Smart materials in dentistry

Change is inevitable. With the advent of time, several changes have occurred in the field of dentistry as well. The era of smart materials has changed the face of dentistry drastically. Smart materials are materials that have properties which may be altered in a controlled fashion by various stimuli. Several such materials are discussed in this paper. Understanding their use and application in specific situations seems to pose a challenge for many dentists. With further research and development, there still is scope to go one step further and develop a class of multi-functional materials which will possess the capability to select and execute specific functions intelligently in order to respond to changes in the local environment. The benefit for the patient and the quality of dental therapy will undergo a significant improvement if such materials are developed and introduced.