

































 IJO - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND NURSING  
 ( ISSN: 2814-2098 )                                                                                        Rafalimino Holy Nasandratra 

1
*  

https://ijojournals.com/                                                  Volume 08 || Issue 03 || March, 2025 || 

“ Popularization perspective of biomimetics approaches in restorative dentistry." 

 

 

Popularization perspective of biomimetics approaches  

in restorative dentistry 

Rafalimino HN1,2, Rakotonirina FP1,3, Andrianjafinoro TH1,2,  
Randriamalala NC1,4, Randrianarivelo TH1, Ramaroson J1. 

 
 

1Sub-section of Conservative Odontology Endodontic  
at the Tropical Odonto-Stomatological Institute of Madagascar (IOSTM),  

University of Mahajanga 
² University Hospital Profesora Zafisaona Gabriel Androva Mahajanga Madagascar, 

3Oral Health Center, Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Consumption 
Antananarivo 

4University Hospital Joseph Dieudonné Rakotovao, Befelatanana Antananarivo 
  

Corresponding author:  
Rafalimino Holy Nasandratra 

Tropical Odonto-Stomatological Institute of Madagascar (IOSTM) 
______________________________________________________________________

_   

Abstract 

Biomimetics approaches in restorative dentistry are a concept that uses nature as a 

mentor in coronal dental restoration by using appropriate crown restoration materials. 

The overall aim of this study is to describe the importance of biomimetic practice in 

restorative dentistry.  

This is a literature review study carried out on article published on Pubmed, Google 

Schoolar and Science Direct, during the years 2014 to 2024, in French or English 

language with an impact factor. Among the 82 articles collected, 52 discussed 

biomimetic techniques in restorative dentistry. This research highlighted different 

techniques and effective protocols for achieving biomimetic restoration, as well as the 

concept of tissue economy and the choice of materials to be used.  

The pretherapeutic, therapeutic, and final finishing steps chosen by practitioners were 

identified. The longevity of aesthetic results using material composites was 

demonstrated. This study shows the importance of biomimetic approaches so that the 

techniques can be popularized by practitioners. 

 

Keywords : adhesive dentistry, biomimetic materials, technic, biomimicry, bioemulation. 

 

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 IJO - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND NURSING  
 ( ISSN: 2814-2098 )                                                                                        Rafalimino Holy Nasandratra 

1
*  

https://ijojournals.com/                                                  Volume 08 || Issue 03 || March, 2025 || 

“ Popularization perspective of biomimetics approaches in restorative dentistry." 

 

 

I-Introduction  

The word “biomimicry” is a neologism coined by Otto HS, an American academic and 

inventor. It describes the notion of transferring biology to technology. Derived from two 

Greek roots, bios (life) and mimesis (imitation), this neologism refers to the age-old 

approach of the human species. It consists of observing nature and drawing inspiration 

from it to innovate, improve its condition, and its productions [1]. In the field of 

odontostomatology, restoring dental hard substance loss, whether of bacterial, non-

bacterial or traumatic origin, requires ethical consideration [2]. Adhesive dentistry 

allows for coronal dental restorations to be performed with respect for the therapeutic 

gradient, meaning they are becoming less and less invasive. This concept is part of an 

obvious tissue-sparing technique, or “biomimetic” approach, which enables the 

conservation of as much healthy hard tissue as possible. The evolution of these 

concepts, combined with advances in biomaterial engineering, is now giving a new 

impetus to adhesive and aesthetic dentistry, with considerable restoration durability [3]. 

This new concept seeks to prioritize composite restorations in order to restore the 

natural biological, mechanical, functional and esthetic appearance of the newly restored 

tooth [4]. How can biomimetic dentistry be applied to coronal restorations, according to 

the literature ? The overall aim of this research was to identify the techniques and 

materials needed to achieve biomimetic restorations. 

