NO DRILL AND FILL NEEDED?

You read it here first!  Or have you?  Have you heard about a liquid called silver diamine fluoride?  This magical liquid that will stop a cavity in it's tracks so your child or yourself won't need a filling.  No needles, no drills, no pain. I am SO passionate about this topic because so many people are unaware this exists!  Using silver diamine fluoride as a liquid drop to fix a cavity can prevent sedation, dental anxiety, cutting into a tooth when you don't have to, and not to mention save you a fortune in dental bills!

You DO not need to drill out a cavity anymore if it's in the early stages. Learn more about silver diamine fluoride. I'm a mobile dental hygienist (I come right inside your home to clean teeth) who uses this method almost daily on my patients!  A no-drill fixing a cavity method that I use even on my own teeth.


HOW SILVER DIAMINE FLUORIDE WORKS

I use silver diamine fluoride in my practice almost daily.  I call it a 'cavity killing liquid', it's antimicrobial and a single drop on a cavity will stop a cavity from getting larger.  It needs to be applied in  the earlier stages of a cavity (not when the tooth has a large hole in it for example) and depending on the size of the cavity, may need another drop on the tooth a few weeks later.  But, isn't this more ideal than a drill and fill? I would say so!


WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

A traditional filling requires a needle to numb the area, a 30-60 min dental visit, $300 or more later, and a filling that could cause sensitivity in some people.

A silver diamine fluoride drop (cavity killing liquid) requires NO NEEDLE, one second of application of the drop to the cavity, and done!  The cost of this could be anywhere from $35-$75 depending on the size of the cavity.  So as always, the earlier you can see your dental hygienist the better.  

Imagine with me for a second if your child has a cavity, OH NO!  You're probably worried about them freaking out at the dentist, having a bad experience, and what child wants a needle?  NONE.  Heck, adults don't want needles either.  This cavity killing liquid is fast, cheaper and kills the cavity. 

Two year old Johnny will have no problem when I apply a little drop to their tooth (I usually tell them "I'm making your tooth shinier with this drop!") vs giving them a needle and then taking out the huge drill to cut into their tooth.

For those who want the scientific mechanism of action - "Upon application to the decayed surface, a layer of silver protein conjugate and silver minerals forms, increasing resistance to acid dissolution and enzymatic digestion. Hydroxyapatite and fluorapatite form. The treated lesion increases in mineral density and hardness. The silver acts as an antimicrobial, the fluoride acts to remineralize and the proteins that break down the dentin are inhibited. The ammonia acts as a stabilizer, keeping silver and fluoride ionic in solution. SDF will always discolor anything with exposed collagen, meaning it will stain decayed or demineralized sites and soft tissues, but not healthy tooth structure." resource Oral Science here.

Clinical Uses

  • Alternative to restorative treatment

  • Around margins of lesions to prevent secondary decay

  • Avoid general anesthesia or oral sedation

  • Behavioral or medical management

  • Carious lesions that cannot be treated in 1 visit

  • Difficult access to dental care

  • Difficult to treat dental carious lesions

  • High risk caries

  • Liner


WHO DOESN'T NEED A DRILL OR NEEDLE FOR THEIR CAVITY?

This works on primary or permanent teeth!  PERFECT for children who may have a little cavity or adults who wants to avoid a dental visit.

HOW TO FIND IT

This amazing magical cavity killing liquid has been FDA approved since 2016 but not all dental offices carry it.  I feel the reason for this is because dentists are so used to the 'drill and fill' technique that it can be hard to change their ways.  Or, it also does require follow up.  I re-apply silver diamine fluoride on my patients every 6 months to make sure that cavity stays arrested.  It takes 1 second so why not?  

I use silver diamine fluoride on my own teeth!  When I had a little cavity (yes dental hygienists can get cavities too :) I applied the liquid drop and now about two years later, my so called 'cavity' isn't a cavity anymore. It was caught in the earlier stages so the liquid was able to reverse it entirely.  I avoided a needle and a filling!  YAY to that!  I swear by a fluoride mouthwash and toothpaste as well though, so I did a bit of both.

QUESTIONS?

Any questions?  Feel free to comment below or email me.  If you are inclined to watch a video on the topic - I explain this magical liquid and how I use it in my mobile dental hygiene practice on my YouTube channel below.