Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials in Dentistry: Present and Future Perspectives in Clinical Applications

Nanotechnology has established its presence in virtually all domains of science and technology. Its applications in healthcare widely range from advanced diagnostics to biosensors and targeted drug delivery. This is because nanomaterials have unique size-dependent properties that significantly improve human life and health when exploited. Dentistry has been no exception and thus seen profound developments, especially in the last decade, with the involvement of such nanomaterials and technology. The number of dental nanomaterials available has risen with time and a wide range of them have been researched for commercial and clinical usage. For example, antimicrobial nanoparticles are being utilized in restorative composite material for the prevention of dental caries. Incorporating nanomaterials into preexisting dental substances has enhanced their biocompatibility. It is predicted that in the future, nanotechnology will also allow the repair and rebuilding of dental hard tissues. This review aims to introduce the concept and development of nanoscience, its involvement in medicine, and summarize the recent research in Nanodentistry. The bibliographic study demonstrates the novelties and applications of nanotechnology in orthodontics prosthodontics, preventive dentistry, restorative dentistry, and periodontics. Subsequently, the future of nanomaterials in oral health and the direction in which research should be focused is also discussed. Thus, the review presents a detailed analysis and a comprehensive study to describe the achievements of nanotechnology in dentistry, the current obstacles, and future predictions.