Role of Nanocharacterization in Dentistry

Nanotechnology has rapidly expanded into all areas of science. Nanocharcterization techniques are being widely used to support research&development activities on dentistry. Nanocharacterization in dentistry would allow proper understanding of oral diseases and, its treatment, at molecular and cellular levels, which would eventually increase the success of prevention and treatment. Replacement of existing dentinal materials is one of the main challenges for centuries in terms of the selection of good prosthetic materials that can withstand the adverse conditions of the oral environment. The properties of a prosthetic material should be at par with the physical properties of a tooth. Various State-of-the-art equipments like Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Confocal Microscope, Stereo Microscope, Nanoindenter, Rheometer and Optical Profiler are being widely used as characterization tool in dental research.