Smart Dental Materials Intelligently Responding to Oral pH to Combat Caries: A Literature Review

Smart dental materials are designed to intelligently respond to physiological changes and local environmental stimuli to protect the teeth and promote oral health. Dental plaque, or biofilms, can substantially reduce the local pH, causing demineralization that can then progress to tooth caries. Progress has been made recently in developing smart dental materials that possess antibacterial and remineralizing capabilities in response to local oral pH in order to suppress caries, promote mineralization, and protect tooth structures. This article reviews cutting-edge research on smart dental materials, their novel microstructural and chemical designs, physical and biological properties, antibiofilm and remineralizing capabilities, and mechanisms of being smart to respond to pH. In addition, this article discusses exciting and new developments, methods to further improve the smart materials, and potential clinical applications.

Automated summary

Smart dental materials are designed to respond intelligently to physiological changes and local environmental stimuli, protecting teeth and promoting oral health. Recent progress has been made in developing materials that possess antibacterial and remineralizing capabilities in response to oral pH, suppressing caries and promoting mineralization. This article reviews cutting-edge research on smart dental materials, discussing their microstructural and chemical designs, physical and biological properties, antibiofilm and remineralizing capabilities, and mechanisms of pH response, as well as exciting new developments and potential clinical applications.