Making Caries Treatment Effective & Easy

Known simply as “Dr. Josh” to his patients, pediatric dentist Joshua Solomon, DDS, MS, has been in practice nearly 20 years, which means he’s had the pleasure of watching his patients grow from children and teenagers into thriving young adults. Over the years, he's found that many of his patients share a common malady: interproximal caries. Dental caries remains the most prevalent chronic disease in children.

“Until silver diamine fluoride (SDF) became available, there were only 2 options to treat interproximal caries: watch them get bigger, or treat them with traditional restorative methods,” said Dr. Solomon, who lectures on progressive restorative techniques. “SilverSense SDF allows me to provide minimally invasive treatment for patients who would otherwise not be cooperative for traditional dentistry, such as those who are very young, uncooperative, or who have medical histories that prohibit use of sedation or anesthesia.”

Centrix’s newest DPS Best Product, SilverSense SDF is a quick, easy, and painless method of treating caries without staining healthy enamel or dentin. While SDF is now widely adopted for pediatric use, research shows that it benefits patients of all ages, making SilverSense an ideal pain relief solution for SilverSense patients who must delay restorative treatment. The 38% SDF is tinted blue for more precise application and comes in a 5-mL bottle that delivers 1 drop at a time. 

Pain Relief at the Right Price

SilverSense SDF is formulated to immediately relieve hypersensitivity as well as harden infected dentin until a restoration can be placed—a scenario that played out perfectly for Dr. Victoria Sullivan, who noticed improvement in a patient with molar incisor hypomineralization just 2 weeks after placement. “The enamel was harder, the patient’s comfort level was substantially improved, and they were able to get numb and tolerate a restoration,” she said.

And, of course, there’s the cost factor. Just 1 drop of the SilverSense treats up to 5 teeth—adding up to a cost of less than $0.80 per patient.

“The price point of SilverSense SDF is extremely beneficial, especially when dental insurance is involved. Many insurance companies have tightened payout on SDF, and since claims are sometimes denied, the cost of SilverSense SDF is nearly negligible. The cost savings gleaned from SilverSense help offset the cost to the business and patient,” Dr. Solomon noted. “SDF is often used on underserved populations that don’t have access to care, so a lower price point is always advantageous."

Swipe on Some FluoroDose

Patients treated with SilverSense SDF are considered high risk by the ADA, which recommends fluoride varnish treatment on all teeth. FluoroDose from Centrix is a great option, as it offers high fluoride uptake and easy application with a Benda Brush.

It’s also been a DPS Best Product for nearly a decade, which is about how long Charles Liu, DMD, has been using it in his Mansfield, OH, practice. “Providing FluoroDose can help patients avoid a filling,” he said. “Plus, I don’t feel right doing a filling on a shallow cavity.”

A product that helps build trust with patients is a definite perk for Dr. Liu, who was introduced to FluoroDose by his hygienist. After using the fluoride varnish at Give Kids a Smile Day, she returned to the office ce raving about its ease of use.

“She was right!” recalled Dr. Liu. FluoroDose comes in LolliTray packaging, which allows users to simply peel back the top of the single-dose tray and mix with a Benda Brush applicator. “The packaging aids infection control and makes it very convenient to use,” he added. “No disinfection is required, and the single-dose LolliTrays help reduce waste.”

Available in 5 tasty flavors—Caramel, Bubble Gum, Mint, Cherry, and Melon—FluoroDose dries in seconds upon contact and remains on the teeth for 4 to 6 hours for optimum fluoride uptake.

“FluoroDose seems to have more patient acceptance,” said Diana Carr, RDHAP, who found it helpful when treating patients with developmental disabilities, some of whom have taste aversions. “The taste makes it a better experience for the patient, and a happier patient makes me less stressed.”