You may have heard of the new type of dental treatment called “silver diamine fluoride” or known as SDF but what is it? We’re ready to give you all the info you’ll need!
What is SDF?
• It’s an inexpensive and non-invasive medicament
• Applied to arrest lesions, it carries and prevents tooth decay
• This is a painless treatment
• It is like a varnish, no freeze or drilling and just painted on!
• Approved in 2014 as a hypersensitivity dental treatment
• This treatment bridges the gap for patients with extensive treatment needs
Silver diamine fluoride has been used for years in Japan, Australia and Argentina but has only been recently approved in Canada. Health Canada licensed this to be used by dental professionals to prevent, fight and protect against cavities. Up until now, dentists treated cavities by drilling away the soft, decaying areas of a tooth and replacing them with another substances such as a composite ot amalgam filling.
While applying SDF to an affected tooth, the liquid treatment stops decay by killing cavity-causing bacteria, then mineralizes or hardens the soft spots in the tooth. Therefore, eliminating the need for drilling and filling!
Who is SDF used for?
• Ideal for younger patients, medically frail patients, or those with special needs
• It delays or avoids the need for sedation to treat pediatric patients
• For patients too young to go under general anesthesia
• Patients who are uncooperative in the dental chair
How is SDF applied?
The Process:
The surface of the tooth is completely dried before application. This ensures that the SDF will absorb into the affected areas. SDF is then applied to the affected teeth with a micro brush and the solution is allowed to soak into the tooth for 60 seconds. Once the tooth has been treated, we apply a fluoride varnish which serves to both seal off the area and helps lessen the bitter metallic taste. The affected teeth may need further SDF treatments depending on the severity and location of the tooth decay.
Now that you know a little about what SDF is, we’d love to help you see if this treatment option is the best fit for you! Contact us today.