Observational Diagnostics: The Building Block of AI-Powered Visual Aid for Dental Practitioners

Overview

Journal Bioengineering (Basel)

Date 2025 Jan 24

PMID 39851284

Authors

Ruchika Raj

Ravikumar Rajappa

Vijayalakshmi Murthy

Mahyar Osanlouy

Daniel Lawrence

Mahen Ganhewa

Nicola Cirillo

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) has gained significant traction in medical image analysis, including dentistry, aiding clinicians in making timely and accurate diagnoses. Radiographs, such as orthopantomograms (OPGs) and intraoral radiographs, along with clinical photographs, are the primary imaging modalities employed for AI-powered analysis in the dental field. In this review, we discuss the most recent research and product developments concerning the clinical application of AI as a visual aid in dentistry and introduce the concept of Observational Diagnostics (ODs) as a structured method to standardise image analysis. ODs serve as foundational elements for AI-driven diagnostic aids and have the potential to improve the consistency and reliability of diagnostic data used in treatment planning. We provide illustrative examples to demonstrate how ODs not only represent a significant advancement towards more precise diagnostic aids but also provide the basis for the generation of evidence-based treatment recommendations. These OD-based algorithms have been integrated into chairside AI applications to streamline clinical workflows to improve consistency, accuracy, and efficiency.

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