Family Friendly & Specialty Dentists in London, UK
Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is a liquid painted onto an early cavity to stop it growing. It needs no drilling and no injection, which makes it useful for young or anxious children.
The liquid is applied directly to the decayed area. A single visit is often enough to stabilise the tooth, with the area checked at later reviews.
Our dentists provide this treatment at our Primrose Hill practice.
Seeing a dark spot on your child's tooth is worrying. Left alone, decay can reach the nerve and cause an infection. We use dental x-rays where needed to see how deep it goes, then choose the least invasive option that will work. SDF is one of the tools within our paediatric dentistry in London for exactly this situation.
Not every cavity needs a filling straight away, and not every child can sit through one. Our dentists assess the tooth and your child before recommending SDF, a filling, or monitoring, and give you an itemised plan before any work begins.
We can coordinate SDF with other children's care such as dental hygiene for children and teens or tongue and lip tie treatment at our Primrose Hill practice.
Leave your number and we will call you back. Nothing is booked until you say so.
Finding a cavity in a child's tooth often brings guilt for parents; it is common, and we focus on the solution. SDF suits children who struggle with long appointments or the noise of a drill, children with high anxiety, and those too young for a conventional filling. It can also hold a tooth until a child is ready for more involved work, or bridge to space maintainers if a baby tooth is lost early. For protecting enamel that has not yet decayed, we provide fluoride treatments. A consultation confirms whether your child is suitable.
We examine the teeth to decide whether SDF is the right choice, assess how deep the decay is, and explain the expected timeline. We also check whether fissure sealants would protect other vulnerable teeth.
We dry the tooth and paint the liquid onto the decayed area. It takes a few minutes, with no drill and no needle. If we notice alignment issues along the way, we can discuss early orthodontic treatment separately.
The liquid hardens the decayed tooth structure. One thing to know in advance: the treated area turns dark. That is how SDF works, not a sign of a problem.
The decay is halted, but the dark staining is permanent on that spot. Some children find the taste or smell odd, but the procedure is not painful. The goal is to keep the tooth without drilling.
We check the treated tooth at regular reviews. If the decay starts to progress again, we discuss other restorative options at that point.
Our clinical team at Primrose Hill provides preventive and restorative care for children, including children's dental exams and cleanings, dental hygiene for children and teens, and fluoride treatments.
Where a tooth needs a conventional repair, we use tooth-coloured composite resin or conservative dental bonding. We also offer nutrition advice for families, since diet drives most childhood decay.
We give honest options in a calm, unhurried way, and the same approach applies to how we handle children's dental trauma and early decay.
In the right amount, yes. SDF uses fluoride together with silver to stop early decay without drilling.
Varnish protects healthy enamel. SDF is applied to a cavity that has already formed, to stop it growing, which may avoid the need for children's fillings.
Applied by our dentists to the right teeth, it is a well-established way to arrest decay. The main drawback is the dark stain, which is why we assess suitability first.
The silver kills the bacteria in the cavity and the fluoride remineralises the tooth, forming a hard layer that stops the cavity deepening.
Our dentists assess each child to decide whether SDF is the right choice. You can read what happens at your child's dental consultation and how to book to get a clear plan.
Request a consultation or call us on 020 7589 7792.
If SDF is not the right fit, or once the decay is stable, our other children's care in Primrose Hill includes dental hygiene for children and teens and fluoride treatments.
After the assessment you receive a written plan and an itemised quote for your child's care, which is yours to keep. Arrange your assessment with the clinical team.
020 7589 7792
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111 Regent's Park Road, Primrose Hill, London NW1 8UR
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