Materials informatics for developing new restorative dental materials: A narrative review

Materials informatics involves the application of computational methodologies to process and interpret scientific and engineering data concerning materials. Although this concept has been well established in the fields of biology, drug discovery, and classic materials research, its application in the field of dental materials is still in its infancy. This narrative review comprehensively summarizes the advantages, limitations, and future perspectives of materials informatics from 2003 to 2022 for exploring the optimum compositions in developing new materials using artificial intelligence. The findings indicate that materials informatics, which is a recognized and established concept in the materials science field, will accelerate the process of restorative materials development and contribute to produce new insights into dental materials research.