THE IMPORTANCE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF DENTAL DISEASES

Résumé fourni par la source

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming an important component of modern dental practice, particularly in the early diagnosis of dental diseases. Oral diseases are among the most common health problems worldwide. Untreated dental caries affects billions of people, while periodontal disease, oral cancer, periapical lesions, and developmental abnormalities continue to cause pain, tooth loss, disability, and reduced quality of life. Early diagnosis is essential because many dental conditions are initially asymptomatic or present with subtle clinical and radiographic changes that may be difficult to identify. AI, especially machine learning and deep learning, can analyze clinical photographs, intraoral scans, radiographs, cone-beam computed tomography images, and biological data with high speed and consistency. This article reviews the role of AI in the early detection of dental caries, periodontal disease, oral cancer, endodontic pathology, and other oral conditions. A narrative review method was applied using recent scientific literature and authoritative health sources. The evidence indicates that AI systems can assist clinicians by identifying early lesions, improving image interpretation, supporting risk assessment, reducing diagnostic variability, and expanding access to screening. However, limitations remain, including inadequate external validation, biased datasets, lack of interpretability, privacy concerns, regulatory uncertainty, and the danger of relying on AI without professional judgment. AI should therefore be used as a clinical decision-support tool rather than as a replacement for dentists. Its responsible integration may promote earlier intervention, minimally invasive treatment, improved diagnostic accuracy, and more equitable oral healthcare.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.