When it comes to offering patients the caries protection they deserve, DPS readers are loyal to Advantage Arrest, the first silver diamine fluoride available in the U.S.
Knowing whether to treat something or to watch it is a decision that every dentist grapples with at one time or another. But for Melissa Scaggs, DDS, MAGD, who is passionate about treating the growing geriatric population, the choice is a simple one.
When treating her "super seniors"—a cohort of mostly retired patients who she describes as living independently, but taking several medications and dealing with moderate medical and dexterity issues—Dr. Scaggs frequently turns to Advantage Arrest. A 38% silver diamine fluoride (SDF) available directly from Elevate Oral Care, it provides immediate relief from dentinal sensitivity, while hardening softened dentin and making it more resistant to acid and abrasion.
“Most of my ‘super seniors’ are considered high risk for caries because they have dry mouth from medications, and their dexterity to clean all areas is not quite as good as it used to be," noted Dr. Scaggs. "I find that if I’m regularly applying Advantage Arrest to these patients every 6 months, it works really well to arrest the decay, especially if it’s very early in the root decay process.”
Dr. Scaggs has been using Advantage Arrest since it first came to the U.S. market, viewing it as a paradigm shift in how dentists can treat their patients. “There comes a time when patients do not need to be having any more dental work done, and that's when you can use Advantage Arrest to really make their lives better,” she added.
Applied by her hygienists in just a few minutes, Advantage Arrest has evolved and improved over the years, now featuring unit-dose delivery, as well as a blue tint and gel formula that make it easy to visualize and apply. “I love the gel formulation," said Dr. Scaggs, "because it stays on the brush and you don’t have to worry about dripping."
SDF: Rated 'E' for Everyone
Dr. Scaggs' passion for treating geriatric patients began back in 2010 after taking over a well-established practice in Carrollton, TX. "I feel like I'm helping these patients keep their natural dentition for much longer, where they otherwise would have had a lot of decay underneath crowns and need for more treatment," she shared. "The more I use Advantage Arrest, the more passionate I am about getting it out to other general dentists."
Studies show that by 2030, 1 in 5 patients will be over the age of 65. “SDF isn’t just a product for everybody else—it’s a treatment you need to learn because we're all going to be caring for geriatric patients,” said Dr. Scaggs. “To me, this is a revolutionary product in dentistry. We've never had anything that could actually stop a cavity from getting bigger. This is a game changer for us as clinicians, and it's something that we all should know about.”
