Chapter 7 - Nanotechnology and oral health

Abstract

The manipulation of matter on an atomic, molecular and supramolecular scale is known as nanotechnology; simply, it is the direct manipulation of materials at the nanoscale. It incorporates particles with dimensions and tolerances of 1-100 nanometres (nm). While the concept of nanotechnology was first introduced by Richard Feynman in 1959, the term ‘nanotechnology’ was first floated by Norio Taniguchi in 1974. Since its introduction, nanotechnology has been playing a pivotal role in advancing almost all areas of science, particularly, in drug formulation and delivery. Nanoparticles, the fundamental component of nanotechnology, possess distinct physicochemical properties, e.g., colloidal properties, which are different from that of microparticles or coarse particles. The use of nanotechnology in medicine, particularly in solving issues like poor bioavailability, poor solubility, poor stability and high toxicity of various drugs, and assisting targeted delivery of drugs or active molecules only to the site of action, without affecting other organs and tissues, has increased significantly in recent years. Nanotechnology has also been applied successfully in dentistry, which includes dentition renaturalization, dentin hypersensitivity therapy, orthodontic realignment, covalently bonding diamondized enamel, enhancement of properties of root canal sealers and continuous oral health maintenance. In fact, the application of nanotechnology in dentistry has so much promises that it has recently created a new avenue in dentistry, called ‘nanodentistry’, which fundamentally allows treatment possibilities in restorative dentistry, orthodontics and periodontics. Nanodentistry has also been offering alternative and patient-friendly techniques to induce anesthesia and tissue-manipulation to manage complicated restorative and periodontal treatments. This chapter describes the applications of nanotechnology in oral health.