AI in Dentistry: A Background Study
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella once said,“ Artificial intelligence (AI) is not a substitute for human intelligence; it’s a complement. It augments human abilities; it amplifies human creativity.” Diagnocat’s AI software brings such statements to life with its state of the art dental AI software technology. The real functioning of the human brain has piqued the interest of scientists worldwide. When the British mathematician, Alan Turing, stated that a machine could solve any problem as long as it could be structured and resolved by an algorithm, AI has undergone numerous experiments and trial-and-error phases. It was essentially based on what was called the ‘imitation game.’ The basis of AI’s imitation capabilities is a computer programme that can interact with and solve problems just like humans would.
Early in the new millennium, researchers started looking into the potential of artificial intelligence in a variety of dental applications. Dental AI was initially centered on creating algorithms for image analysis that helped in the early detection of oral diseases like dental caries, periodontal diseases, and oral cancers. With time, improvements in machine learning and deep learning algorithms have made diagnoses more precise and manufacturing prostheses easy.
Today, dental AI companies span a wide range of applications, including CAD/CAM systems for building dental prosthetics, VR (virtual reality) based training for dental students, and predictive analytics for individualized treatment planning. Chatbots and AI-powered virtual assistants have also improved patient engagement and offered round-the-clock support.
As AI continues to evolve, you, as a dental practitioner, could benefit from understanding and adopting the applications of AI to make it a game changer for your business (1).
Inside the AI Wonderland: How Does AI Work?
Artificial Intelligence is a fascinating realm where machines mimic human intelligence to perform tasks that traditionally require human cognition. It deploys three fundamental procedures:
- Computer vision
This refers to the processing and interpretation of large bulks of data like digital X-rays, intraoral scans, clinical photographs, and patient records, annotating them, and creating a pathological report (which includes regular dental issues like dental caries, initial signs of bone loss, periapical pathologies, etc.).
- Machine learning and Deep learning
It’s all about algorithms! These are set codes that allow the computer to understand patterns based on the fed data. The AI software may discover correlations between symptoms and anomalies for accurate diagnosis.
Deep learning, a branch of machine learning where systems try to learn repetitive patterns using artificial neural networks (ANNs). These are networks of highly interconnected computer processors that can learn from past examples. For example, the system may not detect a radiolucency as a periapical cyst in the first instance unless it repeatedly finds similar findings on numerous X-rays and matches them with the recorded characteristics of the cyst.
- Predictive Analysis and Natural language processing
This is the most significant part of any AI software. It uses statistics to discover trends and outcomes from the processed data.
Natural language processing (understanding of any basic human language) together with predictive analytics can go through patient histories and medical records to identify trends, predict outcomes and prognoses, and map out treatment strategies.
AI systems perform tasks with human-like intelligence, opening up a world of possibilities in various domains, such as medicine, and transforming the way we live and interact with technology (2).
Dental AI: An Invaluable Tool for Diagnosis, Treatment Planning, and Prognosis Analysis
Advanced algorithms and data analytics at Diagnocat AI bring a new level of precision and efficiency to oral healthcare. Our radiology reports, CBCT segmentation tool, 3D viewers, and cloud storage contribute to this (3),(4).
Here is an overview of Diagnocat AI’s superior diagnostic tools:
- AI can tell you what your eyes might miss!
Incipient caries, occult caries, and white spot lesions are best detected with our dental AI apps. You can use our AI-generated tooth chart, which highlights all the probable areas of dental decay and initial bone loss, to educate your patients and save them from dental emergencies.
- The database is trained for over 65 dental conditions and can easily detect and analyze dental issues from intra-oral X-ray series, OPGs, and CBCT scans.
- AI dental diagnosis can be used to categorize lesions of the oral cavity, such as by screening for suspiciously altered mucosa with premalignant or malignant changes in oral cancer screening.
- Diagnocat AI‘s 3D segmentation tool can create detailed models of your patient’s maxilla and the mandible in orientation. The 3D viewer is an excellent tool for real-time patient education of complex medical procedures, as it allows you to show your patients their dental structures in 3D on the screen.
Applications of Dental AI in Endodontics
AI has made endodontic treatment planning and post-endodontic checkups more precise with higher success rates (5).
A quick overview of the applications of artificial intelligence in endodontic dentistry:
- Automatically generated, panoramic reconstruction of a 3D image
The 3D segments of a CBCT can be stitched together to give you a panoramic view! You can now visualize the crown and root anatomy better than ever before. When this information is compared to the findings of your clinical examination, it will help you make an accurate decision regarding whether to recommend pulp capping or root canal therapy.
- CBCT segmentation tools
The tool has an inbuilt 3D viewer, which gives you a crystal clear understanding of the root canal anatomy and the periapical region by dissecting the radiographic image into sections. Determining accessory canals, bifurcations, and the working length can be spot-on (6).
- Endodontic re-treatments
Re-RCTs are no longer a trial-and-error approach. It is now possible to locate horizontal or vertical tooth fractures and identify minor flaws, voids, and irregularities in old endodontic fillings to determine the tooth’s prognosis.
Using Dental AI for Education
A picture is worth a thousand words. Visuals have the power to simplify the complicated, and dental education is no different. Traditional typhodonts, models, and patient photos are common dental props for patient education. While some patients understand you based on past experiences, the majority are left imagining the probable outcomes and the risk factors.
AI in dentistry gives you a 3D view of the patient’s jaws that is well correlated with his X-rays (7). Here is how:
- The 2D radiographs are reported in simple language and highlighted in bright colours. This makes it simple for you to highlight the areas of interest and validate your suggested treatment option.
- Diagnocat AI’s 3D viewer produces a lifelike model of the human skull, that can be moved and modified, helping the orthodontist demonstrate to the patient the different stages of treatment (both surgical and non-surgical) and predict the final smile.
- In addition to its account-linked cloud storage and viewer, the dental AI software has an interactive and collaborative tool for quicker communications.
Patient files can be easily accessed, viewed, uploaded, shared, or printed from any device, allowing flexibility to share information with dental specialists and consultant dentists regardless of whether they are using Diagnocat. The platform is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems, ensuring accessibility across different devices and platforms.
Diagnocat: A Virtual Dental Assistant
Diagnocat AI makes visual storytelling a reality in dentistry. As an AI dentist, you will be empowered to educate your patients with visuals, reports, and analyzed data that are so close to real that the predicted outcome seems more probable for your patients (7).
Using AI in your dental practice may seem like a luxury now, but when it gifts you with happy, trusted patients and helps in the seamless functioning of the dental office, it becomes more of a necessity. Dental AI software with Diagnocat allows demos to help you see and try out its features. From scientifically authenticating diagnoses and treatment planning to demonstrating patient records and business insights, dental AI is the key to staying ahead of the curve.
