MD 0.03, 95% CI -0.16 to 0.22; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Oral health-related quality of life · Children with dental caries
SDF did not significantly differ from atraumatic restorative treatment for oral health-related quality of life (MD 0.02, 95% CI -0.32 to 0.36; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Root carious lesions arrest · Older adults with root carious lesions (exposed root surfaces)
One review reported SDF may reduce progression of root caries, with no numeric result (ungraded).
3 findings from 1 review
One systematic review found that SDF can be efficacious to decrease progression of root carious lesions (no numeric results reported) [24].
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Prevented Fraction 100–725
2 studies
GRADE not reported
One low risk of bias systematic review reported that 38% SDF was significantly more effective than placebo in arresting root carious lesions (pooled results were not calculated) [31].
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Coronal carious lesions arrest · Children with dental caries in permanent (first) molars
One review reported a 100% prevented fraction for 38% SDF for arresting coronal caries in permanent first molars (one study; ungraded).
1 finding from 1 review
Prevented Fraction 100
1 study
GRADE not reported
Root carious lesions prevention · Older adults with root carious lesions (exposed root surfaces)
38% silver diamine fluoride reduced root-caries increment (DMFRS/DFRS) versus placebo, MD −0.33 (95% CI −0.39 to −0.28) (ungraded).
3 findings from 1 review