Bioactive nanomaterials are increasingly being applied in oral health research. Specifically, they have shown great potential for periodontal tissue regeneration and have substantially improved oral health in translational and clinical applications. However, their limitations and side effects still need to be explored and elucidated. This article aims to review the recent advancements in nanomaterials applied for periodontal tissue regeneration and to discuss future research directions in this field, especially focusing on research using nanomaterials to improve oral health. The biomimetic and physiochemical properties of nanomaterials such as metals and polymer composites are described in detail, including their effects on the regeneration of alveolar bone, periodontal ligament, cementum and gingiva. Finally, the biomedical safety issues of their application as regenerative materials are updated, with a discussion about their complications and future perspectives. Although the applications of bioactive nanomaterials in the oral cavity are still at an initial stage, and pose numerous challenges, recent research suggests that they are a promising alternative in periodontal tissue regeneration.

This study used a novel 3D analysis to longitudinally evaluate orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) and bone morphometry. Twelve-week-old male Wistar rats were subjected to OTM by applying a constant orthodontic force (OF) of 25cN between one of the upper first molars and a mini-screw. In vivo micro-CTs were taken before and after 10, 17, 24 and 31 days of force application, and superimposed by a novel and rigid voxel-based registration method. Then the tooth and alveolar bone segment at different time points became comparable in the same coordinate system, which facilitated the analysis of their dynamic changes in 3D. By comparison between time points and between OF and no OF sides, this study showed that the OTM rate was not constant through time, but conformed to a ‘V’ shape changing pattern. Besides, OF induced displacement of both loaded and unloaded teeth, and the latter mirrored the former in a delayed manner. In addition, bone morphometric changes synchronized with OTM rate changes, implying that a higher OTM rate was concomitant with more alveolar bone loss. The pressure and tension areas might not be in two opposite sides, but actually adjacent and connected. These findings might provide instructive evidence for both clinical, translational and basic research in orthodontics.