Polymer Innovations for Dental Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Summary:

Polymeric materials are at the heart of many contemporary dental technologies, and continuing advances in polymer chemistry, biomaterials engineering, nanotechnology, and digital manufacturing are opening new possibilities across the dental sciences. From next-generation restorative materials and minimally invasive resin infiltration to clear aligners, 3D-printed pediatric appliances, and regenerative scaffolds, polymers are increasingly being designed to provide specific combinations of mechanical performance, biological compatibility, processability, durability, and clinical functionality. At the same time, important challenges remain regarding polymerization shrinkage and stress, degradation, wear, residual monomers, biological interactions, long-term stability, and environmental sustainability, creating substantial opportunities for innovative research.

Aim and Scope

This Special Issue aims to bring together emerging research on the design, development, characterization, manufacturing, biological evaluation, and clinical translation of innovative polymers for dental applications. We welcome the contribution of original research articles, reviews, communications, and interdisciplinary contributions addressing both established and emerging polymer technologies in dentistry.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Novel resin composites and alternatives to conventional dimethacrylate-based monomer systems;
• Low-shrinkage, low-stress, bioactive, antibacterial, and biomimetic polymers;
• Resin infiltration materials for initial/non-cavitated carious lesions and white spot lesions;
• Polymeric materials for clear aligners, retainers, and orthodontic appliances;
• 3D-printed polymeric materials and digitally fabricated space maintainers in pediatric dentistry;
• Polymer-based materials for endodontics, periodontics, implantology, and prosthodontics;
• Polymeric scaffolds for dental and craniofacial tissue engineering and regenerative dentistry;
• Bioactive, smart, stimuli-responsive, and injectable polymers for tissue regeneration;
• Polymer–nanomaterial systems and advanced dental nanocomposites;
• Additive manufacturing, 3D printing, CAD/CAM, and advanced polymer-processing technologies;
• Polymeric materials and manufacturing technologies for toothbrushes and oral-care devices, including innovative bristles, elastomeric components, antimicrobial polymers, and sustainable or biodegradable materials;
• Polymerization kinetics, conversion, degradation, aging, wear, and fatigue;
• Surface modification, functionalization, and polymer–tissue interactions;
• Biocompatibility, cytotoxicity, bioactivity, and long-term clinical performance;
• Sustainable, recyclable, biodegradable, and next-generation dental polymers.

We particularly encourage interdisciplinary contributions connecting polymer science, dental materials, digital dentistry, pediatric and orthodontic applications, and tissue engineering, with the goal of accelerating the development of safer, smarter, and clinically meaningful polymer-based technologies for dentistry.

Prof. Dr. Moataz Elgezawi
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers 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 2700 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.