Use of nanoparticles in pediatric dentistry: A narrative review

Aims: Nanoparticles are being used a lot in dentistry, and the use of nanoparticles can bring about a change in almost all aspects of pediatric dentistry, from diagnosis to treatment. The aim here was to search scientific databases for the utilization of nanoparticles in pediatric dentistry. Nanotechnology is the science of material world in the scale of less than 100 nm. This has made a revolution in the field of medical and dental sciences by improvement in mechanical and physical traits of substances, helping to reinstate new investigative possibilities and microdelivery options. Materials and Methods: The literature search was done through various databases such as PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science using MeSh and free terms to collect data on "nanoparticles in pediatric dentistry. " Those articles that are written in English and those that had full text available were considered since its use in dentistry, whereas unpublished data and literature written in other languages and articles with only abstracts were excluded. Following the search results obtained, 31 articles were relevant. The reference list of all the articles thus included was hand-searched; full text evaluation was done; and duplicates were removed. Results: The articles mentioning nanoparticles in pediatric dentistry were very few, so we included articles with some association with pediatric dentistry, and finally 21 articles met the criteria of search. Nanoparticles have tremendous potential for being used in pediatric dentistry, namely the prevention of dental caries, restorative materials, endodontics, and imaging. Although beneficial these materials have to be applied with caution as still no long-term studies are available. Conclusion: Nanotechnology has been exploited in dentistry mostly with beneficial results. Scientists are working very hard to incorporate nanoparticles into every aspect of dentistry, pediatric dentistry in particular. There is a dearth of studies, both in vivo and in vitro, on these materials, and more studies will substantiate the uses in pediatric dentistry. The present scientific review will help us in understanding nanomaterials and the advantages and demerits of nanotechnology by addressing its social and medical implications.