Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER
20
Biomimetics Using
Nanotechnology/Nanoparticles
in Dental Tissue Regeneration
Shengbin Huang
a
,
b
, Tingting Wu
a
,
b
and Haiyang Yu
a
,
b
a
State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
b
West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
CHAPTER OUTLINE
20.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 411
20.2 Nanotechnology for craniofacial bone and cartilage tissue engineering ........................................ 412
20.3 Nanotechnology for periodontal regeneration............................................................................... 414
20.4 Nanotechnology for tooth regeneration ........................................................................................ 417
20.4.1 Nanomaterials in biomimetic enamel regeneration .................................................. 417
20.4.2 Nanomaterial in enamel and dentine remineralization.............................................. 419
20.4.3 Nanomaterial in dentin
pulp complex regeneration................................................. 421
20.5 Conclusions............................................................................................................................... 423
References ......................................................................................................................................... 423
20.1
Introduction
Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary field by nature bringing together biology, engineering, and
clinical sciences with the goal of generating new tissues and organs
[1]
. This field builds on the
interface between material science and biocompatibility, and integrates cells, natural or synthetic
scaffolds, and specific signals to create new tissues. Nowadays, regenerative dentistry is viewed
synonymous to tissue engineering in dentistry. Continuous research is going on in this field at both
preclinical and clinical levels; remarkable and promising results are also being obtained. However,
the high demand for esthetics of dental tissue structures and the complex atmosphere pose special
challenges in this area
[2]
. Nanotechnology is described as science and techniques which control
and manipulate matter at a nanometric level. It has progressed tremendously in the last few dec-
ades. Nanomaterials are materials with basic structural units, grains, particles, fibers or other con-
stituent components smaller than 100 nm in at least one dimension
[3]
and have great potential in
disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. To date, advances in this field have led to significant
