Background: Despite the effectiveness of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) in arresting caries, black staining of carious lesions is a major drawback.
Objective: To assess parental satisfaction after using SDF versus atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) to manage ECC in their children.
Materials & Methods: A randomized controlled clinical trial with patient reported outcomes; 100 children with ECC (2-5 years) were equally and randomly divided into two groups; Experimental group (N=50, n=268) received 38% SDF; Control group received ART (N=50, n=286). Parental satisfaction was assessed after 2 weeks using 4-item, 5-level, Likert-scale questionnaire. Quantitative data were represented using mean, and standard deviation (SD). Qualitative variables were displayed using frequency and percentages. Monte Carlo simulation method for Pearson's chi square statistics was applied to compare both groups regarding parental satisfaction. Significance level was set at P value ≤ 0.05.
Results: Eighty percent of parents/guardians strongly agreed, agreed or were neutral regarding their children's esthetics after SDF versus 98% after ART (P=0.06). All SDF parents/guardians strongly agreed or agreed it was an easy procedure versus 30% among ART group (P<0.0001). Among SDF parents/guardians, 96% reported the procedure to be pain free versus 74% in ART group (P= 0.008). Among SDF parents/guardians, 88% “strongly agreed" that the taste of received treatment was acceptable to their children versus 82% in ART group. (P= 0.614).
Conclusion: Parental satisfaction regarding esthetics and taste was comparable after SDF and ART. Significantly more SDF parents/guardians viewed the procedure easy and pain free.