Glass Ionomer Restorations With SMART Versus Conventional Treatment in Elderly Cancer Patients

September 2, 2026 updated by: Marwa Ashraf Husseiny, Cairo University

Clinical Performance of Glass Ionomer Cervical Restorations With Silver-Modified Atraumatic Restorative Technique (SMART) Versus Conventional Treatment for Elderly Cancer Patients: A 12-Month Randomized Clinical Trial

This study will evaluate the clinical performance of glass ionomer cervical restorations placed using the Silver-Modified Atraumatic Restorative Technique (SMART) compared with conventional restorative treatment in elderly cancer patients with cervical carious lesions. The trial is a 12-month randomized clinical trial with four parallel arms and a 1:1 allocation ratio. Two SMART arms will receive 38% silver diamine fluoride (SDF) and potassium iodide followed by either high-viscosity glass ionomer cement (HVGIC) or resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC), while the conventional arms will receive standard tooth preparation followed by HVGIC or RMGIC without SDF. The primary outcome is retention of the restoration, assessed using USPHS criteria. Secondary outcomes include postoperative hypersensitivity, marginal integrity, recurrent caries, average duration of treatment, anatomic form, color match, surface roughness, marginal discoloration, and patient satisfaction (VAS). Patients will be followed at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months. The study aims to determine whether the minimally invasive SMART approach offers comparable clinical performance to conventional treatment while reducing chair time and discomfort in a medically vulnerable elderly cancer population.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Adult cancer patients (35-55 years) with primary cervical carious lesions will be recruited from the outpatient clinics of the Faculty of Dentistry, Cairo University. Eligible teeth must be vital by pulp sensitivity testing with controlled periodontal conditions; teeth with previous restorations, irreversible pulpitis signs, mobility, resorption, or cuspal loss will be excluded, as will patients with material allergies, fixed orthodontic appliances, pregnancy, or frequent analgesic use that could mask pain. After signing informed consent, participants will be randomized 1:1 using a computer-generated sequence (random.org) with allocation concealed via sequentially numbered, opaque, sealed envelopes. The study is double-blinded (participants and outcome assessors blinded; the treating operator is not blinded). Baseline data collection includes medical/dental history and pre-operative radiographs. Interventions will be applied by a single trained operator following standardized protocols for SDF/GIC placement (SMART arms) or conventional cavity preparation and GIC placement (control arms). Data will be collected on paper/Excel and analyzed using MedCalc software (v22) with Chi-square, Cochran's Q, one-way ANOVA/Tukey post-hoc, and repeated-measures ANOVA/Bonferroni-corrected comparisons, with significance set at p≤0.05 and 80% power. Sample size (29 teeth/group) was calculated using G*Power based on prior HVGIC retention data. The trial is self-funded, with independent auditing conducted by the co-supervisor.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
40

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patient-related criteria:
  • Adult cancer patients of both genders, aged 35-55 years
  • Good oral hygiene
  • Willing to sign the informed consent
  • Co-operative patients who accept the follow-up period

Tooth-related criteria:

  • Teeth with primary root surface caries (active dentin carious lesions, Nyvad score 2 or 3)
  • Teeth with gum recession
  • Teeth vital according to pulp sensitivity tests
  • Controlled gingival or periodontal conditions

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patient-related criteria:
  • Allergy to any of the restorative materials
  • Patients undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances
  • Pregnant women
  • Patients who frequently use analgesics or any drugs that could mask pain

Tooth-related criteria:

  • Teeth with previous restorations
  • Spontaneous or prolonged pain (more than 15 seconds) after cold test, indicating irreversible pulpitis
  • Negative sensibility test, periapical radiolucency, or sensitivity to percussion
  • Mobile teeth indicating periodontal disease or trauma
  • External or internal resorption
  • Chipped teeth or cuspal loss

