人工智能改变牙科服务的六大趋势

难道已经有机器人牙医了吗？还没有……。但是，牙科诊所已经加快了将新兴技术融入常规诊疗的步伐。人工智能也不例外。事实上，人工智能正在显著改变牙科行业，牙科行业提供的一系列创新技术正在改善患者护理和提高诊断准确性及运营效率。我们已经看到了以下的六大趋势。

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1\. **Enhanced Diagnostics and Treatment Planning** : AI is revolutionizing diagnostics in dentistry, particularly in dental imaging where AI is enhancing diagnostic accuracy. Computer-aided detection and diagnosis systems (CAD) can read dental X-rays and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images, identifying oral pathologies that might be missed by the human eye. These systems, like Pearl AI and Dent AI, excel in detecting anomalies. Now, we have improved identification of dental caries, especially between teeth, and can estimate lesion depths to classify caries accurately. For example, a study demonstrated that convolutional neural networks (CNNs) could detect caries with a remarkable 92.5% accuracy in standardized photographs.

1、强化诊断和治疗规划 ：人工智能正在彻底改变牙科诊断，特别是在牙科成像方面，人工智能正在提高诊断的准确性。计算机辅助检测和诊断系统（CAD）可以读取牙科 X 光片和锥形束计算机断层扫描（CBCT）图像，能识别人眼可能忽略的口腔病变。诸如 Pearl AI 和 Dent AI的一些系统在检测异常方面表现出色。现在，我们可以更好地识别龋齿，尤其是那些位于两个牙齿之间的龋齿，还可以估计病变深度及对龋齿进行准确地分类。例如，一项研究表明，卷积神经网络（CNN）可以在标准照片中检测龋齿，准确率高达92.5%。

2\. **Predictive Analytics and Preventive Care** : AI's ability to analyze extensive data sets has led to the development of predictive analytics in dentistry. This technology enables dentists to identify patterns and risk factors associated with oral health conditions like gum disease and tooth decay, paving the way for early intervention and preventive care.

2、预测分析和预防护理 ：人工智能分析大量数据集的能力促进了牙科预测分析的发展。人工智能技术使牙医能够识别与牙龈疾病和蛀牙等口腔健康状况相关的模式和风险因素，为早期干预和预防性护理铺平了道路。

3\. **Improving Patient Treatment Workflow** : AI models can streamline the workflow in dental practices. Before patients arrive, AI can flag cases lacking critical baseline data or having untreated disease. During consultations, these systems will prioritize the most relevant radiographs and predicted clinical findings, enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of patient care.

3、改善患者治疗流程 ：人工智能模型可以简化牙科诊所的工作流程。在患者到来之前，人工智能可以标记出缺乏关键基线数据或患有未治疗疾病的病例。在问诊过程中，人工智能模型系统将优先处理最相关的放射影像和预测的临床结果，可以提高患者护理的效率和效果。

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4\. **Robotic Systems in Dentistry** : AI-driven robots are increasingly used in complex surgeries, which has improved precision and reduced errors. These robots can automate tasks such as teeth cleaning and orthodontic adjustments, freeing up dentists for more complex procedures. Additionally, these robots can automate the fabrication of dental implants and other prosthetics

4、牙科机器人系统 ：越来越多的复杂手术现在开始用到人工智能驱动的机器人，机器人可以提高精确度及减少误差。这些机器人也可以自动完成洗牙和牙齿矫正等任务，牙医则可以腾出手来做更复杂的手术。此外，这些机器人还能自动制造牙种植体和其他义齿装置。

5\. **Virtual Dental Assistants** : AI-powered chat bots and virtual assistants are streamlining administrative tasks in dental practices, handling appointment scheduling, patient inquiries, and billing processes. This automation allows dental professionals to focus more on patient care.

5、虚拟牙科助理：人工智能驱动的聊天机器人和虚拟助理正在简化牙科诊所的日常工作，可以完成处理预约安排、患者咨询和计费流程等任务。牙科专业人员借助自动化则能够更加专注于患者护理。

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Shot of female doctor talking with earphone while explaining medical treatment to patient through a ... [+] video call with computer in the consultation

6\. **Teledentistry and Remote Patient Care** : Teledentistry, supported by AI, is expanding access to dental care, particularly in rural areas. It allows dentists to diagnose and treat patients remotely, using videoconferencing technologies. While teledenistry cannot replace all in-person functions of a dental practitioner, it can enhance quality of care to under-served areas as well as provide more rapid response in dental emergency situations.

6、远程牙科服务和病人护理：远程牙科服务在人工智能的支持下可以扩大牙科护理的覆盖范围，尤其是在偏远地区。牙医可以利用视频会议技术远程诊断和治疗病人。虽然远程牙科服务不能取代牙科医生的所有面对面服务功能，但可以提高未得到充分服务地区的护理质量，还可以在牙科紧急情况下提供更快速的响应。

## Concerns and Future Outlook

担忧与未来展望

Despite these advancements, dental professionals do have concerns regarding the use of AI. Data privacy, reliability of AI systems, ethical considerations, and the cost of implementing AI technologies are the primary concerns. Additionally, there is apprehension about potential job displacement because of AI automation. However, many dentists believe AI will positively impact dentistry, particularly in treatment planning and diagnostics in addition to elevating the quality of care to patients in more rural areas.

尽管取得了上述的进展，但牙科专业人士对人工智能的使用仍存在一些担忧。数据隐私、人工智能系统的可靠性、伦理考虑以及实施人工智能技术的成本是主要的担忧。此外，还有人担心人工智能自动化可能导致工作岗位流失。不过，许多牙医认为，人工智能将对牙科产生积极影响，尤其是在治疗规划和诊断方面，此外还能提高偏远地区患者的护理质量。

Overall, AI in dentistry is an evolving field with immense potential to transform patient care, improve diagnostic accuracy, and streamline operational efficiency. While challenges remain, particularly in terms of privacy and ethical considerations, the future of AI in dentistry looks promising, with continuous advancements paving the way for a new era in dental care. So, perhaps, we will see an AI robot doing our teeth cleaning in a near future dental visit.

总体而言，人工智能在牙科领域是一个不断发展的领域，在改变患者护理、提高诊断准确性和简化运营效率方面潜力巨大。虽然挑战依然存在，特别是在隐私和伦理方面，但人工智能在牙科领域的未来前景看好，其不断进步将为牙科护理的新时代铺平道路。因此，也许在不久的将来，我们在看牙医时就会看到人工智能机器人为我们洗牙。