How AI Will Innovate Dentistry

Our daily life has applied artificial intelligence in many fields. Recently, Colgate has launched a new kind of toothbrush with AI, which shows that the dentistry sector is on its way to introducing AI more and more. Below are some ways that AI is likely to assist dentists and completely change our oral health.

AI's Role In Dentistry

Like various other sectors, dentists also have to do simple tasks such as checking X-rays and reviewing reports in their valuable time. Sometimes, they need to schedule appointments as well when they are not able to get the exact time they have to spend on each appointment.

Then, AI has become their assistants to assist them in solving these issues, which improves their productivity in knowledge and time.

How Dentistry Applies AI

AI is famous for its forecasting ability. Currently, dentists have used Dentern, a software for managing dental practice. The software collects the genetic data of patients and offers a prediction if patients’ teeth are strong or not. Then AI will carry out a complete 3D scan for patients and it will also automatically make suggestions about the needed treatment procedures.

In addition, doctors can apply artificial intelligence in storing and classifying a large amount of patients’ record. AI-based software Evidentiae was launched to help doctors do that. This cloud-based software stores all data of patients such as their records, and health risks. It uses an algorithm which helps gather information from charted results of exams, generated patients’ dental health, as well as dental and medical histories. Moreover, the software develops a wide-range diagnostic opinion for biomechanical parameters, dentofacial alterations, periodontal concerns, and functional decision making. It also offers the necessary documentation to dentists.

Another technology software, Dentistry.AI is based on the cloud computing and powered by AI to detect dental caries on bitewings X-rays. The results of a caries detection competition between dentists and machine using Dentistry.AI were presented in a newly published study.  In particular, three practicing dentists against this software were pitted in evaluating 500 bitewings. According to the results, the machine won in a ‘sensitivity’ parameter in the challenge. Meanwhile, the dentists defeated the machine in ‘precision’. However, the machine closely followed the dentists in this precision competition.

Outlook

Scientists are developing AI that has been trained with some patients’ sample image sets and are seeking ways to develop the technologies to read dental results and images and then offer the most effective and possible diagnosis.

Clinicians are using a software named VisualDx to support in the clinical decision. The software uses medical condition diagrams or photographs and divides them into groups according to their likelihood. Dental healthcare can also use similar software.

Today, technologies for automatic calculation of places in which people need to put the braces. Besides, AI also helps dentists to determine the needed pressure for the braces.

AI has been widely introduced in the healthcare sector including the dentistry industry, which we can clearly see now.