Nanotechnology in Dentistry: Drug Delivery Systems for the Control of Biofilm-Dependent Oral Diseases

Abstract

Dental disorders, such as caries, periodontal and endodontic diseases are major public health issues worldwide. In common, they are biofilm-dependent oral diseases, and the specific conditions of oral cavity may develop infectious foci that could affect other physiological systems. Efforts have been made to develop new treatment routes for the treatment of oral diseases, and therefore, for the prevention of some systemic illnesses. New drugs and materials have been challenged to prevent and treat these conditions, especially by means of bacteria elimination. "Recent progresses in understanding the etiology, epidemiology and microbiology of the microbial flora in those circumstances have given insight and motivated the innovation on new therapeutic approaches for the management of the oral diseases progression". Some of the greatest advances in the medical field have been based in nanosized systems, ranging from the drug release with designed nanoparticles to tissue scaffolds based on nanotechnology. These systems offer new possibilities for specific and efficient therapies, been assayed successfully in preventive/curative therapies to the oral cavity, opening new challenges and opportunities to overcome common diseases based on bacterial biofilm development. The aim of this review is to summarize the recent nanotechnological developments in the drug delivery field related to the prevention and treatment of the major biofilm-dependent oral diseases and to identify those systems, which may have higher potential for clinical use.

Functionalized nanoparticles containing MKP‐1 agonists reduce periodontal bone loss

“…28 Nanomedicine in dentistry has used many materials (e.g., polymeric, ceramic and metallic, lipids, liposomes, dendrimers, and hybrid systems with coatings) to deliver numerous therapeutics, including those used locally into the periodontal sulcus. [29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38] Our innovative approach uses an encapsulation strategy to package ARN into a nanoparticle (NP) drug delivery system. NPs used in this system selectively target phagocytic cells 39 and thus will have a better potential to reduce cytokine inflammation in the periodontal tissues.…”

Peptide-modified nanoparticles inhibit formation of <em>Porphyromonas gingivalis</em> biofilms with <em>Streptococcus gordonii</em>

“…14,15 As delivery vehicles, polymer NPs are attractive options for the delivery of drugs, proteins, or genetic agents that target cells. 16 Their small size enables more effective barrier penetration and drug accumulation at target sites.…”

Antimicrobial effect of anacardic acid–loaded zein nanoparticles loaded on Streptococcus mutans biofilms

“…The most common anticaries agents (liquids and varnishes) are well accepted by patients, although their retention on the dental surface is poor, leading to limited efficacy [28]. As such, nanometric materials such as nanoparticles with different compositions have been increasingly studied for use as carriers, improving not only their mechanical properties but also modified to achieve the desired size, morphology, and applicability [29,30]. Nanoparticles from corn protein zein are biodegradable and have a relatively low cost [31].…”