How is Artificial Intelligence is Shaping Dentistry?
Artificial intelligence in dentistry will revolutionize everything we do in dental industry. Since its inception in the 1980s, the field of intelligent systems has come a long way.
The human brain has been one of the most intriguing structures to researches and technologists for as long as the history dates back.
Over centuries newer technologies have developed based on principles that try to mimic the functioning of the human brain, however even today the machine that can think like a human is still a dream. An enormous amount of modern computer and technologies were inspired by Aristotle’s early attempts to formulate the logic and thinking through his syllogisms (three-part deductive reasoning).
In 1950, devised a machine that could decode encrypted messages. It was designed to determine whether a computer exhibits intelligence. Today, we know a similar function as “artificial intelligence “(AI).
Artificial intelligence (AI) Definition
AI is a field of science and engineering that deals with the computational understanding of what is commonly called intelligent behavior and the creation of artifacts that show such behavior.
Augmented reality and virtual reality
Augmented reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) must go hand in hand. They bridge the digital and physical worlds. Both of these systems, are widely used in the dental field.
Dentistry is a unique profession in healthcare and is extremely demanding as requires assimilation of large amounts of knowledge combined with the mastery of clinical skill.
With the help of artificial intelligence in dentistry and augmented reality systems, the patient can try a virtual prosthesis, which can be modified until the patient is satisfied and the final prosthesis is made exactly according to these specifications.
The AI systems along with virtual reality have been used not only to reduce dental anxiety but are also regarded as a powerful tool for non-pharmacological control of pain.
Today, the most prevalent subfields of AI include the following:
- Machine learning—Machines can use neural networks, physics, and statistics to find insights in data without being explicitly programmed to do so.
- Deep learning—This is the learning of complex patterns in large amounts of data. Think image and speech recognition.
- Cognitive computing—This aims to simulate human processes through image and speech interpretation and responding appropriately.
- Computer vision—This recognizes content in photos and videos.
- Natural language processing—This is the ability of computers to analyze and generate human speech.
Because computers are able to process large amounts of data and recognize patterns within that data to accomplish tasks, scientists are already using AI in caries detection.
The applications of these artificial intelligence technologies such as expert systems, the game and theorem demonstration, natural language processing, image recognition, and robotics in various fields such as telecommunications and aerospace have become manifold. Technology has also revolutionized the field of medicine and dentistry over the past decade.
Virtual dental assistants based on artificial intelligence are available on the market today. Like virtual assistants, the software can perform many simple tasks in the dental clinic with greater precision, less workforce, and fewer errors than human counterparts.
In this post, we will share how this technology is shaping the dental industry.
Here are some of the characteristics of AI that offer promising realities in the dental care sector:
Smart Teeth Technology
Smart technology for teeth is completely changing dental care. It could help you to better understand the link between your teeth and overall health.
Artificial Intelligence in dentistry can help formulate smart teeth. Smart toothbrushes, for example, give dentists the ability to check their patient’s dental information in real-time. They can get an insight into what goes on inside their patient’s oral cavity, such as food intake, brushing habits, and dental issues. The dentist can then evaluate patient data and see what tips and advice they can give to their patients.
Dental Analytics
A successful dental practice relies heavily on how effectively you can run your office. Without data-driven dental practice analytics, it would be harder for you to get an idea of how you are doing. The use of dental analytics can help dentists manage their services through software. This technology allows dental professionals to focus on providing the best oral care of their patients while managing their business operations at the same time. This way, there is an assurance that the patient’s welfare is prioritized, which would eventually increase your bottom line.
Alerting the Patients and Dentists
Artificial intelligence in dentistry can help alert the patients and dentists about checkups whenever any genetic or lifestyle information indicates increased susceptibility to dental diseases. (E.g. periodontal screening for patients with diabetes and oral cancer screening for those who habitually use smoked or smokeless tobacco).
Voice Recognition
Speech recognition and interactive interfaces allow AI software to help the dentist perform various tasks. For example, the AI software can document all necessary data and present it to the dentist much faster and more efficiently than a human counterpart.
These days, speech recognition technology is universal. Artificial intelligence has already begun to accelerate voice command capabilities. Google Home and Amazon Echo are examples of commonly used voice control technologies that rely heavily on artificial intelligence and speech recognition to meet user expectations and automate daily and home activities within the home.
Imaging Systems Integrations
Because of its unique ability to learn, AI can be trained to perform many other functions. It can be integrated with imaging systems like MRI and CBCT to identify minute deviations from normalcy that could have gone unnoticed to the human eye. Using AI can also accurately locate landmarks on radiographs, which can be used for cephalometric diagnosis. This happens simply because of its ability to acquire information and synchronize effectively.
Artificial intelligence approaches combined with imaging can diagnose conditions such as oral cancer, with applications ranging from low-cost screening with smartphone-based probes to algorithm-guided detection of heterogeneity and margins of the oral lesion using the optical coherence tomography.
Surgery
One of the greatest applications of Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry is in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery with the advent of robotic surgery. A crucial challenge in the field of robotics is simulating human body motion and human intelligence. However, AI has revolutionized the field of surgery and today there are many robot surgeons who perform semi-automated surgical operations with increasing efficiency under the guidance of an experienced surgeon.
Finally, one of the most innovative applications of artificial intelligence in dentistry is seen in the field of “bioprinting”, where living tissue and even organs can be constructed in consecutive thin layers of cells that in the future could be used for the reconstruction of hard and soft oral tissues lost due to pathological or accidental causes.
Conclusion
It is without a doubt that artificial intelligence systems are of great help in the field of dentistry and dental education.
The field of artificial intelligence in dentistry has grown tremendously in the last decade. Advances in AI such as neural networks, natural language processing, image recognition, and voice recognition have transformed the field of medicine and dentistry enormously.
I encourage you to look into artificial intelligence in dentistry, be an early adopter because this will change the practice and change your life outside of dentistry as well.
If you have any questions we are always glad to help.