Treatment of Initial Caries Lesions on Proximal Surfaces of Primary and Permanent Posterior Teeth

The sample will be comprised of 141 patients between 3 to 10 year-old and 504 proximal surfaces of 12-to-17-year-old adolescents, who present at least one proximal surface with initial caries lesion. Patients will be randomly allocated to treatments, according to the technique to be employed: (I) resin infiltration (II) 30% diamine silver fluoride, (III) just daily flossing by the patient. All subjects will receive placebo treatments performed in other groups. The teeth will be evaluated by clinical and radiographic exams at baseline and after 1, 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. In 1, 3 and 18 months will just be evaluated aspects related to the biofilm.

• Resin Infiltration (Procedure), also known as Icon: After cleaning the proximal surface with caries lesion, it will be performed the local infiltration anesthesia and adaptation of the rubber dam. The adjacent tooth will be protected by plastic or metal strip. Hydrochloric acid 15% will be applied on the lesion, which will be washed and dried. The surface should be dried by applying 95% ethanol and air-way syringe. The resin infiltration (Icon, DMG) will be applied on the lesion. The resin will be polymerized and applied again and polymerized.
• 30% Silver Diammine Fluoride (Procedure), also known as Cariestop: It will be cleaned like group I. Soft tissues will be protected with petroleum jelly. The 30% silver diamine fluoride (Cariestop, Biodinamica) will be applied with a disposable microbrush for 3m. Then the surface will be washed for 30s.
• Dental Flossing (Procedure), also known as Oral hygiene: In this group, the patient will perform only mechanical removal of biofilm to floss daily.
• Resin Infiltration Placebo (Procedure), also known as Icon Placebo: In this group, the patient will be held only inserting the rubber dam and applied sterile water as a substitute for acid, ethanol and resin infiltration.
• 30% Silver Diammine Fluoride Placebo (Procedure), also known as Cariestop Placebo: Soft tissues will be protected with petroleum jelly. The patient will receive sterile water application with a disposable microbrush for 3m. Then the surface will be washed for 30s.

Primary outcomes

• progression of initial lesion caries [12 and 24 months]

Secondary outcomes

• approximal plaque reduction [1, 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months]

Sex: All, ages: 3 Years to 17 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

* Primary teeth: distal surface of the first molar, mesial surface of the second molar and distal surface of the second molar (when the first permanent molar is present) with initial caries lesion (ICDAS 1, 2 or 3).
* Permanent teeth: distal surface of the first premolar, mesial surface of the second premolar, distal surface of the second premolar, mesial surface of the first molar, distal surface of the first molar and mesial surface of the second molar with initial caries lesion (ICDAS 1, 2 or 3).

Exclusion Criteria:

* Mesial surface of the first primary molar/premolar by the smaller contact with the distal surface of the canines. It will be also excluded the surfaces that show proximal restorations, sealants, cavities, defects, as well as intact teeth.

• Braga MM, Mendes FM, De Benedetto MS, Imparato JC. Effect of silver diammine fluoride on incipient caries lesions in erupting permanent first molars: a pilot study. J Dent Child (Chic). 2009a;76(1):28-33. Braga MM, Morais CC, Nakama RC, Leamari VM, Siqueira WL, Mendes FM. In vitro performance of methods of approximal caries detection in primary molars. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2009b;108(4):e35-41. Cagetti MG, Campus G, Sale S, Cocco F, Strohmenger L, Lingström P. Association between interdental plaque acidogenicity and caries risk at surface level: a cross sectional study in primary dentition. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2011;21(2):119-25. Ekstrand KR, Bakhshandeh A, Martignon S. Treatment of proximal superficial caries lesions on primary molar teeth with resin infiltration and fluoride varnish versus fluoride varnish only: efficacy after 1 year. Caries Res. 2010;44(1):41-6.
• Results publication: Mattos-Silveira J, Floriano I, Ferreira FR, Vigano ME, Frizzo MA, Reyes A, Novaes TF, Moriyama CM, Raggio DP, Imparato JC, Mendes FM, Braga MM. New proposal of silver diamine fluoride use in arresting approximal caries: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2014 Nov 19;15:448. doi: 10.1186/1745-6215-15-448. PMID 25409545

• Mariana M Braga, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Sao Paulo