Digitalization of dental hygiene: application of artificial intelligence

Abstract

Abstract. The implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in dental practice opens new opportunities for improving dental hygiene and prevention of oral diseases. Despite the growing number of digital solutions, their systematization and effectiveness evaluation remain insufficiently studied. Objective. To analyze modern methods of artificial intelligence application in the field of dental hygiene, determine their clinical effectiveness and prospects for implementation in dental practice in Ukraine. Materials and methods. Scientific publications from 2018-2024 from international databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were analyzed. Additionally, a pilot study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of AI-powered smart toothbrushes among 45 patients aged 18-45 years over 6 months, assessing OHI-S, SBI indices, and satisfaction levels. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Bogomolets National Medical University (protocol №125 dated 15.09.2023). Results. Six main areas of AI application in dental hygiene were identified: intelligent monitoring systems, image analysis and pathology recognition, personalized prevention programs, virtual assistants, training systems, and disease risk prediction. The pilot study revealed a significant (p<0.01) decrease in OHI-S indices (from 2.3±0.4 to 0.8±0.2) and SBI (from 1.8±0.3 to 0.6±0.2) in the smart toothbrush user group compared to the control group, as well as a high level of user satisfaction (86%). Conclusions. The application of AI in dental hygiene demonstrates significant potential for improving the prevention of dental diseases. The results of the pilot study confirm the effectiveness of using smart toothbrushes to improve oral hygiene indicators. For widespread implementation, issues of validation, data protection, accessibility, and integration with existing healthcare systems need to be addressed.