Silver and Fluoride Release from Silver Diammine Fluoride-Treated Caries Lesions.

The purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the release of silver and fluoride ions from caries lesions treated with silver diammine fluoride (SDF), with and without using a light-emitting diode (LED) curing light, the use of which increases silver penetration into the lesion. Eighteen extracted primary molars with natural caries lesions were divided into four groups: (1) one-minute SDF (n equals six); (2) 40-second SDF + 20-second LED (n equals six); (3) untreated control (n equals three); and (4) 20-second LED control (n equals three). Samples were immersed in artificial saliva for 0.5 hours, one hour, 24 hours, and one, two, and four weeks. Silver and fluoride concentra- tions were analyzed using si-ICP-MS and F-ISE, respectively. Statistical analyses were done using the Mann-Whitney U-test and Wilcoxon signed rank exact test. At 0.5 hours, mean and median concentrations of silver and fluoride in Group 1 were statistically higher than those in Group 2 (P=0.015 for silver and P=0.026 for fluoride), and significantly higher than the rest of the time points (P=0.03 for all comparisons). Groups 3 and 4 had no detectable amounts of silver or fluoride. Applying a light-emitting diode light after silver diammine fluoride appli- cation leads to a substantial reduction in the release of silver and fluoride into the surrounding medium compared to a one-minute SDF application after 0.5 hours. These in vitro findings, while statistically significant, indicate a trend that requires further investigation to assess clinical relevance.