No-Drill decay treatment put to the test in seniors
NCT ID NCT07213661
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study follows 480 older adults (average age 74) from low-income housing to see which treatment better stops tooth decay over 3 to 6 years. One group gets a simple painted-on silver solution (SDF) twice a year; the other gets a standard filling plus fluoride varnish. Researchers will check how many cavities stop growing, new decay, tooth loss, pain, and quality of life.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- silver diamine fluoride (SDF) and atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) with glass ionomer cement plus fluoride varnish
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that a simple, non-drilling treatment (SDF) works as well as or better than standard fillings for stopping tooth decay in older adults, potentially simplifying care.
- What could go wrong
- This is a long-term follow-up of an earlier study, not a new treatment. Results may show no clear advantage for either approach, and individual responses vary. The study is observational in design, so it cannot prove cause and effect.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Case Western Reserve University
RECRUITINGCleveland, Ohio, 44106, United States
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