By Sameer Merchant
The global healthcare industry is in the midst of a digital revolution. Patients are comfortable with digital health records and CT and MRI scans, and some have even witnessed modern solutions like computer vision and artificial intelligence for diagnosis and treatment.
As we advance, AI is expected to make a more immediate impression in our lives. It will play a crucial role in the dental industry in various areas to improve accuracy and customer experience.
Importance of AI in the dental industry
Dentistry is well-positioned to utilize the abilities of AI. With the most X-rays being taken by dentists compared to other specialists, these are being used effectively to teach AI systems the difference between healthy and unhealthy teeth.
AI systems understand the information in a way that a human brain does – using a convolutional neural network as the computational model to characterize objects. AI has an opportunity to replicate its success in identifying human faces (even the ones that are blurred or partially visible) in identifying issues that are partly visible and can be seen from a certain angle.
AI can emerge as a tool as good as or even better than human dentists in detecting various dental issues and assisting in the treatment process. While the final decision about the diagnosis and suggested treatment belongs to the dentist, AI helps provide easy-to-understand and visual feedback in real-time.
Advantages of AI in the dental industry
AI is limited to the visual side of things with virtual setups and aesthetics. However, there is broad scope in the operational areas like patient population, treatment, and business needs. Here are the key advantages of the use of AI in the dental industry:
Better results
Using AI in dental treatments allows for better results and reduces the chances of failures. AI increases the bar of excellence and lowers the chances of failure. As a result, dentists can use it as a support system while their main focus is patient care and treatment. The reduced manual intervention leads to precise results, be it prosthetics or orthodontic treatment.
Promotes acceptance
The use of AI helps promote awareness and acceptance among patients. It helps reduce the initial anxiety and tension among patients. Virtual setups allow a patient to visualize the results before the treatment has even started.
Reduces delivery time
3D digital supports and portals have reduced the delivery time by up to 50% for dentists. It has led to a reduction in patient follow-ups as dentists can provide faster and better results.
Challenges of AI in the dental industry
The use of AI in the dental industry is still in its early days. Here are the significant challenges faced by AI technology in the dental industry:
Misconceptions
Unlike some other medical areas, AI does not threaten dentists’ jobs. Instead, it can work as a proactive assistant. For instance, reading X-rays is a small part of dentistry. Using an AI assistant to handle that requirement is like using a magnifying glass for better results.
Limited knowledge
The use of AI systems in dentistry gets expected to generate better results, with dentists focusing on patient care and treatment. However, to do that, dentists and dental students must get provided with proper knowledge about AI’s potential, utility, and limitations. In the current ecosystem, there is a lack of knowledge about AI systems and how to use them for better impact.
Patients are expected to encounter AI in medicine, sitting in a dental chair in near future. Dental AI solutions can be expected to move beyond dental concerns and cover the potential impacts they can have on the overall general health of the patient. There is immense potential for AI to take a leading role in dentistry and drive digital transformation in the overall healthcare space.
(The author is the CEO, Illusion Aligners. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the FinancialExpress.com.)
