Bio-Futuristic Endodontics: Nanotechnology, Microrobotics, 3D Printing, AI, and Smart Biomaterials for Regenerative Care

Endodontics is undergoing a paradigm shift from conventional root canal therapy toward regenerative and technologically integrated solutions. Persistent biofilms, structural fragility, and loss of vitality after treatment remain major clinical challenges, driving the need for novel strategies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of transformative technologies that are redefining the field, including nanotechnology, microrobotics, 3D printing, artificial intelligence (AI), and environmentally stimuli-responsive biomaterials. Nanotechnology introduces nanoparticles and nanozymes with potent antimicrobial, remineralizing, and regenerative properties, while microrobotic systems offer unprecedented precision in intraradicular navigation, biofilm disruption, and targeted drug delivery. Three-dimensional (3D) printing enables the fabrication of patient-specific scaffolds, canal replicas for training and evaluation, and bioengineered pulp–dentin complexes. Stimuli-responsive hydrogels and smart biomaterials add another dimension by providing controlled, site-specific therapeutic release in response to pH, temperature, redox state, or enzymatic cues. Artificial intelligence further enhances diagnostic accuracy, imaging interpretation, treatment planning, and outcome prediction, and when combined with 3D models, enables the concept of digital twins for personalized endodontic care. Collectively, these advances are converging toward a vision of regenerative and precision endodontics that is minimally invasive, biologically integrative, and sustainable. By synthesizing current progress and future directions, this review outlines a translational roadmap that positions next-generation endodontics within the broader landscape of advanced healthcare materials at the interface of biology, engineering, and digital technology.