Wafa Zehra Jamal
Community Health Solutions, Pakistan
Biography
Dr Wafa Zehra is a bachelor in dental surgery from Pakistan’s reputable university, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) - DIKIOHS. She is very ambitious and started her journey as a private dental practitioner soon after graduation in 2013. During her stay in Hong Kong she realized the need and importance of research after attending CME sessions from Hong Kong University. Currently she is part of a famous organization “Community Health Solutions” as a research associate to learn and contribute to the community at large. She is also a part time private dental practitioner.
Abstract
Early childhood caries is globally prevalent among children and remains a challenging issue worldwide. Generally, caries significantly affects the health and quality of life. Due to uncooperative behavior, traditional restorative treatment in children often requires advanced treatment modalities and sometimes costly hospitalization. Incorporating preventive strategies along with atraumatic restorative treatment(ART) approach can be useful not only for children but also elderly, special needs and phobic patients and specially in developing countries where skilled human and other resources are limited and conventional treatment is unaffordable.
The use of silver nitrate for management of dental caries dates back to early 1900s based on the infectious nature of dental caries and the disinfectant character of silver nitrate. Silver diamine fluoride(SDF) is formed when ammonia and fluoride is added to silver nitrate for stability and effectiveness as an antibacterial for application to carious lesions. FDA approved it as a desensitizing agent in 2014.
The disadvantage of aesthetic concern can be far out weighted by benefits such as ease of use, noninvasive and painless procedure and low cost.
Silver modified atraumatic restorative technique(SMART) is when SDF is first applied to prevent or arrest caries and GIC filling is then used in deep cavities. SMART restoration ensures that bacteria is killed and the cavity sealed, preserving tooth structure and pulp vitality. Application of SDF alone can be a preventive measure in susceptible patients. This can be used as first line medical defense against caries and implementing this strategy can benefit not only children but the society as a whole.