AI In Orthodontics: Transforming Patient Care

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Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing all fields of healthcare including dentistry. Recently, the rise of ChatGPT4.0 took the internet by storm, providing answers to every question. The rapidly evolving AI programs are efficient and clinically reliable. The implementation of AI systems not only benefits orthodontists but also helps transform patient care. AI in orthodontics aids in transforming patient care.

How AI In Orthodontics Is Transforming Patient Care?

Lesser Processing Time

Artificial intelligence’s helping hand speeds up multiple orthodontic clinics’ processes. The greatest help offered by AI is in diagnosis. As orthodontic diagnosis is based on analysis of radiographs, clinical pictures, and growth stage determination, a lot of time is required to diagnose and devise a treatment plan.

Most dentists take a lot of time identifying anatomical landmarks and growth stages. In addition to diagnostic delays, at times, dentists are also perplexed at deciding the best course of treatment. This delay in processes adds up to increased waiting time. Luckily, orthodontists have reported considerable reductions in processing times (cephalometric landmark identification) with AI.

The automated treatment plans are accurate and clinically reliable. As artificial intelligence and machine learning speed up diagnostic and treatment planning, there is less waiting and treatment time for the patients. Moreover, the use of AI-based systems can improve the referral to orthodontists. Thus, AI also helps in bringing the patient to the orthodontist.

An AI-based intelligence expert system called the Computational Formulation of Orthodontic Referral Decisions (CFOD) was created and implemented in the Emirates. According to reports, it efficiently improved orthodontic patient referrals from general practitioners to specialists. It worked by analyzing malocclusion variables (at least 8 variables) in patients.

Specialized Devices

The digitalization of dentistry is a blessing for the doctor and the patient. A noteworthy addition to digital dentistry is the intraoral scanner. Conventional orthodontics involves filling up a patient’s mouth with impression materials. Gagging during the impression is a major problem especially when the patient has a hypersensitive gag reflex. This proves to be an obstacle in accurately recording the oral structures.

The dentist then makes dental casts out of the impression. These casts are used for diagnostic purposes. With advancements in technology, dentists can now take accurate impressions using intraoral scanners. These scanners provide 3-dimensional scans of the intraoral structures. Modern computer-aided diagnoses (CAD) rely on artificial intelligence algorithms. AI accurately reconstructs the oral structures and allows the dentist to fabricate appliances (aligners) and determine bracket positions before application.

Thus, with an AI-powered mouth scanner, there is no need to test the gag resistance of the patient. According to a study, patients readily accept intraoral scanners. There is an increased preference for digital impressions compared with conventional (alginate) impressions.

Clear Aligners

Clear aligner therapy is a simple, highly liked, and easy solution for malpositioned teeth. This therapy is known to transform patient care by making orthodontic treatment easy to follow and readily acceptable. Though the treatment modality is designed using computers under expert supervision, improvements (in AI) with every iteration can be beneficial for the patient. Due to the high accuracy of AI in orthodontics, we are now seeing some at-home AI-based clear aligner designers. Up till now, studies have concluded that orthodontic AI should be used with a consultant’s supervision. However, we might see AI replacing the need for orthodontists in the future.

Remote Dental Care

AI has been the major booster of telehealth. It has helped take over conventional healthcare by improving the quality of eHealth. Traditional orthodontics requires regular visits of the patient to check the progress of treatment and make amends. The patient has to take time out of his schedule and bear the cost of traveling. Frequent visits increase the risk of cross-infection and patient attendance at the clinic can be compromised by pandemics like COVID-19.

So, to ameliorate patient care, dental monitoring (DM) was introduced. It is a branch of Artificial Intelligence Driven Remote Monitoring (ARIM). This system tracks tooth movement based on deep-learning algorithms. AI-powered smartphone software lets patients effectively communicate with the orthodontist without visiting the facility. According to a study, dental monitoring improves patient flexibility and convenience and reduces the need for in-office patient visits.

Dental monitoring is not limited to orthodontic treatment progression. Rather it provides an overall picture to the doctor. Orthodontic treatment can take a toll on the gingival health. Thankfully, ARIM programs improve oral hygiene allowing maintenance of good gingival health. It was revealed in a study that weekly DM scans and personalized active notifications (on the app) help orthodontic patients improve oral hygiene.

