Purpose: To arrest dental caries in the dentin in a patient that had been refractory to other attempts at caries control.
Methods: Repeated applications of fluoride varnish (5%, Duraflor, Pharmascience Laboratories, Montreal) in the clinic every three months along with two daily two-minute rinses with sodium fluoride at home.
Results: Results over five years are presented. None of the lesions identified five years earlier had been restored. The teeth were monitored with frequent bitewing radiographs and clinical exams; the interproximal decay appears inactive clinically.
Conclusion: This present case report shows that fluoride varnish may be a good addition to preventive therapy for arresting caries in adult patients in general practice. Surgical intervention may be avoided in patients whose risk has shifted to a lower level.