Table 3.
Data extracted from the included publications and key conclusions.
| Author/year | Sample type/substrate | Caries type/specimen dimensions | Sample size and grouping | Measured outcome and equipment used | Reported outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karnowakul et al. (2023)33 | Extracted human primary molars/dentine | Natural caries/1 × 1 × 0.9 cm (W × L × H) | Total: 40 1: SDF for 10 s (10) 2: SDF for 60 s (10) 3: SDF for 10 s + LC for 20 s (10) 4: SDF for 60 s + LC for 20 s (10) |
mMDD (digital subtraction radiographic analysis) Surface morphology and elemental profile (SEM and EDS) |
10 SDF + LC and 60 SDF + LC groups had considerably greater mMDD levels than the non-LC groups. The mMDD was much higher in the 60 SDF + LC group than the 10 SDF group, but was nearly equivalent between the 10 SDF + LC group and 60 SDF group. According to SEM, the mineral content layers in the 10 SDF + LC and 60 SDF + LC groups were denser than those in the 10 SDF and 60 SDF groups. Application time was shorter with LC-enhanced SDF remineralisation than the traditional approach. |
| Wilson et al. (2022)32 | HA discs/NA | No caries (zone of inhibition tests)/0.5 inch diameter | Total: 4 1: HA discs (2) 2: HA discs + LC for 20 s |
Antibacterial activity (Kirby–Bauer zone of inhibition) assessed with a scale and digitally captured with a Canon PowerShot camera | In both single and multiple microbial cultures, no appreciable differences were observed between experimental groups. Although SDF + LC might have particular characteristics, these characteristics are not associated with antibacterial activity. |
| Chanratchakool et al. (2022)29 | Extracted human primary molars/dentine | Natural caries/3 × 3 × 2 mm3 | Total: 20 1: DW (negative control) (5) 2: SDF for 10 s (5) 3: SDF for 10 s + LC for 20 s (5) 4: SDF for 1 min (5) |
Antibacterial activity (measured as CFU/mL; bacterial colonies counted) | No change was observed in the bacterial counts persisting on the samples after 1 min exposure to 10 SDF, 10 SDF + LC and SDF. All three groups had considerably lower bacterial counts than observed with DW treatment. Shortening the application time of SDF with or without LC did not result in different antibacterial effects from the standard 1min application. |
| Toopchi et al. (2021)30 | Extracted human primary maxillary incisors/dentine | Natural caries/whole teeth | Total: 16 1: SDF (8) 2: SDF + LC for 40 s (8) |
Penetration depth of SDF (stereomicroscopy) Dentine hardness (Vickers hardness test performed with a microhardness indenter machine) Silver and fluoride ion precipitation (SEM and EDS) |
SDF penetration into sound dentine and beyond cavities was evident in both groups. Without LC SDF, the penetration depth into sound dentine was 70 μm deeper. Silver precipitation in infected dentine was approximately 2.6 times greater with LC SDF than non-LC SDF. The hardness of diseased dentine increased by 26% with LC. LC SDF makes the infected dentine harder, because greater silver ion precipitation occurs in the infected dentine, and less SDF permeates healthy dentine. |
| Hassan et al. (2021)34 | Extracted human primary molars/dentine | Natural caries/whole teeth | Total: 30 1: SDF + laser for 10 s (10) 2: SDF + LC for 40 s (10) 3: SDF (10) |
Dentine hardness (Vickers hardness test performed with a microhardness indenter machine) | The surface hardness of sound dentine beneath the caries was noticeably higher in the laser + SDF group than the other two groups (LC + SDF and SDF only). In comparison to SDF alone, SDF + LC led to a substantial difference in measured microhardness. |
| Sayed et al. (2021)31 | Extracted human permanent teeth/dentine | Natural caries/NR | Total: 40 1: Control (10) 2: CC (10) 3: SDF (10) 4: SDF + LC for 10 s (10) |
Depth of discolouration (light microscopy observation) Dentine hardness (Vickers hardness test performed with a microhardness indenter machine) Surface morphology and elemental profile (SEM and EDS) |
In the SDF-treated group, black-stained regions extended down from the surface of the lesion. SDF + LC demonstrated a deep, black stain that was restricted to the dentine lesions' surface, was carious and showed no further penetration. Microhardness for different dentine depths showed that from depths of 200–1200, 1800 and 2000 μm, SDF with LC and SDF alone significantly differed. Microhardness for 1200, 1400 and 1600 μm dentine depth showed an insignificant difference between SDF + LC and SDF. On the surface, both SDF groups had many crystal forms with high silver peaks on the EDS, thus indicating the formation of silver compounds. |
DW, distilled water; EDS, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy; HA, hydroxyapatite; LC, light cured; mMDD, mean mineral density difference; NA, not available; NR, not reported; SDF, silver diamine fluoride; SEM, scanning electron microscopy.