II- Methodology 

This is a literature review study conducted using articles published on PubMed, Google 

Scholar, and Science Direct from 2014 to 2024. The research was carried out within the 

computer space of the Tropical Institute of Odonto-Stomatology in Mahajanga, 

Madagascar. Keywords : “adhesive dentistry,” “biomimetic materials,” “technic,” 

“biomimicry,” and “bioemulation” are used with the Boolean operators “AND” 

searches. Research were carried out via more database : PubMed, a database of open-

access scientific articles managed by the NIH (National Institute of Health) in the USA, 

Google Scholar, an academic search engine that indexes academic articles, books, and 

technical reports from various academic sources, SCASPACE, EM Consult, Science 

Direct, an online platform offering a wide range of scientific articles, including 

specialist journals in dentistry, Medline, and Cochranec. All scientific articles dealing 

with biomimicry and bioemulation in adhesive dentistry were included in the search if 

they met scientific standards, had an impact factor, and were published and written in 

French or English language during the study period. The exhaustive sampling method 

was chosen. Of the 1,701 articles consulted, a total of 82 scientific articles were 

selected, 52 of which addressed the specificity of biomimetic coronal restoration 

technic. Articles published during the study period that did not meet the variable 

evaluation criteria were excluded from this search. The variables studied focused on 

general information of the articles consulted (continent of publication, year of 

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 IJO - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND NURSING  
 ( ISSN: 2814-2098 )                                                                                        Rafalimino Holy Nasandratra 

1
*  

https://ijojournals.com/                                                  Volume 08 || Issue 03 || March, 2025 || 

“ Popularization perspective of biomimetics approaches in restorative dentistry." 

 

 

publication, language of writing, type of article, number of authors, topics evoked), the 

concept of evolution of biomimetic adhesive restorative materials, and the therapeutic 

steps evoked by the authors. The data obtained were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 

software.  

 

 

Figure 1 : Flowchart of scientific article selection 

III-Results 

This research was conducted to identify the importance of the practice of biomimicry 

technic in adhesive dentistry. The overall aim of this research was to identify the technic 

and materials needed to achieve biomimetic restorations. 

 General Information on the Articles reviewed 

According to the country of publication, 43.90% of the articles were published in 

America, 28.10% in Europe, 21.91% in Asia, and 6.09% in Africa [Table I]. As stated 

by the year of publication, 40.24% of the articles were published between 2021 and 

2024, 32.92% were published from 2014 to 2017, and 26.84% were published between 

2018 and 2020 [Table II]. According to the topics discussed, among the 82 scientific 

articles reviewed, 63.41% focused on biomimetic restoration techniques in adhesive 

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 IJO - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND NURSING  
 ( ISSN: 2814-2098 )                                                                                        Rafalimino Holy Nasandratra 

1
*  

https://ijojournals.com/                                                  Volume 08 || Issue 03 || March, 2025 || 

“ Popularization perspective of biomimetics approaches in restorative dentistry." 

 

 

dentistry, while 28.05% discussed general topics, and 8.54% covered historical aspects 

of biomimicry in dentistry [Table III]. 

 

 

Table I : Distribution of scientific articles reviewed by continents 

Continents 
n 

N=82 
% 

America 36 43,90 

Europe 23 28,10 
Asia 18 21,91 

Africa 5 06,09 

Total  82 100 

 

 

Table II : Distribution of scientific articles reviewed by year of publication 

Year of publication 
n 

N=82 
% 

2014 to 2017 27 32,92 

201 to 2020 22 26,84 

2021 to 2024 33 40,24 

Total  82 100 

 

 

Table III : Distribution of scientific articles reviewed by topics 

Topics  
n 

N=82 
% 

Biomimetism in general 23 28,05 

History  7 08 ,54 
Biomimetics approaches 52 63,41 

Total  82 100 

 

 

 

 

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 IJO - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND NURSING  
 ( ISSN: 2814-2098 )                                                                                        Rafalimino Holy Nasandratra 

1
*  

https://ijojournals.com/                                                  Volume 08 || Issue 03 || March, 2025 || 

“ Popularization perspective of biomimetics approaches in restorative dentistry." 

 

 

 Concept of restoration materials evolution 

Regarding the evolution of restoration materials, 48.07% of the authors highlighted the 

evolution of dental composite materials, and 17.30% mentioned the evolution of dental 

adhesives. The concept of tissue economy was discussed by 21.15% of the authors 

[Table IV]. 

