Comparative Evaluation of the Shear Bond Strength of Glass Ionomer Cement to Two Commercially Available Silver Diamine Fluoride Solutions in Primary Molars: An In Vitro Study

IntroductIonDental caries is the most common chronic disease affecting children, particularly those aged 2-5 years, posing significant public health challenges worldwide.Early childhood caries can lead to pain, infections, tooth loss, and negatively impact nutrition, growth, and quality of life. 1 Conventional treatments involving decayed tissue removal and restorative materials are often impractical for young or uncooperative children due to behavioral and accessrelated barriers.This has driven the adoption of minimally invasive dentistry, which emphasizes preserving healthy tooth structure, reducing discomfort, and offering cost-effective care. 2 Minimally invasive techniques such as atraumatic restorative treatment and the use of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) have proven effective in managing caries while preserving natural tooth structure.Atraumatic restorative treatment uses hand instruments to remove infected tissue, followed by biocompatible restorations, and is particularly valuable in low-resource settings.3 SDF, a noninvasive caries-arresting agent, is ideal for pre-cooperative children, those with special needs, or as an interim measure before comprehensive treatment.Combining caries-arresting agents with minimally invasive restorative techniques offers a practical solution for addressing pediatric oral health challenges.4,5 Silver diamine fluoride is a topical agent widely used in pediatric dentistry for arresting dental caries.First introduced in 1969 and approved by the US FDA in 2014 for dentinal hypersensitivity, 38% SDF has become a cornerstone of minimally invasive dentistry, 1-