Introduction: Minimal intervention approaches are now utilized to remineralize carious lesion and maintain a functional tooth. Remineralizing agents as silver diamine fluoride (SDF) was found to be able to arrest caries lesions by effectively remineralizing the demineralized tooth structure.
Objective: Evaluate and compare the remineralizing effect of 38% SDF and 5% sodium fluoride (NaF) varnish on dentin caries-like lesions of primary teeth.
Materials and methods: 40 sound primary teeth were selected. The enamel layer of each tooth on the labial surface was removed exposing the dentin, which was then covered with nail varnish exposing a 4x4 dentin window that underwent demineralization. Each tooth was sectioned through the window labiolingually into mesial and distal specimens. One half was treated with test material, while the other was left untreated (control). Specimens were assigned to 2 groups according to treatment agent; group I: 20 specimens were treated using 38% SDF, group II: 20 specimens were treated using 5% NaF. Evaluation was conducted using Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX) and Polarized light microscope.
Results: Both groups showed a statistically significant percentage increase in calcium (median=48.15 and 32.08, p=0.002) and calcium phosphate ratio (median=24.44 and 8.87, p < 0.0001). This increase was in favor of SDF. Statistically significant percent reduction in lesion depth was found in the SDF group in comparison to the NaF group (83.18 (7.76) and 45.73 (12.76), p < 0.0001).
Conclusion: 38% SDF solution showed superior remineralizing effect on artificial carious dentin than 5% NaF varnish in terms of mineral content as well as lesion depth.