Nanotechnology in Dentistry

Dear Colleagues,

Nanotechnology plays a vital role in current oral health, care, treatment and diagnosis. It is well recognized that nanotechnology uses nanoscale particles and surface features to fabricate new materials and devices whose physicochemical properties, biological functions and antibacterial effects are remarkably different from those of microparticles of the same composition. In today's dental field, nanotechnology has been used to develop nanoparticle fillers to improve the esthetic, mechanical and biological properties of resin-based composites. Nanoparticles can also promote hard tissue remineralization and be used in the diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer. The development of nanoscale self-assembled and self-healing materials for the replacement or repair of oral tissues has been another focus. Similarly, nanostructured and functionalized materials can be designed for pulp regeneration, or as scaffolds or carriers for regenerative dentistry. On the other hand, the treatment of biofilm-dependent oral diseases, such as dental caries and endodontic and periodontal diseases, has been an urgent problem. An example of a promising strategy is the development of antimicrobial nanomaterials, such as antimicrobial peptides. Coating or modification of the dental implant surface can enhance osseointegration and improve antibacterial activity through bimolecule delivery. Treatment techniques such as antimicrobial photodynamic therapy also require molecule-level photosensitive agents to debride the biofilm in peri-implant diseases.

Emerging nanotechnologies for exploiting tooth repair, treatment, mineralization, regeneration and diagnosis are constantly being pursued. In this Special Issue, we cordially invite review articles and research papers to present the current state of the art in nanodentistry that can enhance clinical use and treatment. In particular, topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Nanofillers;
• Surface functionalization;
• Self-assembly and self-healing;
• Peptides;
• Bone implants;
• Regenerative dentistry;
• Diagnostic nanodentistry;
• Preventive nanodentistry;
• Restorative nanodentistry.

Prof. Dr. Shinn-Jyh Ding
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• coating
• surface modification
• peptide
• filler
• regenerative dentistry
• resin-based composite
• endodontics