Silver Diamine Fluoride for Caries Prevention in Removable Partial Dentures Wearers

Randomized Double-blind Placebo-controlled Trial of Silver Diamine Fluoride for Caries Prevention in Removable Partial Dentures Wearers

This study measures and compares the effect of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) on caries increment in removable partial denture wearers. Half of the participants will SDF and while the other half will receive placebo.

Removable partial dentures are commonly constructed to replace missing teeth. It is observed that removable partial denture wearers are susceptible to dental caries.

The mode of action of silver diamine fluoride on caries prevention is dual: fluoride ions interact synergistically with silver to react with hydroxyapatite to form fluorapatite, and silver is bactericidal by reacting with the thiol groups of the amino and nucleic acids that halt the metabolic and reproductive functions of the cariogenic bacteria.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients who are wearing removable partial dentures constructed by staff or students at the Prince Philip Dental Hospital are recruited

Exclusion Criteria:

• If they have less than 4 teeth in any dental arch, have advanced periodontal disease in 2 or more sextants, have received therapeutic radiation of the head and neck region, have concurrent systemic illness that alters salivary flow, or have participated in a clinical trial within 6 months before the commencement of participation in this study.