Artificial intelligence in dentistry: Hype, promise, and clinical reality

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly diffused from the research environment into dental practices, academic discussions, and the creation of commercial products.From radiographic analysis and caries detection to orthodontic planning and digital record-keeping, what was considered to be the realm of science fiction is now being introduced increasingly into the daily practice of dentistry.The profession is caught up in a whirlwind of excitement and trepidation due to the increasing visibility of AI.While some question whether the current hype is greater than the reality, visionaries envision a future of highly accurate, effective, and personalized dental care.Between these two poles is the reality.The dental profession is at a crossroads where the question is no longer whether AI will impact practice, but rather how it will be effectively integrated.According to recent information, AI models have the potential to reach impressive performance levels concerning diagnostic tasks.In some fields, particularly in image-based specialties such as caries detection, cephalometric analysis, and oral lesion diagnosis, collective diagnostic sensitivity and specificity have been shown in extensive compilations of systematic reviews to be on par with those of experts.The use of AI to enhance tasks of pattern recognition that are now dependent on the expertise of clinicians is indicated by the extent of their reported diagnostic accuracy, ranging from 82% to 95%.The potential applications of AI in dentistry are primarily in its ability to process large amounts of data efficiently and accurately.The standardized nature of dental imaging and the repetitive nature of certain diagnoses make it the ideal application area for machine learning algorithms.AI algorithms can assist in pointing out nuances in data or aiding in treatment planning in busy dental practices where time constraints and fatigue may impair clinical judgment.For example, initial studies in orthodontics indicate that AI algorithms are extremely accurate at determining extraction schemes, suggesting that AI algorithms can assist practitioners in dealing with complex analytical problems.

Ähnliche Arbeiten