Table IV : Distribution of scientific articles reviewed by concept  

of evolution in dental restoration 

Concept of evolution 
n 

N=52 
% 

Tissue economy concept 11 21.15 

Aesthetic concept 5 09.63 
Evolution of dental adhesives 9 17.30 
Evolution of dental composites 25 48.07 
Evolution of the biological concept 2 03.85 

Total  52 100 
 

 Therapeutisc steps emphasized 

Before biomimetic restoration, the importance of dental isolation was emphasized by 

78.85% of the authors [Table V]. To mimic the natural appearance of the tooth being 

restored, 92.31% of the authors stressed the importance of chromatic analysis, which is 

useful for choosing the appropriate composite shades [Table V]. A proportion of 96.15% 

of the authors preferred the composite modeling step during the finishing of the 

restoration and considered it crucial for achieving a biomimetic effect in the restoration 

[Table V]. 

Table V : Distribution of scientific articles reviewed by therapeutic steps 

emphasized 

Therapeutic steps emphasized 
n 

N=52 
% 

Dental isolation   
Yes 41 78.85 
No 11 21.15 
Total 52 100 
Chromatic analys   
Yes 48 92.31 
No 4 7.69 
Total 52 100 
Modeling and sculpture   
Yes 50 96.15 
No 2 3.85 
Total 52 100 

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 IJO - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND NURSING  
 ( ISSN: 2814-2098 )                                                                                        Rafalimino Holy Nasandratra 

1
*  

https://ijojournals.com/                                                  Volume 08 || Issue 03 || March, 2025 || 

“ Popularization perspective of biomimetics approaches in restorative dentistry." 

 

 

 

 

 Aesthetic longevity of the restoration 

The initial quality of composite restoration influences immediate and long-term success. 

The practitioner's expertise in implementing the procedures is therefore very important, 

and the use of microhybrid or nanohybrid composites is the standard. 51.92% of the 

authors reported an aesthetic longevity of results ranging from 5 to 10 years [Table VI]. 

 

Table VI : Distribution of scientific articles reviewed by Aesthetic Longevity 

of the restoration 

Aesthetic longevity of the restoration 
 

n 
N=52 

% 

Under 5 years 14 26.92 
5 years to 10 years 27 51.92 
Over 10 years 11 21.16 
Total 52 100 
   

IV- Discussion 

 Popularization of the biomimetic restorative technique 

The scarcity of research on biomimetics in dentistry in Africa (6.06%) was noted 

according to the research results [Table I]. The majority of articles consulted were 

published between 2021 and 2024, with a proportion of 40.24% [table II]. These 

demonstrate that the concept of biomimicry represents a new concept of interest to 

contemporary odontostomatological researchers. 

 Restorative concept highlighted 

According to the characteristics of the materials used for the restoration, a proportion of 

48.07% of authors mentioned the incessant evolution of dental composites [Table IV]. 

According to Kano P in 2023, biocompatibility and aesthetic concepts exploring in 

dental aesthetics will be achieved by examining the role of biomaterials [5]. 

 Biomimetic restoration steps highlighted 

Before restoration, the importance of tooth isolating has been highlighted by authors. 

Sarwar R, in 2024, confirmed the usefulness of the dental dam in both restorative 

dentistry and endodontics [6]. Kharouf N et al. in 2024, propose combining the basic 

isolation principle with the use of a light-curing liquid dam to improve field sealing 

performance [7]. In order to imitate the natural appearance of the tooth, the majority of 

authors (92.31%) emphasized the usefulness of chromatic analysis. This step will be 

done when selecting the type of composite.  The principle of composite shade selection 

outlined by Vanini L and Mangani F in 2001 was modernized by Francisco C.-P, in 

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 IJO - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND NURSING  
 ( ISSN: 2814-2098 )                                                                                        Rafalimino Holy Nasandratra 

1
*  

https://ijojournals.com/                                                  Volume 08 || Issue 03 || March, 2025 || 

“ Popularization perspective of biomimetics approaches in restorative dentistry." 

 

 

2021. In his review, he proposes the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machin 

learning (ML), which have wide applications in treatment planning and cosmetic 

dentistry procedures [8], [9]. When finishing the restoration, according to Paolone G., 

Scolavino S., Gherlone in 2017, composite modeling enables modeling as well as easy 

and best for natural finishing of the restoration; it is manipulated with a brush before 

light-curing. Composite sculpting enables the overall shape, macro-anatomy and micro-

anatomy of the restoration to be realized [10]. A proportion of 96.15% of authors 

followed this step and considered it crucial for achieving a biomimetic effect of the 

restoration [Table V].  

