Introduction: Great success has been reported with the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in the treatment of complex bacterial diseases, yet new and recurring bacterial infections continue to pose significant challenges to global health care. Objective: To review the literature on the antimicrobial and antibiotic activity of zinc oxide, gold, silver, and chitosan nanoparticles. Methodology: In this article, important literature on the antimicrobial and antibiotic activity of endodontic nanoparticles is reviewed through a comprehensive search in the PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases. Results: Zinc oxide nanoparticles do not offer significant improvements when compared to conventional or non-nanometric materials, gold nanoparticles lack clinical applications and their effectiveness is lower than silver nanoparticles. The best options are silver and chitosan nanoparticles due to their low required concentrations and results. Conclusion: Silver and chitosan nanoparticles are the best options for use in endodontic treatment because they demonstrate better antimicrobial and antibiotic film results. Research with AgNP's provides us with its usefulness in the application of sealing cements and intraconduct medicines, while chitosan nanoparticles offer advantages in healing.