Comparative study on the effect of Duraphat and Fluorniz fluoride varnishes on incipient carious lesions in enamel

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate in vivo and in vitro the effect of fluoride varnishes – Fluorniz (national) and Duraphat (imported), on incipient carious lesions in enamel. For the clinical stage, 32 children, aging from 2-8 years old, in the Center of Integral Attention to the Child (CAIC) Damásio Franca – João Pessoa – Paraíba – Brazil, were selected. The children were ran- domly divided into two groups of 16 patients each, being applied Duraphat in one group and Fluor- niz in the other. The in vitro stage consisted of macro and microscopic evaluation of 30 enamel sections of bovine teeth that were submit- ted to production of artificial ca- rious lesions. The enamel sections were randomly divided into three groups: one exposed to the action of Duraphat, other to Fluorniz and a control group. It was clinically observed that both varnishes were efficient in the treatment of the lesions, in relation to texture, bri- ghtness and dimension, there was no significant difference among them. However, Duraphat was more efficient than Fluorniz (p < 0,05) in its capacity in reducing the size of the lesions, after four weeks. The laboratorial evaluation did not show significant difference in remineralization between the products. It is concluded that the- re is no difference in the behavior of Duraphat and Fluorniz, in the treatment of the white spot lesions, both under the clinical point of view and in the laboratorial evaluation (macroscopic and in polarized light microscopy). This fact suggests that both varnishes were efficient for the treatment of these alterations in the enamel surface. Key words: dental enamel, den- tal caries, tooth remineralization, topic fluorides.