If you experience intense tooth pain after taking a sip of cold water or eating a bite of ice cream, don’t worry—you’re not alone. Millions suffer from tooth sensitivity, and while commercially available desensitizing toothpastes can provide relief, the effects are often short-lived and superficial.
Scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore, India, in collaboration with the startup Theranautilus, have developed an innovative solution: tiny magnetically controlled robots called CalBots.
These robots are so tiny that thousands can fit within the width of a human hair. They can penetrate deep into the tooth and seal the tiny channels leading to the dental nerves, called dentinal tubules.
“We weren’t content with merely improving existing technology; we wanted to pioneer a completely new treatment approach,” said lead researcher Shanmukh Peddi.
Underneath the hard enamel lies the softer dentin, which is filled with tiny dentinal tubules, which provide direct access to nerve endings. When enamel wears down or gums recede, these tubules are exposed, triggering pain from hot or cold stimuli.
Traditional desensitizing treatments only work superficially and struggle to seal the tubules deeply, making the effects fade quickly. Controlled by an external magnetic field, CalBots can penetrate 300 to 500 microns deep within the dentinal tubules, carrying specialized restorative materials and firmly plugging them.
These robots release a novel calcium silicate-based bioceramic cement that cures over time and penetrates deeply. They then self-assemble into a strong “plug,” mimicking the natural structure of teeth and creating a durable seal.
In initial experiments, the research team tested CalBots on extracted human teeth, demonstrating their ability to deeply and stably occlude dentinal tubules.
Further, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology’s Center for Neuroscience, animal studies showed that mice with sensitive teeth regained normal drinking behavior after a 20-minute CalBot treatment, demonstrating 100% efficacy.
The team emphasized that the materials used in CalBots are safe and approved for human use. “This demonstrates the enormous potential of nanorobotics in healthcare,” said IISc Professor Ambarish Ghosh.
In the future, researchers hope to introduce this technology to dental clinics, enabling rapid and long-lasting treatment of tooth sensitivity, helping patients say goodbye to pain.
