AI in dentistry Principles, Applications, and Future Perspectives

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing dentistry by enhancing diagnosis, treatment planning, and patient care across multiple specialties. In endodontics, AI assists in detecting caries, periapical lesions, root canal anatomy, vertical root fractures, and determining working length through advanced image analysis techniques such as classification, segmentation, and object detection. Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Large Language Models (LLMs) support research summarization, clinical documentation, patient education, and decision-making.In pediatric dentistry, AI aids in caries risk assessment, dental age estimation, detection of supernumerary teeth, plaque evaluation, and preventive care through smartphone-based applications. In prosthodontics, AI-driven CAD/CAM systems improve digital impressions, prosthesis design, implant planning, esthetic rehabilitation, and treatment outcomes. Machine learning models also help predict implant requirements with high accuracy.Orthodontics benefits from AI through automated cephalometric analysis, skeletal pattern classification, treatment planning, patient monitoring, and personalized treatment strategies.