The Role of AI in Dentistry
Institute of Digital Dentistry
The Institute of Digital Dentistry is New Zealand’s leading provider of CAD/CAM and Digital Dentistry specific training
Attending IDS in 2023 was a huge eye-opener - it showed me the increasing evidence that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is going to play a crucial role in the future of dentistry.
Back at IDS 2019, there was very little talk of AI. Fast-forward to 2023 and there were over 13 different companies that were all focused on using AI in dentistry. Pretty incredible to be honest.?
It made me wonder how are we currently using AI and what does the future of dentistry look like with this incredible technology?
The current use of AI in dentistry
At this stage, the main use of AI in dentistry seems to be as a diagnostic aid for detecting a number of pathologies on 2D and 3D x-rays including but not limited to dental caries and periodontal disease and/or bone loss.
The different companies using AI in dentistry currently can be broadly broken up into 2 groups ?– those that only read 2D X-rays such as bitewings and OPGs and those that have 3D x-ray (CBCT) capabilities.
The 3D x-ray group consists of:
The 2D x-ray group consists of:
What is quite fascinating is how all these different companies try to capture market share.
On one hand, you have Pearl AI by talented clinician Dr Kyle Stanley. He leads arguably the most popular dental AI company that has FDA approval in the USA (the world's largest digital dentistry market by a large margin). Pearl is doing some fascinating things with AI in terms of optimizing patient bookings and recalls when hooked into your practice management software.
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Overjet and Videahealth have 510(k)s approvals for caries and radiographic bone loss and Denti.ai has one for auto charting. Companies such as Henry Scheinhave actually embedded Videahealth's AI functionality into both their Dentrix and Ascend software and include their FDA-cleared functionality in their diagnostic workflows.
Other companies such as Diagnocat which is led by Alex Sanders have taken a different approach with the focus almost completely being on 3D x-rays.
His software was one of the first to enable fully automated and AI-driven segmentation of facial bones, x-rays, and now even airway spaces and sinuses. This is one of the ways I heard about the software as it was a very handy tool for people who wanted individual STLs of each tooth.
Diagnocat is next moving into the field of automated and AI-driven implant surgical guide creation and aligner treatment.
It's incredible to think about where the future of dentistry is headed.?
For instance, CAD is a factor that scares a lot of dentists and is likely a major barrier for many in adopting chairside 3D printing.
Here is a scenario - with AI and other software out there, it is not too much of a stretch to imagine getting a patient who may need an implant, taking a CBCT, uploading it to AI software, getting back a surgical guide design almost instantly, checking and confirming the design, and then printing all within 30 minutes.
Read more on AI in CAD/CAM not just diagnostics and the future of AI in dentistry on iDD's blog:
This article was written by Dr Ahmad Al-Hassiny on March 31, 2023.
Did you know you can access iDD's free online content, which gives you instant access to resources to learn and master digital dentistry? Click here to find out more ?? https://digitaldentistry.link/phICxSLX
Paid Marketing Specialist | Technical Email Marketing | ORM & Content Suppression | E-com | eBook
9 个月Institute of Digital Dentistry I wonder what else is there to left to be taken over by AI, altought it is helping professionals to bring advancement in fields.
Clinical lead and Specialist Prosthodontist / Expert Dental Implant Surgeon. at Woodborough House Dental Practice
9 个月Still going to need a human for a while. Al matching works great when there is little scatter. In cases where there is scatter, poor soft tissue references and limited references, manual segmentation and merging of the data set is still necessary. AI is a great tool for sure and just gets better and better but it still needs to be reviewed for accuracy by individuals who understands what is really required to make this technology work.
Paid Marketing Specialist | Technical Email Marketing | ORM & Content Suppression | E-com | eBook
9 个月Experience the transformative power of AI in dentistry, from precise diagnostics to innovative treatments, with the latest breakthroughs from leading AI companies. Stay ahead in the digital dentistry sphere - subscribe now for exclusive updates and insights.
Clear aligner innovator | Founder of The CLEAR Institute | Empowering dentists to master clear aligner treatments | Trusted by dentists worldwide
9 个月It’s a thrilling era for dentistry! AI isn’t just a trend; it’s a tool that elevates our practice, allowing us to deliver even more exceptional care. Fear not the winds of change—rather, let’s harness them to become more proficient, more innovative dentists. Embrace the future with open arms and an open mind.