Fullerenes in dentistry: A review on unlocking their therapeutic potential in oral medicine

Abstract

Fullerenes are a family of carbon allotropes that have demonstrated great potential in oral medicine. They have a distinct cage-like structure and take the shape of hollow spheres, ellipsoids, or tubes with special structural and physicochemical features. When fullerenes are spherical, they are known as buckyballs, and when they are cylindrical, they are known as carbon nanotubes or buckytubes. Due of their flexible construction, they can be used in a variety of settings, including medication delivery, gene therapy, diagnostics, and oral illness treatment. Fullerenes have the ability to conjugate or encapsulate medicinal substances, allowing for the regulated and targeted administration of drugs to tissues afflicted by diseases including mouth cancer and periodontal disease. When treating infections and long-term inflammatory disorders in the oral cavity, their capacity to improve drug stability and bioavailability is very advantageous. Functionalized fullerenes improve biosensing platforms and imaging methods in diagnostics, facilitating the early detection of illnesses and oral malignancies. There are still obstacles to overcome in order to maximize their biocompatibility, toxicity profiles, and delivery methods for clinical application, despite their enormous potential. This review aims in revolutionizing the detection and treatment of numerous oral disorders, and ongoing research endeavours to fully investigate the therapeutic potential of fullerenes in oral healthcare.