Microrobotics for Precision Biofilm Diagnostics and Treatment

Advances in small-scale robotics and nanotechnology are providing previously unimagined opportunities for new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches with high precision, control, and efficiency. We designed microrobots for tetherless biofilm treatment and retrieval using iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) with dual catalytic-magnetic functionality as building blocks. We show 2 distinct microrobotic platforms. The first system is formed from NPs that assemble into aggregated microswarms under magnetic fields that can be controlled to disrupt and retrieve biofilm samples for microbial analysis. The second platform is composed of 3-dimensional (3D) micromolded opacifier-infused soft helicoids with embedded catalytic-magnetic NPs that can be visualized via existing radiographic imaging techniques and controlled magnetically inside the root canal, uninterrupted by the soft and hard tissues surrounding the teeth in an ex vivo model. These microrobots placed inside the root canal can remove biofilms and be efficiently guided with microscale precision. The proof-of-concept paradigm described here can be adapted to target difficult-to-reach anatomical spaces in other natural and implanted surfaces in an automated and tether-free manner.

Automated summary

Advancements in small-scale robotics and nanotechnology have opened up new possibilities for precise, controllable, and efficient diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. This article describes the design and application of microrobots for biofilm treatment and retrieval, using iron oxide nanoparticles with dual catalytic-magnetic functionality. The microrobots can disrupt and retrieve biofilm samples under magnetic fields and can also be visualized and controlled inside the root canal using radiographic imaging techniques. This concept can be adapted for other hard-to-reach anatomical spaces in an automated and tether-free manner.