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: SMART with High-Viscosity GIC
Application of 38% Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) and potassium iodide to the carious lesion, followed by restoration with High-Viscosity Glass Ionomer Cement (HVGIC, Riva Light Cure) according to tooth location, using the Silver-Modified Atraumatic Restorative Technique (SMART), without mechanical caries removal.
Other: Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF, 38%)
38% Silver Diamine Fluoride applied to the carious lesion using a micro brush for one minute, followed by application of potassium iodide (KI) in esthetically sensitive areas to reduce black staining, prior to restoration. Used in the two SMART arms only, with no mechanical removal of carious dentin.
Other: High-Viscosity Glass Ionomer Cement
High-viscosity glass ionomer restorative cement placed and light-cured according to tooth location, following either SDF application (SMART arm) or conventional mechanical tooth preparation (control arm).
Other Names:
  • Riva Light Cure
  • HVGIC
Experimental: SMART with Resin-Modified GIC
Application of 38% Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) and potassium iodide to the carious lesion, followed by restoration with Resin-Modified Glass Ionomer Cement (RMGIC, Riva Self Cure), using the Silver-Modified Atraumatic Restorative Technique (SMART), without mechanical caries removal.
Other: Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF, 38%)
38% Silver Diamine Fluoride applied to the carious lesion using a micro brush for one minute, followed by application of potassium iodide (KI) in esthetically sensitive areas to reduce black staining, prior to restoration. Used in the two SMART arms only, with no mechanical removal of carious dentin.
Other: Resin-Modified Glass Ionomer Cement
Resin-modified glass ionomer restorative cement placed following either SDF application (SMART arm) or conventional mechanical tooth preparation (control arm).
Other Names:
  • RMGIC
  • Riva Self Cure
Experimental: Conventional with Resin-Modified GIC
Conventional mechanical tooth preparation (excavation of caries with hand instruments and rotary burs, cavity conditioning with polyacrylic acid) followed by restoration with Resin-Modified Glass Ionomer Cement (RMGIC, Riva Self Cure), without prior SDF application.
Other: Resin-Modified Glass Ionomer Cement
Resin-modified glass ionomer restorative cement placed following either SDF application (SMART arm) or conventional mechanical tooth preparation (control arm).
Other Names:
  • RMGIC
  • Riva Self Cure
Procedure: Conventional Tooth Preparation
Conventional mechanical excavation of carious dentin using sharp hand instruments and round steel burs in a slow-speed handpiece, followed by cavity conditioning with 10% polyacrylic acid, rinsing, and drying, prior to restoration. No SDF is applied in this procedure.
Active Comparator: Conventional with High-Viscosity GIC
Conventional mechanical tooth preparation (excavation of caries with hand instruments and rotary burs, cavity conditioning with polyacrylic acid) followed by restoration with High-Viscosity Glass Ionomer Cement (HVGIC, Riva Light Cure) according to tooth location, without prior SDF application.
Other: High-Viscosity Glass Ionomer Cement
High-viscosity glass ionomer restorative cement placed and light-cured according to tooth location, following either SDF application (SMART arm) or conventional mechanical tooth preparation (control arm).
Other Names:
  • Riva Light Cure
  • HVGIC
Procedure: Conventional Tooth Preparation
Conventional mechanical excavation of carious dentin using sharp hand instruments and round steel burs in a slow-speed handpiece, followed by cavity conditioning with 10% polyacrylic acid, rinsing, and drying, prior to restoration. No SDF is applied in this procedure.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Retention of Restoration
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months
Evaluation of the presence and integrity of the restoration over the follow-up period, assessed using USPHS criteria (Zhao et al., 2018): Alpha (A) - restoration present; Bravo (B) - partial loss, clinically acceptable; Charlie (C) - clinically unacceptable partial/total loss; Delta (D) - immediate replacement necessary.
Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Postoperative Hypersensitivity
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months
Assessment of patient-reported sensitivity following restoration placement, evaluated using USPHS criteria (Zhao et al., 2018): Alpha (A) - no hypersensitivity; Bravo (B) - mild hypersensitivity; Charlie (C) - moderate hypersensitivity; Delta (D) - severe hypersensitivity.
Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months
Marginal Integrity
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months
Description: Evaluation of the continuity and adaptation at the restoration margins, assessed using USPHS criteria (Zhao et al., 2018): Alpha (A) - continuity at the margin; Bravo (B) - slight discontinuity at the margin; Charlie (C) - marginal defects requiring replacement.
Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months
Recurrent Caries
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months
Detection of caries adjacent to restoration margins, assessed using USPHS criteria (Zhao et al., 2018): Alpha (A) - caries absent; Charlie (C) - caries present.
Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months
Average Duration of Treatment
Time Frame: perioperatively
Time required to complete the restorative procedure, measured in seconds using a stopwatch (Caro et al., 2012).
perioperatively
Anatomic Form
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months
Assessment of whether the restoration correctly mimics the natural contours, height, and functional shape of the original tooth, using USPHS criteria (Zhao et al., 2018): Alpha - restoration continuous with existing anatomic form; Bravo - continuous but not exposing cement or dentin; Charlie - sufficient material lost to expose cement material or dentin.
Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months
Color Match
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months
Measures how well the shade of the restorative material blends with the neighboring natural tooth structure, using USPHS criteria (Zhao et al., 2018): Alpha - no mismatch; Bravo - mismatch within normal range of color, shade, and translucency; Charlie - mismatch outside normal range.
Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months
Surface Roughness and Marginal Discoloration
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months
Combined assessment of restoration surface smoothness and marginal staining using USPHS criteria (Zhao et al., 2018): Surface roughness scored Alpha (smooth) to Charlie (rough, cannot be refinished); marginal discoloration scored Alpha (none) to Charlie (discoloration penetrated in pulpal direction).
Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months
Patient Satisfaction
Time Frame: Immediately after the intervention, and at 3, 6, and 12 months
Patient-reported satisfaction with treatment, measured using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) from 0 (unsatisfied) to 10 (totally satisfied), where the patient marks a vertical line across the scale and the distance in millimeters from the zero end is measured (Golpak, 2020).
Immediately after the intervention, and at 3, 6, and 12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Cairo University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 15, 2027

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
July 15, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 15, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 29, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 2, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
September 4, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 4, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 2, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • cons sdf 4-2-1

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

The dataset contains coded but potentially re-identifiable clinical and patient information. Per the study's confidentiality plan, data access is restricted to the principal investigator and study supervisors only, with records stored securely under password-protected, limited-access systems. No plan for sharing individual participant data with external researchers is currently in place.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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