 Aesthetic success of the restoration 

According to Heintz S. et Al, 2015, the average lifespan of a dental composite has been 

estimated to 7 and 10 years [12]. A proportion of 51.92% of authors reported a 

durability of aesthetic results of 5 to 10 years [Table VI]. 

Conclusion 

The general objective of this research was to identify the technic and materials 

necessary for a biomimetic restoration. The concept of biomimicry is based on 

fundamental principles that have become the ambassadors of modern and contemporary 

dentistry. It related to tissue economy, adhesion, the biomechanical behavior of 

substitutes, and aesthetics. The natural tooth obviously remains the reference model. It 

procure substituents tend to mimic as closely as possible the unique characteristics 

conferred by enamel, and dentin. This study found that the popularization of the 

biomimetic restorative technique on the African continent needs to be boosted. The 

most popular therapeutic concept is based on the continuous evolution of composite 

materials. This alarms practitioners to exploit effective restorative techniques specific to 

each variety of composite. The therapeutic restorative steps highlighted by the authors 

were the isolation of the tooth to be restored, the usefulness of chromatic analysis prior 

to the actual restoration, and, finally, the importance of the finishing stage of the 

restoration. The durability of the aesthetic result mentioned by the authors is 5 to 10 

years. 

Acknowledgement 
None 

Conflict of interest 

No conflict of interest 

 

 

 

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 IJO - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND NURSING  
 ( ISSN: 2814-2098 )                                                                                        Rafalimino Holy Nasandratra 

1
*  

https://ijojournals.com/                                                  Volume 08 || Issue 03 || March, 2025 || 

“ Popularization perspective of biomimetics approaches in restorative dentistry." 

 

 

Références 

[1]. Ricard P. Le biomimétisme :  S’inspirer de la nature pour innover durablement. Journal 
officiel de la République Française. France, 2015 : 48. 
[2]. FDI World Dental Federation. L’éthique en odontologie 2024. Turquie, 2024 : 1-4. 
[3]. Tirlet G, Attal JP. Le gradient thérapeutique : un concept médical pour les traitements 
esthétiques. Information dentaire. France. 2009 : 2561. 
[4]. NC Randriamalala, TH Andrianjafinoro, BI Ismane, HN Rafalimino, FP Rakotonirina, 
,Ramaroson J. Importance du facteur c en dentisterie adhesive. Revue 
d’odontostomatologie malgache en ligne ISSN 2220-069X2020 ; Volume 18 : pages 11-24.  
[5]. Vanini L, Mangani F. The five color dimension of the teeth : a new way of 
determination and communication of the color in composite resin restorations. Practical 
Periodontology an Aesthetic Dentistry. 2001 : 19-6. 
[6]. Kano P. Emerging trends in aesthetic dentistry: from biomaterials to digital solutions. 
Article originale. Dental Update. 2023 ; 38(6) : 376-81. 
[7]. Kharouf N, Jmal H, Hadra R, Ball V, Salameh Z, Claire EH, et all. Effectiveness of 
liquid rubber dam in improving dental isolation : an in vitro study. International Journal of 
adhesion and adhesives. 2024 : 1-4. 
[8]. Vanini L, Mangani F. The five color dimension of the teeth: a new way of determination 
and communication of the color in composite resin restorations. Practical Periodontology 
an Aesthetic Dentistry. 2001 : 19-6. 
[9]. Francisco C.-P., Oscar E, Morales J. C., Paravina R.D. : Applications of artificial 
intelligence in dentistry. Review ; Epub 2021 ; 34(1) :259-280. 
[10]. Paolone G., Scolavino S., Gherlone E, Spagnuolo G. Direct Esthetic Composite 
Restorations in Anterior Teeth : Managing Symmetry Strategies.MDPI.2021 :797. 
[11]. Heintze S., Rousson V., Hickel R. Clinical effectiveness of direct anterior restorations. 
Méta-analyse. Paris : Pédiadol ; 2015 : 1-80. 

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