Efficacy of Conservative Approaches on the Physio-Mechanical Properties of Caries Lesions Remineralized with Silver Diamine Fluoride.

PURPOSE: Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is a proven caries-arresting agent, but its clinical acceptance is limited by the black staining of treated lesions. This purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of potassium iodide (KI), bleaching, microabrasion, and their combinations on the average surface roughness (Ra) and shear bond strength (SBS) of SDF-stained remineralized caries-like lesions (s-RCLs).

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Human enamel slabs were demineralized and randomized into six groups (n = 17): G1, no treatment; G2, treated with 38% SDF to create s-RCLs; G3, s-RCLs+KI; G4, s-RCLs+KI+bleaching; G5, s-RCLs+KI+microabrasion, and G6, s-RCLs+KI+microabrasion+bleaching. Ra and SBS were measured and analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey's test (α = 0.05).

RESULTS

Demineralization statistically significantly increased Ra (p ≤ 0.003). Post-treatment, G5 exhibited the highest Ra (p 0.001) and SBS (p ≤ 0.010), while G4 had the lowest SBS (p ≤ 0.018). G6 demonstrated Ra comparable to control groups and an average SBS, indicating a favorable balance between surface smoothness and bonding.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that the combined use of KI, microabrasion, and bleaching achieved the least statistically significant Ra while maintaining an average SBS, providing superior functional outcomes compared with bleaching or microabrasion alone, making it a promising conservative approach for managing SDF-treated lesions.