Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Orthodontic Software
Integrate AI and ML into your custom orthodontic software to save time and offer accurate, personalized care to all patients.
What we know today as contemporary orthodontics is nothing like 20 years ago. From advanced X-rays and lasers to 3D scanning and the cloud, institutions across the dental sector have used different forms of digital technologies for orthodontics. One of the hottest trends is using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in diagnostics, appointment scheduling, treatment planning, and even marketing.
More and more dental centers are using AI orthodontics tools to minimize human error across different departments. For instance, a study used deep learning algorithms to accurately categorize dental images for targeted care and realistic 3D modeling. The result was a 98-100% accuracy rate for all images.
So, how is this possible? Here’s how.
Who is TRIARE and how can we help to use AI and machine learning in orthodontics?
TRIARE is one of the leading software development companies with cutting-edge technologies that provide an effortless patient experience while driving business growth. TRIARE clients enjoy custom-made tools that utilize AI-based technology to perform advanced patient analysis, appointment scheduling, and invoicing on a user-friendly platform.
Such AI-based tools serve as a resource for dentists to make calculated decisions based on patient behavior and intent while also planning for targeted treatment. A prime example of AI orthodontics solutions is Smile App, a mobile app that can offer instant implant visualization and jaw structure analysis in a matter of seconds.
AI Orthodontics: The Outlook
AI adoption in the dental sector has increased by 34.5% in the last five years. The orthodontic field has embraced digital technology over the last 20 years, including automated dental aligner creation, 3D modeling, and AI-based tools. Artificial intelligence (AI) applications were previously restricted to supervised “learning” and specific cognitive tasks such as automated cephalometric point detection and segmenting teeth from 3D images.
The next phase will be to build universal intelligence-based neural networks. Here, the system will “learn” orthodontic diagnostics and treatment management with advanced computers and sophisticated algorithms to provide the most suitable treatment plan for better treatments and reliable outcomes.
How do AI diagnostics differ from classical diagnostics?
Despite the rising popularity of digital technologies for orthodontic treatment, there are many institutions and specialists around the world who are hesitant about adopting AI tools. It’s because they won’t spend the time, money, and effort before learning more about the benefits of such solutions over traditional methods.
This table builds on the classic man vs. machine argument. Here are some of the main differences between AI diagnostics and traditional diagnostics:
| Criteria | AI Diagnostics | Classical Diagnostics |
| Time | AI tools can process vast volumes of data in a matter of minutes, helping with decision-making and allowing doctors to spend time on more critical tasks. | Classical diagnostics rely on doctors who use manual, time-consuming processes to study patient scans and come to a final decision. |
| Decision Making and analysis | Thanks to limitless storage and immense processing power, AI orthodontics solutions can easily learn and recognize patterns, analyze images, and make decisions. | With limited processing and recall capacity, human practitioners cannot analyze all the data quickly and make accurate decisions. |
| Innovative Care | Counterfactual ML algorithms don’t follow a sequential line of thought, allowing them to consider alternate scenarios and discover the “what ifs”. | Human doctors try to explain a disease by mostly focusing on the symptoms and “likely” scenarios, not considering other possibilities. |
| Accuracy | Unlike human specialists who struggle with fatigue, distraction, depression, and many other psychological barriers, AI tools can provide factual treatments based on thousands of sources. | Human error is an inevitable part of classical diagnostics in severe and mild medical conditions. Major diagnostic errors account for 10-20% of mortality among U.S. patients. |
What custom software can use AI for diagnostics in orthodontics?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming many corporate operations, including those in the software development sector. Apart from speeding up the usual customized software development process, machine learning techniques provide a new paradigm for exploring innovative types of technology.
Nowadays, businesses seek to provide personalized and tailored services to their target clients. For that, they require the capability that AI can integrate into their program. There are already several examples of AI creating new features and upgrading apps, such as chatbots or predictive diagnostics.
The quality of tailored software is continuously rising thanks to this and the application of machine learning for software testing. Here are two popular Orthodontics solutions that use AI for better treatment.
Pearlii
Pearlii’s mission is to improve people’s oral health. To do so, Pearlii provides a free dental examination made possible by a basic smartphone camera. This AI-powered software utilizes machine learning to scan patients’ mouths for oral health problems including cavities and gingivitis.
To improve general oral hygiene and stop pre-existing issues from becoming worse, it then offers customized findings and recommendations for suitable dental treatments.
Overjet
Overjet’s FDA-cleared AI technology identifies and highlights deterioration and measures bone loss on radiographs to help you make calculated diagnostic decisions.
Overjet evaluates the clinical performance by combining clinical AI findings with patient-specific data. Clinical staff then uses these findings to improve clinical precision, effectiveness, training, and communication, allowing practices to deliver more consistent and effective patient outcomes.
