Silver Diamine Fluoride Pilot Study (SDF) (SDF)

February 20, 2023 updated by: Justine Kolker

Effectiveness of Silver Diamine Fluoride in Arresting Early Approximal Carious Lesion Progression: A Pilot Study

This pilot trial is randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial with two parallel arms: an intervention group using silver diamine fluoride (SDF) and a placebo group (control). 60 eligible healthy adults will be enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to one of the two treatment groups. Both groups will receive the traditional preventive measures including cleanings, Fluoride varnish, diet analysis and counseling. Study participants will be followed for one year and caries progression will be radiographically monitored.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

This pilot study will compare 1) Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) and fluoride varnish to 2) Placebo and fluoride varnish (conventional prevention) in the management of early approximal carious lesions. Early approximal carious lesions refers to decay between teeth, diagnosed with radiographs, not extending more than 1/3 of the way into dentin. Management of early approximal carious lesions refers to halting lesion progression, or encouraging lesion reversal after an early carious lesion is detected.

SDF provides a novel, low-cost intervention option for managing early carious lesions that could potentially bridge the 'gap' between non-operative and operative options; thus, postponing the first placement of a restoration. SDF has been used in arresting carious lesions for more than 100 years. However, SDF has never been tested in the arrest of approximal caries lesions in permanent teeth.

SDF acts to both prevent and arrest tooth decay in multiple ways: 1) it acts on the body of carious lesions by precipitating silver ion into the lesion, thus blocking diffusion pathways for cariogenic acids; 2) it interacts with dental enamel leading to the formation of fluoroapatite crystals making the tooth surface more acid resistant; and 3) the precipitated silver from SDF acts as a bactericidal agent disturbing the formation of cariogenic biofilm.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

41

Phase

  • 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 Locations

    • Iowa
      • Iowa City, Iowa, United States, 52242
        • University of Iowa

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

Ages Eligible for Study

21 years to 64 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Presence of at least one approximal caries lesion (scores RA1, RA2, RA3 according to the ICCMS radiographic scoring system) in one of the posterior teeth (premolars and molars) presented with full contact with the adjacent tooth.
  • All the surfaces eligible for this study will be included.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • The approximal lesion detected in the radiograph has advanced dentine lesion (RB4, RC5, or RC6)
  • or is adjacent to a lesion that is either filled or will receive a filling at the time of enrollment.

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: Health Services Research
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Silver Diamine Fluoride 38%
Group 1 (SDF 38%) will receive the application of silver diammine fluoride (38% SDF solution) in addition to 5% sodium fluoride varnish to each approximal carious lesion (scores RA1,RA2,RA3) in a posterior tooth (premolar or molar) that is in contact with an adjacent tooth, using super floss, for a duration of 3 minutes under rubber dam isolation.
Group 1 (SDF group) subjects will receive the application of silver diamine fluoride (38% SDF solution) in addition to 5% Fluoride varnish to each approximal incipiency, using super floss, for a duration of 3 minutes under rubber dam isolation.
Other Names:
  • 38% SDF
Placebo Comparator: Placebo (Sterile water)
Group 2 Placebo (control) will receive the application of sterile water (placebo) in addition to 5% sodium fluoride varnish to each approximal carious lesion (scores RA1,RA2,RA3) in a posterior tooth (premolar or molar) that is in contact with an adjacent tooth, using super floss, for a duration of 3 minutes under rubber dam isolation.
Group 2 (Placebo) subjects will receive application of sterile water (placebo) in addition to 5% Fluoride varnish to each approximal incipiency, using super floss, for a duration of 3 minutes under rubber dam isolation.
Other Names:
  • Sterile Water

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Assessment of Radiographic Change in Dental Cavity
Time Frame: Baseline, 12 months after blinded treatment with either Silver Diamine Fluoride 38% or placebo (sterile water)
Determine if there is a change in the size of the dental cavity from baseline to 12 months after blinded treatment with either Silver Diamine Fluoride 38% or placebo (sterile water). This measurement will be assessed using radiographic examination to determine if there is either evidence of no radiographic change, radiographic progression, or radiographic regression.
Baseline, 12 months after blinded treatment with either Silver Diamine Fluoride 38% or placebo (sterile water)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Incidence of caries in all other teeth in the study subject
Time Frame: 12 months
Count for new carious lesions developing over the course of the study period to assess the effect of SDF on preventing the development of early carious lesions
12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Michael Kanellis, DDS, MS, University of Iowa
  • Principal Investigator: Justine Kolker, DDS, MS, University of Iowa

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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 (Actual)

January 7, 2016

Primary Completion (Actual)

August 1, 2021

Study Completion (Actual)

June 30, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

October 28, 2015

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 28, 2015

First Posted (Estimate)

October 29, 2015

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 14, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 20, 2023

Last Verified

February 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

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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