Aafreen M Maajida, Cholan Priyanka K, Ilango Paavai, Parthasarathy Harinath, Tadepalli Anupama, Ramachandran Lakshmi
Department of Periodontology and Oral Implantology, SRM Dental College and Hospitals, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Department of Periodontology and Oral Implantology, Priyadarshini Dental College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Front Dent Med. 2025 Apr 16;6:1558382. doi: 10.3389/fdmed.2025.1558382. eCollection 2025.
4D printing advances traditional 3D printing by incorporating the dimension of time, enabling stimuli-responsive shape or behavior changes. Bio-smart materials, crucial to this technology, enable programmable transformations with significant potential in biomechanics and dentistry. This review explores the use of smart materials and stimuli in 4D printing, emphasizing dental applications.A comprehensive search across EMBASE, Web of Science, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library and clinical trial registries identified 154 articles on 4D printing technologies, biomaterials, and stimuli relevant to dental applications. Of these, 84 were pertinent to the review's objective, with 25 specifically focused on 4D printing and various smart materials. The review highlights biomaterials engineered for programmable responses, such as shape memory polymers, shape memory elastomers, responsive inks, and hydrogels. These materials enable the creation of structures that can adapt, self-assemble, or respond to stimuli like temperature, moisture, or pH levels. In dentistry, these capabilities show potential for applications in orthodontics, implants, and tissue engineering.The integration of 4D printing and bio-smart materials has the potential to transform dentistry by creating adaptive, time-responsive structures. This technology enables personalized, precise, and minimally invasive treatments, addressing complex biomechanical challenges in dental care.
4D打印通过融入时间维度推进了传统的3D打印技术，能够实现对刺激做出响应的形状或行为变化。生物智能材料对这项技术至关重要，它能实现可编程的转变，在生物力学和牙科领域具有巨大潜力。这篇综述探讨了智能材料和刺激因素在4D打印中的应用，重点是牙科应用。通过对EMBASE、科学网、医学索引数据库、考克兰图书馆和临床试验注册库进行全面检索，确定了154篇关于4D打印技术、生物材料以及与牙科应用相关的刺激因素的文章。其中，84篇与综述目标相关，有25篇特别关注4D打印和各种智能材料。该综述重点介绍了为实现可编程响应而设计的生物材料，如形状记忆聚合物、形状记忆弹性体、响应性墨水和水凝胶。这些材料能够创建可以适应、自组装或对温度、湿度或pH值等刺激做出响应的结构。在牙科领域，这些特性在正畸、植入物和组织工程应用中显示出潜力。4D打印与生物智能材料的整合有可能通过创建适应性强、对时间有响应的结构来变革牙科。这项技术能够实现个性化、精确且微创的治疗，解决牙科护理中复杂的生物力学挑战。
