Cavity Stopping Treatments
Silver Diamine Fluoride - A gentle, drill-free way to stop early tooth decay.
Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) is a safe, non-invasive treatment that slows or stops cavities in their early stages - often without any drilling or discomfort. It’s especially helpful for young children or anxious patients.
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Serena Yu, Lead Paediatric Dentist at Starlight Dental. A.B. Brown University (USA), DMD Tufts University (USA), Paediatric Dentistry NYU Langone (USA)
Why It’s Important
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Stops Cavities Fast
Targets harmful bacteria and stops early decay before it spreads - all without drilling or invasive procedures.
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Gentle & Stress-Free
Applied with a small brush in just seconds - no drills, numbing, or discomfort, making treatment easy and calm.
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Ideal for Young Kids
Perfect for toddlers and young children who feel anxious.
How silver diamine fluoride (SDF) works
SDF is a liquid brushed directly onto a cavity. The silver kills the bacteria causing decay, while the fluoride hardens the remaining tooth structure, together they arrest the cavity so it stops growing, without a drill, needle, or numbing. The one trade-off: the treated spot turns black, since that's the decayed part reacting with the silver. The staining is permanent on that area of the tooth, but it doesn't spread, and on back teeth it's rarely visible.
Who SDF treatment is best for
SDF is especially useful for very young children who aren't ready to sit through a filling, kids with dental anxiety, and cavities that are hard to reach or treat conventionally. It's also used as a holding measure to stop a cavity worsening until a filling can be scheduled, a gentle way to buy time without doing nothing.
What happens after SDF treatment
SDF isn't always a permanent fix, some cavities need a follow-up filling once the tooth or the child is ready. We'll let you know at the visit whether SDF alone is enough or whether it's buying time before a filling. It can be used on front teeth too, but the staining is more visible there, so we'll talk through the appearance trade-offs with you first.
FAQs
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No, it’s simply brushed on, no anaesthetic needed.
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The silver reacts with the decayed part of the tooth. It doesn’t spread to healthy enamel.
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Yes, it’s a well-established, non-invasive option for young children.