This Research Topic is Volume II of a series. The previous volume, which has attracted over 59,000 views can be found here:
Advanced Materials for the Restoration and Reconstruction of Dental Functions.
On a daily basis, various dental diseases, such as periodontal infection, endodontic diseases, malocclusion, dentition and tooth defects, maxillofacial trauma, and oral squamous cell carcinoma, have caused severe sufferings to patients. To solve these problems, many effective treatments, such as periodontal scaling, root canal therapy, orthodontic treatment, and tooth implantation, have been used in the clinic. During most of these treatments, it must be noted that dental materials have played a critical role in realizing the restoration or reconstruction of dental functions.
The development of dental materials has brought about many new choices for clinicians to treat various oral diseases and orthopedic aesthetics, and has thus greatly improved the oral health of human beings. Up until now, different types of materials, including metal materials, inorganic materials, and polymers, have been widely used for filling materials, adhesives, cements, orthodontic appliances and retainers, dental restoration, removable dentures, dental implants, fracture fixation, guided tissue and bone regeneration, photodynamic therapy, bone graft substitutes for repair of defects after tumor removal by operation. In order to fulfill clinical requirements, materials with unique properties, such as antibacterial or adhesive, bioactivity, and osteoinductivity, are well investigated. Furthermore, some smart materials, which can be used for antibacterial therapy and controlled drug delivery, are also useful to treat oral and dental diseases. Besides, with the development of tissue engineering technology, bio-compatible scaffolds have gained more attention in dental hard tissue engineering fields.
In this Research Topic, the state-of-art progress and comments on various advanced materials used in the dental clinic will be introduced. The recent exciting research of materials used in dental disease treatments and dental regeneration would be covered. The articles in this Research Topic are intended to provide an overview of the latest and most exciting advances in the preparation, characterizations, and applications of various emerging advanced dental materials, which may help readers to understand the basics and latest developments of dental materials. We believe that this collection will gain the attention of a broad range of researchers in the fields of material science, chemistry, biotechnology, and dental clinicians. This Research Topic will provide a platform for improving oral health and dental aesthetics.
Original Research articles, Reviews, and Mini-Reviews on, but not limited to, the following topics can be included:
1. Smart materials, including antibacterial materials and drug delivery carriers, in oral medicine
2. Adhesives and filling materials in dental treatment
3. Materials used for orthodontics
4. Materials used for dental restoration
5. Materials used for dental implants
6. Materials used for guided bone regeneration and dental tissue engineering
7. Materials used for oral cancer therapy
Dr. Chen holds several patents regarding mesenchymal stem cell use and treatment. All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic subject.
