IISc Bengaluru Scientists Develop Nanobots That Kill Bacteria In Teeth, Helps Better Dental Treatment

In a new technological advancement, the scientists at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), located in Bengaluru, Karnataka, have developed tiny nanobots that can be injected into the teeth to kill bacteria and help kill bacteria with Root Canal Treatment (RCT).

According to the official release by the institute, the device can provide better dental treatment by killing germs deep inside dentinal tubules.

Nanobots

The researchers at IISc have detailed the creation of helical nanobots that are made of silicon oxide and coated with iron, which can be controlled using a device that induces a low-intensity magnetic field.

This new technique and study have been published in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials.

Shanmukh Srinivas, a Research Associate at the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), IISc said, "The dentinal tubules are very small, and bacteria reside deep in the tissue. Current techniques are not efficient enough to go all the way inside and kill the bacteria," quoted India Today.

Developed By IISc-Incubated Startup

The nanobots, developed at IISc-incubated startup Theranautilus, were injected into extracted tooth samples, followed by tracking their movement using a microscope.

The institute said that by tweaking the frequency of the magnetic fields, researchers were able to make the nanobots move and get them to penetrate deep inside the layers of the tubules. The manipulation of the magnetic field ensures the generation of the heat through the surface of the nanobots, which can kill the bacteria nearby.

The team of researchers has experimented the dental nanobots in mice models and found them safe and effective. They are also working on developing a unique type of medical device that can efficiently befit inside the mouth and let the dentist inject and manipulate the nanobots inside the teeth during RCT.

Previous Researches

In the past, various researchers have shown that such nanoparticles can trap and move objects utilising light, and swim through the blood and inside living cells which can also be used to stick firmly to cancer cells, thereby tracking them.

Ambarish Ghosh, Professor at the CeNSE, who also led the study, said, "These studies have shown that they are safe to use in biological tissues. We are very close to deploying this technology in a clinical setting, which was considered futuristic even three years ago," quoted NDTV.

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