Chatbots

Large language models (LLMs) like Llama and ChatGPT are shaping the future of computer usage. With easy access to AI applications, patients can get to-the-point answers to their medical queries. Reliable solutions to simple problems can save patients extra visits to the clinic. Thus, it can prove to be a great step in transforming patient care. Reports suggest that the use of ChatGPT in orthodontics can:

  • Streamline communication
  • Increase patient satisfaction
  • Make the orthodontic experience more acceptable

A 2023 study concluded that ChatGPT provides high-quality answers to orthodontic questions regarding:

  • Temporary anchorage devices (TADs)
  • Digital imaging
  • Clear aligners

The platform can serve to be a reliable source for the patients but it needs improvement in answering clinical queries from dentists.

Patient Satisfaction

Precise assessment, quick treatment, and remote dental monitoring increase the acceptance of orthodontic treatment. According to studies highly efficient AI-enhanced diagnostic tools allow fewer appointments and reduce treatment time. All these factors increase patient satisfaction.

Final Word

AI is known for revolutionizing the scope of orthodontics. AI’s role in patient care transformation often gets overlooked. The advanced algorithms decrease processing time. So, patients enjoy reduced treatment time with AI implementation. AI-driven intraoral scans save patients from messy conventional mouth impressions. LLMs like ChatGPT4.0 give patients precise and accurate answers regarding orthodontic questions.

Clear aligner therapies are evolving with the help of artificial intelligence. Moreover, remote dental monitoring allows patients to communicate with orthodontists without visiting the clinic. Highly efficient smartphone apps share patient pictures with doctors (to check treatment progress) and also help improve oral hygiene. All these factors aid in increasing patient satisfaction.

References

  1. Subramanian, A. K., Chen, Y., Almalki, A., Sivamurthy, G., & Kafle, D. (2022). Cephalometric analysis in orthodontics using artificial intelligence—A comprehensive review. BioMed Research International, 2022(1), 1880113.
  2. Del Real, A., Del Real, O., Sardina, S., & Oyonarte, R. (2022). Use of automated artificial intelligence to predict the need for orthodontic extractions. Korean Journal of Orthodontics, 52(2), 102-111.
  3. Mohamed, M., Ferguson, D. J., Venugopal, A., Alam, M. K., Makki, L., & Vaid, N. R. (2021, June). An artificial intelligence based referral application to optimize orthodontic referrals in a public oral healthcare system. In Seminars in Orthodontics (Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 157-163). WB Saunders.
  4. Jain, A. R. (2018). Gagging: A problem to prosthetic dentistry-Review. Drug Invention Today, 10(1), 48-54.
  5. Burzynski, J. A., Firestone, A. R., Beck, F. M., Fields Jr, H. W., & Deguchi, T. (2018). Comparison of digital intraoral scanners and alginate impressions: Time and patient satisfaction. American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, 153(4), 534-541.
  6. Hansa, I., Katyal, V., Semaan, S. J., Coyne, R., & Vaid, N. R. (2021, June). Artificial Intelligence Driven Remote Monitoring of orthodontic patients: clinical applicability and rationale. In Seminars in Orthodontics (Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 138-156). WB Saunders.
  7. Snider, V., Homsi, K., Kusnoto, B., Atsawasuwan, P., Viana, G., Allareddy, V., … & Elnagar, M. H. (2023). Effectiveness of AI‐driven remote monitoring technology in improving oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment. Orthodontics & Craniofacial Research, 26, 102-110.
  8. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378137491_The_Role_of_ChatGPT_in_Orthodontics_A_Game-Changer_in_Patient_Engagement_and_Education
  9. Tanaka, O. M., Gasparello, G. G., Hartmann, G. C., Casagrande, F. A., & Pithon, M. M. (2023). Assessing the reliability of ChatGPT: a content analysis of self-generated and self-answered questions on clear aligners, TADs and digital imaging. Dental Press Journal of Orthodontics, 28(05), e2323183.
  10. Hatia, A., Doldo, T., Parrini, S., Chisci, E., Cipriani, L., Montagna, L., … & Chisci, G. (2024). Accuracy and completeness of ChatGPT-Generated information on interceptive orthodontics: a Multicenter Collaborative Study. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 13(3), 735.
  11. Gaonkar, P., Mohammed, I., Ribin, M., Kumar, D. C., Thomas, P. A., & Saini, R. (2024). Assessing the Impact of AI-Enhanced Diagnostic Tools on the Treatment Planning of Orthodontic Cases: An RCT. Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences, 16(Suppl 2), S1798-S1800.

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