Qualitative and Quantitative Effect of a Protective Chlorhexidine Varnish Layer Over Resin-infiltrated Proximal...

The purpose of this study was to assess the progression of noncavitated initial proximal carious lesions in primary teeth, infiltrated with low viscosity resins, both with and without an overlying layer of chlorhexidine varnish.

Forty-five children, with at least two white spot lesions on the proximal surfaces of primary molars, were assessed. The clinical procedure of resin infiltration (DMG, ICON) was similar in both groups. In the test group, after infiltration a double layer of chlorhexidine varnish (Cervitec Plus) was coated on the surface. Participants were recalled after nine months. Radiographic assessment was performed with GIMP software using representative histograms of the lesion. McNemar and chi-square tests were used to measure clinical and radiographic scores within and between groups. A two-sided (α equals two) P-value less than 0.05 (P≤0.05) was considered statistically significant.

The carious lesion with an International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) three score had a statistically significant shift of pixel count distribution to a higher grayscale range in the test compared to the control group.

The statistically significant positive histogram changes in the test group suggest benefits of an overlying chlorhexidine varnish layer on resin infiltration only when the carious surface had microcavitations.