In oral and maxillofacial surgery, navigation technology is applied with particular success in arthroscopy of the temporomandibular joint, in the surgical treatment of posttraumatic deformities of the zygomatic bone, in orthognathic surgery, and for distractions, osteotomies, tumor surgery, punctures, biopsies, and removal of foreign bodies.

The use of laser beams for caries removal allows the preservation of the natural shape of decayed cavities without the need for preventive extension of prepared cavities.

With nanodentistry, it is possible to maintain comprehensive oral health care by involving the use of nanomaterials, biotechnology, and ultimately dental nanorobotics. Nanorobots induce oral analgesia, desensitize teeth, manipulate the tissue to realign and straighten an irregular set of teeth, and improve the durability of teeth. They can also be used for preventive, restorative, and curative procedures.

Strategies to engineer tissue can be categorized into 3 major classes: conductive, inductive, and cell transplantation approaches.

Several populations of cells with stem cell properties have been isolated from different parts of the tooth. These populations include cells from the pulp of both exfoliated (children’s) and adult teeth, from the periodontal ligament that links the tooth root with the bone, from the tips of developing roots, and from the tissue (dental follicle) that surrounds the unerupted tooth.