Orthodontics + AI: The Digital Bite

6 min readAug 28, 2024

--

Artificial intelligence (AI) is on the rise, and in the current day, has been implemented into many key parts of our lives and the world around us, from applications like ChatGPT to self-driving cars. The expansion of AI is nothing to be surprised about. In particular, AI has transformed the workplace in industries such as finance, retail and healthcare, with orthodontics coming under this umbrella. But how is AI being used in orthodontics, and is it aiding the progression of the field, or are the ethical concerns too big to ignore?

In short, orthodontics is a specialty within dentistry that focuses on the prevention and treatment of malocclusions (improper bites) which results from irregularities in the jaw or teeth. It is an extremely vital sector of dentistry, with malocclusions affecting nearly 56% of the population worldwide. Orthodontists use a range and variety of techniques and appliances for treatment, with the most common and well known being braces. However, depending on the severity as well as the individual’s needs and case, other alternatives such as the use of Invisalign, retainers and headgear can also be used.

Traditionally, orthodontic practices would heavily rely on manual assessments, physical impressions and a number of X-rays in order to fully grasp and understand each patient’s case. These practices are time consuming, expensive and more importantly leave room for human errors and opinions, an example of this being that different orthodontists are not likely to come up with the same treatment plan for the same patient. In reality, they are more likely to come up with their own unique plans based on their experience and expertise — so which plan is ‘correct’? Thankfully, with improving technology, there have been considerable advancements and improvements.

The digitalisation of orthodontics and dentistry in general has been a gradual process over the last two decades, and currently, the use of technology has almost been completely implemented into all dental and orthodontic practices in the UK. Notable implementations include 3D scanning and printing, which is a process that uses light to reproduce a copy of the teeth and jaws. Another example is the use of 3D X-rays, beaming detailed images back to a computer system, and finally the use of virtual monitoring. Moreover, the pandemic significantly impacted the use of virtual monitoring in orthodontics, as it became a lot more popular. The technology allows orthodontists to remotely assess a patient’s progress in between in-person consultations, allowing a more feasible alternative to the frequent check-ups required in orthodontic care.

So where does AI come into all of this?

The first significant use of AI in orthodontics is in treatment planning. It operates by analysing patient records, like their scans, X-rays, and dental impressions. It uses all of this information to formulate diagnoses and personalised treatment plans of every patient. Algorithms can detect even the smallest discrepancies, identifying patterns and connections. Given the evident advantages in efficiency, it is unsurprising that these algorithms are increasingly integrated into orthodontics, with research indicating that following the introduction of AI technology, orthodontists were able to enhance their productivity and were able to deliver the best patient care possible.

AI being used for orthodontics treatment planning

Another lesser-known application of AI algorithms are in virtual treatment simulations. These enable patients to virtually experience the entirety of their treatment by replicating the planned movement of their teeth. Through these simulations, patients gain a more realistic and well-informed perspective, and significantly reduces the risk of miscommunication between the orthodontist and the patient.

Nanorobots (miniature robotic devices that have been designed to perform specific tasks at the molecular level) have also been an area of interest within the orthodontic space. In the context of orthodontics, they have been proposed for applications such as accelerating tooth movement and remotely monitoring patient teeth during orthodontic treatment. AI could also enhance the abilities of nanorobots to potentially perform more complex tasks as well as analyse real data gathered from nanorobots, and therefore provide more insightful feedback to orthodontic professionals.

However, the latest changes in robotics have not been fully introduced to orthodontic research, with some areas only being theoreticals (for e.g the integration of AI in nanorobots) and therefore are not currently at the stage to enter the dental space and will not be implemented until far into the future. Additional development needs to be done in order for this sector of orthodontics to progress, whether that be in the form of larger clinical trials or an alternative path.

If the use of AI seems to have so many benefits, then why is it so controversial?

Issues such as the ethical use of AI in healthcare have to be considered, as AI becomes more ingrained in orthodontic practices. Thought and care to these issues need to be overcome in order for this implementation to be more widely accepted.

One downside to the introduction of AI is the impact that it will have on the older generation of orthodontists and dental assistants, who do make up a large portion of the number of orthodontists. Older generations may be more skilled in using traditional methods, such that the introduction of these advanced tools may put them at a disadvantage among the younger generation of orthodontists, who will have a lot more experience with using and learning how to use technology.

Focusing on the ethical issues surrounding the use of AI, the main one that is most debated and talked about is whether or not AI will replace the workforce, so in this case, replace orthodontists. The National Library of Medicine conducted a study on the number of dental students’ interest in orthodontic careers in the US, and whether orthodontic related experiences and practitioner role models matter. Whilst not completely relevant to the topic of AI, an interesting statistic came of it, with a majority (56.9%) of students being interested in orthodontics before dental school which decreased down to 13.3% after completing dental school.

Unfortunately, no similar study has been conducted in the UK, but it can be noted that only a minority of dental undergraduates end up going into postgraduate education, with only 10% doing so, and since there are many different dental specialities, this statistic would be significantly lower than it currently is.

The question arises: is there a correlation between the limited influx of new and younger orthodontists and the increasing prominence of AI in the orthodontic field? While it might seem that this data could suggest that AI is ‘replacing dentists’ and that there are ethical issues in play, drawing such a conclusion is complex due to numerous factors at play.

Furthermore, it’s crucial to note that AI is making significant strides in the broader field of dentistry, and its applications extend beyond orthodontics. Therefore, attributing the reduced number of young orthodontists solely to the rise of AI would oversimplify a complicated issue.

First of all AI has its limitations, for instance, it is unable to take patient’s needs preferences into account, which is amplified by its inability to communicate and to emphasise with patient needs. Due to this, AI will never be able to replace orthodontics. Emotions, complex and nuanced, cannot be easily coded into AI. Whilst AI is far superior in its technical abilities and has many important and theoretical applications, as explored, AI does not have the capacity nor capability currently to be emotive and personable.

Ultimately, it is critical to identify the boundaries of AI; it is a valuable tool, not a replacement for human skills. In fact, all evidence points towards the rise in AI offering more collaborative opportunities rather than direct competition. Dentists excel in communicating, empathising, and delivering individualised care for patients, extending beyond diagnosis and providing treatment. They understand how stressful appointments can be, and offer emotional support where needed. While AI is dominant in its practical abilities, it lacks the basic human touch that allows it to bond with patients personally.

This article was written by Isabel Liu.

If you would like to contact her, reach out to her on Linkedin- Isabel Liu.

If you would also like to write an article, please contact us @youthinai.official@gmail.com

You can find our website for more information here: https://youth-in-ai.github.io/#

References

Orthodontics + AI: The Digital Bite

Written by Youth in AI