01 September 2026

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FIRST IMPRESSIONS | Riva Star Aqua | SDI North America

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George Freedman gives readers a brief summary of products that have re­cent­ly been in­troduced to den­tistry, based on his clinical experience.

In First Im­press­ions, Dr. George Freedman gives readers a brief summary of products that have re­cent­ly been in­troduced to den­tistry, based on his clinical experience.

The common issues associated with the use of Riva Star SDF desensitizing agent (SDI North America) are soft tissue irritation (due to its 20% ammonia component), staining of decayed and demineralized tooth tissue, and patient taste perception. SDI has recently introduced Riva Star Aqua, the next generation silver diamine fluoride (SDF) has for dentinal desensitization.

SDF has an established clinical history spanning over 5 decades, demonstrating efficacy in the management of dentin hypersensitivity. Riva Star Aqua (AgF) is a patented, water-based silver fluoride formulation that functions as a potent desensitizing agent and exhibits antimicrobial activity with the ability to disrupt and eliminate biofilm. It is a noninvasive 2-step system designed to alleviate dentin hypersensitivity with minimal application volume. The formulation comprises an aqueous silver fluoride solution that is free from an ammonia base, enhancing patient comfort while maintaining predictable therapeutic efficacy.

Riva Star Aqua demonstrates clinical equivalence to traditional 38% SDF formulations, providing effective caries management and dentin desensitization. Its mechanism involves silver fluoride and potassium iodide, which occlude dentinal tubules through formation of a low-solubility precipitate, enabling immediate sensitivity relief with effects reported to last up to 2 years. The inclusion of potassium iodide also reduces treatment-associated staining. Additionally, the formulation exhibits significant biofilm inhibition against cariogenic bacteria. As an ammonia-free, water-based system, it reduces soft tissue irritation, and improves patient comfort. For more information, visit sdi.com.au .

Source: http://sdi.com.au