Publication:

Nanotechnology in dentistry: mechanisms, clinical applications and translational status

Nanomaterials in dentistry comprise a diverse group of material platforms rather than a single therapeutic category. This structured narrative review examined the principal nanomaterial classes used in dentistry, including calcium phosphate and nano-hydroxyapatite systems, bioactive glass and ion-releasing nanoparticles, metallic nanoparticles, metal-oxide nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles and nanogels, carbon-based nanomaterials, and hybrid multifunctional systems. A literature search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, and evidence was analyzed comparatively according to material class, mechanism of action, dental indications, and current evidence maturity across preventive-pediatric, prosthodontic, orthodontic, endodontic, periodontal, and implant-related applications. Overall, the findings suggest that nanomaterials used in dentistry do not represent a single level of clinical maturity. Mineral-based systems, particularly calcium phosphate and nano-hydroxyapatite, show the strongest clinically anchored evidence, especially for caries prevention in selected settings and dentin hypersensitivity relief, whereas evidence for white spot lesion improvement remains less robust and often short-term. By contrast, many antimicrobial, multifunctional, and implant-related nanomaterials remain supported mainly by laboratory or early translational data, with performance that is highly dependent on formulation, durability, and the balance between function and material stability. Future progress will depend on comparative studies that assess performance, durability, and long-term patient-relevant outcomes.