Effectiveness and Acceptability of SDF Compared to ART for the Management of Early Childhood Caries

A randomized clinical trial (RCT) with parallels groups will be conducted on children from chilean public kindergarten and schools from 2 years up to 4 years and 11 months. The aim of this clinical trial is to assess the acceptability and clinical effectiveness of Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) in comparison with Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) in Early Childhood Caries (ECC) management at the community level. As well, this clinical trial sought to compare the oral health quality of life related and to contrast possible adverse effects between both therapies. Participants will be screened and diagnosed by an experienced and calibrated dentist using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS), thereafter only children with decayed teeth (or tooth) will be treated. After the diagnostic participants eligibles will be randomly chosen by another operator to be treated with SDF or ART for all teeth who need treatment in the child: - Experimental: SDF application in decayed teeth and oral health education component. - Control: ART technique in decayed teeth and oral health education component. The oral health education component will be given to children, parents and educators. The eligible children parents will be asked to fulfill a children personal background survey (before treatment), the Early childhood oral health impact scale (ECOHIS) questionnaire (before and after treatment at follow-ups) and a oral health satisfaction survey (a week after treatment and at follow-ups). N° Participants (anticipated): 221 teeth with caries lesions per group, assuming an average of 3 teeth with caries lesions per child, it's expected to treat 148 children (from 2 years up to 4 years and 11 months), with 74 children per group.