Another potential use of AI can be for the Braces app software that allows you to choose from +200 braces and add them to your teeth. Instant facial analysis can help create fitting braces stickers that look ultra-realistic.
Methods of treatment using AI in dentistry.
The last ten years have seen a surge in digital technology and innovation, which are now reshaping the medical ecosystem. With a 21.6% annual growth in AI adoption, many businesses are becoming interested in the subject and striving to transform the dentistry industry, particularly through machine learning and deep learning. Here are some popular applications of AI in dentistry:
Tooth Decay
Nowadays, many practices use AI technologies such as object detection and semantic segmentation to identify tooth decay. Also, using deep learning algorithms on CNNs allows the AI orthodontics solution to learn from a vast number of images and identify decay autonomously.
Periodontal disease
Bacteria that settle in the teeth and attack the soft tissue around them are what cause periodontal infections. As a result, there will be tooth loss and inflammation. Dentists can use a method called depth probing to assess the disease’s progress. Fortunately, artificial intelligence (AI) can help by offering new detecting tools and automatic depth probing.
In the first scenario, radiographic images of periodontally damaged teeth may be classified and segmented using convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The disease’s severity is then determined using pattern recognition and edge detection.
Endodontics
Usually, radiographic scans are used by endodontists to inspect, measure, and assess the state of the tooth below the gum line (ie. the root). These scans may also be used by AI models to analyze the structure, dimensions, tissue health, and even the likelihood of treatment efficacy for those hidden areas of the tooth.
Deep learning algorithms may then find, identify, and categorize various features of the root as well as potential diseases. This is excellent for identifying specific fissures and lesions within or around a tooth.
Why is AI used in custom treatment solutions?
Over the years, many dental clinics and healthcare centers have adopted custom treatment solutions instead of ready-made products. But, despite the rising popularity of personalized solutions in contemporary orthodontics, there is still room for improvement.
From personalized prescription and predictive analytics to AI chatbots and automated scheduling, AI can be a valuable addition to custom treatment solutions. Here’s how.
- Automating Routine Tasks. In addition to increasing productivity and performance, automating repetitive processes frees up staff members’ time to work on more important and innovative tasks.
Machine learning algorithms are one method AI may use in automating repetitive operations in software development. These algorithms may be trained by developers to spot patterns in code and determine the most effective approach to carry out a task.
- Personalized User Experience. Leading healthcare organizations are utilizing AI to enhance patient relationship and engagement, which helps build a favorable brand image. By developing machine learning algorithms to analyze user habits and choices and offer individualized support and recommendations, AI may contribute to improving the user experience.
- Human-like Chatbots. Artificial intelligence (AI) can help you develop intelligent chatbots by giving them the ability to interpret natural language, identify intent, and offer appropriate responses. By learning from a vast database of human lingo, patients can enjoy a free-flowing chat, much like they would do with a human support representative.
How will AI help improve Treatment effectiveness?
There are various ways AI may assist doctors in providing better care. By examining vast amounts of patient and treatment data – too much information for humans to properly understand – AI can see what has previously worked for similar patients. By doing so, it can easily personalize treatment plans and other follow-up procedures.
AI is also used in healthcare for other treatments, such as designing novel treatments and better drug targeting to increase diagnostics and minimize negative side effects. Oncology is using AI technologies to identify tumors. Pathologists may diagnose illnesses in physiological fluids and tissues with the use of machine vision tools, and face recognition can be used to link phenotypes to specific uncommon diseases.
Our experience in creating additional services with AI for orthodontics
Over the years, we at TRIARE have developed many mobile and web app solutions for clients in the dentistry sector. One of the most notable examples is Smile App, a company that increased its business by 150% using our tools.
This dental implant center struggled with client acquisition rate. Even after hours of interaction with doctors, the patients did not like the proposed implants. So, it was a challenge to get them engaged in a matter of minutes.
Our team realized that the solution was to show doctors and patients the beautiful smile with new implants in a couple of clicks on a tablet. The solution was to design the perfect implant models based on 2D patient images.
We used Google ML’s AI matrix to maximize facial recognition accuracy. It helped us identify the position and orientation of lips, eyes, and jaw to create a personal implant model that looked realistic in every image.
Final Thoughts
You can see that AI is only going to expand its reach, especially in contemporary orthodontics. Just like any other industry, dental practices see AI and ML as the key to boosting productivity and client acquisition while saving time and effort.
Meanwhile, there are lots of pre-made AI orthodontic tools on the market. Despite their benefits, the biggest downside is that they are not tailored to your specific needs and goals, meaning that you’ll likely pay for features that you’ll never use.
So, it’s much better to build a customized orthodontic software solution and as you know, we at TRIARE specialize in this area. You’re just a phone call away from making your unique solution.
