Prevention of decalcification in orthodontic patients by daily self-treatment with 0.4% SnF2 gel.

A total of 78 orthodontic patients participated in a study of the degree of decalcification inhibition induced by daily treatment with 0.4% SnF2 gel. Control patients (n = 39) were managed exactly as were the test patients (n = 39) except that the latter were instructed to brush at bedtime each day with the gel. In the nongel users, 24 (64.1%) developed decalcification after 18-24 months banding; the comparable figure in the SnF2 gel users was 10 patients (25.6%). This was the overall reduction for all patients who were instructed to use the gel daily; irregular users received very little protective benefit while daily users of the gel typically had no decalcification at all.