Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science and startup Theranautilus have developed magnetic nanobots called CalBots that enter dentin tubules and mineralize to form permanent plugs. Each particle is ~400 nm wide and carries a calcium-silicate bioceramic that hardens after magnetic guidance. Lab tests on extracted human teeth showed complete tubule sealing after a 20-minute treatment, and mice with induced sensitivity showed full behavioural recovery. The team is moving toward clinical trials, but human safety and long-term effectiveness still need verification.
CalBots — Magnetic Nanobots That Could End Tooth Sensitivity in a Single Treatment
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science and startup Theranautilus have developed magnetic nanobots called CalBots that enter dentin tubules and mineralize to form permanent plugs. Each particle is ~400 nm wide and carries a calcium-silicate bioceramic that hardens after magnetic guidance. Lab tests on extracted human teeth showed complete tubule sealing after a 20-minute treatment, and mice with induced sensitivity showed full behavioural recovery. The team is moving toward clinical trials, but human safety and long-term effectiveness still need verification.
03:09, 04.11.2025Science
Overview
Tooth sensitivity can turn a cold drink into a sharp, nerve-piercing shock. Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), in collaboration with Bengaluru deep-tech startup Theranautilus, report a promising microscopic approach to treat sensitivity at its source: magnetic nanobots they call CalBots.
What CalBots are and how they work
Each CalBot is roughly 400 nanometres wide and carries a calcium-silicate bioceramic precursor that can mineralize into tooth-like material. Guided by an external magnetic field, the particles are steered deep into the dentin tubules — the microscopic canals that lead from the tooth surface to the nerve. There they aggregate and harden, forming mineral plugs that mimic natural tooth tissue and block stimuli (cold, heat, pressure) from reaching nerve endings.
Key findings
In laboratory tests on extracted human teeth, imaging after a 20-minute magnet-guided treatment showed dentin tubules tightly filled with new mineral deposits and no obvious gaps or leaks. In simple behavioural trials in mice with induced dental sensitivity, animals that had previously avoided cold water drank cold water again after treatment; the team reports a 100% behavioural recovery in that model.
What this means and next steps
The work, published in Advanced Science, demonstrates a potential one-time, in-office procedure to produce a long-lasting seal against tooth sensitivity rather than repeated use of desensitizing pastes. The researchers are preparing for clinical trials, but human safety and efficacy remain to be established. Important questions — including long-term durability in a living mouth, potential side effects, and practical delivery methods in dental clinics — will need to be answered before CalBots could become a routine dental treatment.
We saw 100 percent behavioral recovery. That was a big moment for us. — Shanmukh Peddi, lead researcher
Implications
If validated in humans, magnet-guided mineralization could shift tooth-sensitivity treatment from temporary symptom control to a permanent internal repair. The approach may also inspire other targeted, magnetically guided therapies in dentistry.
Source: Indian Institute of Science / Theranautilus. Published in Advanced Science.