Performance of Preventive Methods Applied to the Occlusal Surface of Primary Teeth: A Randomized Clinical Study

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the clinical performance of three preventive materials on the occlusal surfaces of primary molars over a 36-month period. Material and Methods: The study was conducted with a split-mouth design involving four experimental groups: G1 -resin-modified glass ionomer cement (Vitremer ® ); G2 -resin sealant (Alpha Seal Light ® ); G3 -silver diamine fluoride (Cariostatic ® ); and G4 -control group without material. Thirty-two children aged 36 to 60 months, attending a pediatric clinic, with a deft index ≥ 1 and four primary second molars participated in the study. The material retention was evaluated in G1 and G2, and the presence of incipient caries was evaluated in all groups. Data were submitted to the Wilcoxon test and survival test (α = 5%). Results: At three, six, 12, 24 and 36 months, G2 exhibited greater material loss (maximum loss: 44%) in comparison to G1 (maximum loss: 35%), but this difference did not achieve statistical significance (p = 0.214). The highest incidence of incipient caries occurred in G3 (20%), but no significant differences were found between groups at any evaluation time (p = 0.154). Conclusion: There were no statistically significant differences between the evaluated products regarding material retention and dental caries, although there was more material loss in teeth that received the Alpha Seal ® sealant resin, and a greater number of carious lesions in the Cariostatic® group (silver diamine fluoride).

Clinical Findings Arising from the Use of Silver Diamine Fluoride to Prevent or Treat Caries Lesions and Dentinal Hypersensitivity: A Data Mining Analysis

“…In Brazil, 38% of SDF is available on the market only associated with KI. Considering the present study, it was also observed that the 10% concentration was used only in enamel [36,37]. In comparison, the 12% SDF was only used in studies comparing this concentration with 38%, and it was not as effective as 38% in arrest dentin caries lesions [22,23,38].…”

Caries in Primary Molars: Is Silver Diamine Fluoride Effective in Prevention and Treatment? A Systematic Review

“…The Food and Drug Administration approved it in 2014 as a desensitizing agent, and since then, its use and research interest have increased both in the US and, more recently, in Europe [113][114][115][116].…”

Silver Diamine Fluoride Versus Atraumatic Restorative Treatment in Pediatric Dental Caries Management

“…This highlights the need for standardization of data presentation in RCTs evaluating caries arrest. On literature review, studies comparing SDF and ART on non-carious first permanent molars were excluded[ 18 19 ]; and since only one study[ 16 ] was included in the qualitative review, the data on first permanent molars could not be meta-analyzed. It is important to emphasize that the included split-mouth RCT in permanent molars[ 16 ] does not ensure intervention fidelity as chances of a possible carryover effect between different treatment groups cannot be ruled out.…”