Nano Structured Materials in Dental Medicine—From Laboratory to Industry: New Opportunities, Challenges and Risks

Nano structured materials in dental medicine have emerged in an endless stream in recent years, providing unlimited prospects for the development of dental medicine. The research of nano structured materials has remarkably multidisciplinary, knowledge-intensive and technology-intensive characteristics. As a result, the transformation from laboratory to industry is extremely arduous, including challenges and risks as well as the new opportunities. How to learn from the commercialized nano structured materials and transform the novel dental nanomaterials with industrialization prospects successfully has become the top priority. In regard to the transformation of novel dental nanomaterials, this chapter began with the introduction of commercialized dental nanomaterials and dental nanomaterials with industrialization prospects from the following aspects: dental filling materials, implant and bone graft materials, artificial teeth, preventive materials and tooth whitening materials. As referred to the current commercialized nanomaterials, this chapter analyzed the challenges and risks in the industrialization process, including several elements, such as technology, introduction of capital, team building, marketing and so on. These elements are indispensable during the process of dental nanomaterials from research to product. The aim of this chapter is to provide inspiration and enlightenment to dental researchers and enterprises on the transformation of nano structured materials.