Is SDF Being Abused?

Dr. David Bailey is a private practice pediatric dentist in Sheridan, Wyoming. He has been using SDF in his practice for years, and was an early advocate for using it as a caries-arresting medication. While still an important component of his practice, he has since limited SDF to specific patient situations.  Dr. Bailey and I have a discussion about the potential issues with widespread SDF use in our profession, in light of recent issues regarding non-coverage by insurance companies for restorations placed on teeth previously treated with SDF. We discuss the pros and cons of its use, along with how the esthetic drawbacks can be perceived by the public. We go over six different unique patient situations in which SDF may or may not be appropriate compared to more traditional means. This was a great exercise for identifying situations in which SDF would be the perfect first-line treatment option, while in others it may do more harm than good.