AI In Orthodontics: A New Era Of Precision Medicine
Precision medicine is an emerging approach to personalized disease diagnosis and treatment planning. Modern healthcare providers emphasize taking into account different factors that can alter the diagnostic/treatment results. These factors include:
- Genetic variability
- Environmental factors
- Lifestyle and habits
Reports suggest that precision medicine encompasses multiple healthcare niches including drug delivery, genetics, communication, etc. The highlight of this treatment approach is data-driven decision making which can be aptly done with AI incorporation.
AI in Precision Medicine
The deployment of artificial intelligence in precision medicine can change the field of medicine as we know it. There are multiple facets of precision medicine where AI’s helping hand can revolutionize treatment planning. AI can help deliver precision medicine by carrying out the following tasks:
Handle Large Amounts Of Data
Internal and external factors heavily influence an individual’s health. Overall health relies on one’s nutrition, activity status, external factors (such as environment, workplace, etc.), and lifestyle habits. These factors account for 60% of determinants of health.
Conventional treatment methods do not consider the impact of these determinants and follow a “one shoe size fits all” policy. This is partly because these data can not be collected. And even if collected, they can not be managed. AI allows efficient data collection by collaborating with health wearable devices (smart devices). As machine learning and artificial algorithms can handle large amounts of data, AI can deliver precision medicine.
Appreciate Minute Details
Radiographic imaging is the backbone of medical diagnosis. However, even with vast experience, the human eye can miss important details from a scan. With the help of AI, doctors can get information on all the minute factors that can impact diagnosis and treatment.
Offer Better Treatment Decisions
As machine learning algorithms are the result of extensive training, AI can offer a streamlined treatment plan for the individual. Artificial intelligence is free of heuristic reasoning and human bias, therefore, the decision-support of AI is more precise.
AI In Precision Orthodontics
AI incorporation in the field of orthodontics can lead us to a new era of precision dentistry. The nexus of artificial intelligence and machine learning can ensure precision orthodontics in multiple ways:
Orthodontic Imaging And 3D Modelling
As already mentioned, accurate and pin-point analyses of radiographs by AI can result in precise treatments. Most orthodontists now prefer carrying out a “complete facial analysis” rather than just occlusion. Research shows that automated facial analysis is fast, reliable, and can gather large amounts of patient data. AI picks out and correlates multiple factors from cephalometric landmarks that can affect the diagnosis and treatment plans.
The use of AI-powered 3D intraoral scanners enables the provision of a detailed representation of not only the teeth but also of surrounding gum tissues, bones, and jaws. By keeping all the players in the loop, AI is capable of providing an overall diagnosis of patient’s conditions. This allows precise diagnosis and treatment plans.
Predictive Analysis
With AI-powered devices like 3D scanners and photograph analyzers, artificial intelligence is capable of providing a customized treatment plan and specific predictive analysis. Due to a thorough analysis of the extensive historical data (for machine learning), AI can anticipate the extent of changes and tooth movements within a given time with remarkable accuracy.
Strong AI algorithms give accurate outcome prediction which is specific to the patient and not a generalized guess. This is most helpful in cases of orthognathic surgery. When used to predict facial morphology after orthognathic surgery, novel AI systems proved to be clinically acceptable.
Customized Treatment
AI-driven technology can aid in orthodontic treatment. Algorithms can accurately analyze scores of data (bite impressions, facial morphology, intraoral scans, etc.) and provide the best-customized treatment. Clear aligners are personalized, highly accurate, and precise. Thanks to the personalized approach of AI systems, orthodontists can design aligners and braces that are perfect matches for the patient.
The efficient system determines which type, size, and material of braces/aligners will work best for the patient. A study showed that augmented reality increased the accuracy rate of experts in bracket positioning. This ultimately leads to superior and quicker treatment outcomes. Similarly, AI can advise a better plan of extraction vs non-extraction for a specific patient (based on multiple factors) and ensure truly precise orthodontics.
Treatment Adjustments
The role of AI isn’t limited to diagnosing and planning treatment strategies. Dental monitoring (achieved with the implementation of AI systems) can cater to specific patient needs. In conventional orthodontic treatment, a patient has to repeatedly visit the dental clinic for manual adjustments of the braces. However, with AI-powered aligners, there is an application of precise and gradual forces that vary according to individual needs. The amount and timing of the force implementation are decided after automated analyses of large data.
As the treatment progresses, the aligners adjust to the created changes. The 3D-printed aligners are created by predicting specific changes in an individual’s dentition. Thus, automated treatment adjustments by AI make it an important aspect of precision orthodontics.
Continuous Iterations
The most commendable feature of artificial intelligence and machine learning is its capacity to evolve. AI experts are continually striving to make AI generally acceptable for all fields and people. As more and more data is collected, AI algorithms become stronger and smarter. Thus, refinement of the AI-designed treatment strategies is possible. Advanced algorithms of artificial intelligence can continue to identify patterns and points that the human might overlook. Thus, continuous iterations can contribute to the development of precision medicine.
Final Word
Precision medicine is the advanced way of treating patients. It involves considering all the internal (nutrition, genotype, lifestyle habits, etc.) and external factors (environmental factors, occupational stress, etc.) that can impact health and treatment. Precision medicine emphasizes providing customized diagnosis and treatment plans to a patient.
Artificial intelligence can help physicians, surgeons, and orthodontists to impart precision medicine/dentistry. By collecting and analyzing large amounts of data, AI can make precise treatment possible. Precise AI-powered 3D models and facial scans of patients allow accurate diagnosis and custom-tailored treatment plans. AI’s predictive analysis of the patient is also spot on. As it provides best-suited treatment modalities (clear aligners), the AI design can also adjust to the anticipated changes. The best feature of AI is that it is continually evolving which can help in catering to the rapidly evolving world.
References
- Kosorok, M. R., & Laber, E. B. (2019). Precision medicine. Annual review of statistics and its application, 6(1), 263-286.
- Johnson, K. B., Wei, W. Q., Weeraratne, D., Frisse, M. E., Misulis, K., Rhee, K., … & Snowdon, J. L. (2021). Precision medicine, AI, and the future of personalized health care. Clinical and translational science, 14(1), 86-93.
- Nam, J. G., Hwang, E. J., Kim, J., Park, N., Lee, E. H., Kim, H. J., … & Goo, J. M. (2023). AI improves nodule detection on chest radiographs in a health screening population: a randomized controlled trial. Radiology, 307(2), e221894.
- Rousseau, M., & Retrouvey, J. M. (2022). Machine learning in orthodontics: Automated facial analysis of vertical dimension for increased precision and efficiency. American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, 161(3), 445-450.
- Tanikawa, C., & Yamashiro, T. (2021). Development of novel artificial intelligence systems to predict facial morphology after orthognathic surgery and orthodontic treatment in Japanese patients. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 15853.
- Lo, Y. C., Chen, G. A., Liu, Y. C., Chen, Y. H., Hsu, J. T., & Yu, J. H. (2021). Prototype of augmented reality technology for orthodontic bracket positioning: an in vivo study. Applied Sciences, 11(5), 2315.