Effects of Artificial Intelligence-assisted Dental Monitoring Intervention in Patients with Periodontitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Effects of Artificial Intelligence-assisted Dental Monitoring Intervention in Patients with Periodontitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Periodontal disease, caused by dental plaque, is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults over 35 years of age. Dental plague continues to form on the surface of the teeth and contains bacteria that release toxins and damage the gums and alveolar bone. Strengthening periodontal disease patients to adherence to oral care behaviors and reduce plaque index is indispensable in the treatment of periodontal disease. In this project, we employed an AI platform as our monitoring tool: DENTAL MONITORING® (DM). This is a new technological AI monitoring product that utilizes smartphone cameras for scanning, which not only checks the conditions of a patient’s gums, mucous, and teeth but also determines whether the patient has good oral hygiene. The AI application is easy to operate, can help patients observe their own oral conditions at home, and reminds patients to make an appointment with a dentist, the latter of which increases the frequency of dental visits. Our aim was to examine the effects of homecare AI on the plaque control and periodontal treatment in patients with periodontal disease.

The newly diagnosed patients in the periodontology department were recruited and randomly assigned into three groups: the AI group (AI; n = 16), the AI & humanized counseling group (AIHC; n = 17), or the control group (CG; n = 20). All participants received clinical non-surgical periodontal therapy (scaling and root planing) and one-to-one oral hygiene instruction. The participants in AI group used the AI platform to provide AI assessment and reminder. The participants in AIHC group received the AI monitoring and additional oral health counseling by a consultant. Baseline and follow-ups periodontal status were collected including plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment loss (CAL).

      After intervention, the AI and AIHC groups exhibited significantly greater improvement in probing pocket depth, clinical attachment level and plaque index (all P < 0.05) at 3-month follow-up than the CG did. Patients of the AI-assisted health consultation showed better treatment outcomes and plaque control than patients who used AI platform alone.

AI intervention flowchart

Application and Highlights:

1.This is the first study to employ an AI smartphone monitoring platform as a tool for oral health

consultation and intervention.

2.AI-assisted dental monitoring can be used in clinical practices to strengthen adherence to preventive behaviors after periodontal surgeries in order to reduce plaque and improve treatment outcomes.

Research Team Members: Hsiao-Ling Huang, DrPH (Principal investigator), Kang-Ling Shen, MS, Chiung-Lin Huang, DDS, Ying-Chun Lin, PhD, Je-Kang Du, DDS, PhD, Fu-Li Chen, PhD, Yuji Kabasawa, DDS, PhD, Chih-Chang Chen, MS.

Representative Department: Department of Oral Hygiene, College of Dental Medicine.

Introduction of Research Team: This study was conducted jointly by the Oral Health Promotion and Care Lab in Department of Dental Hygiene in Kaohsiung Medical University, Division of Periodontics in Department of Dentistry in Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, and School of Oral Health Care Sciences in Tokyo Medical and Dental University in Japan. This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan [grant number MOST109-2314-B037-074, MOST110-2314-B-037-037-MY2].

Contact Email: hhuang@kmu.edu.tw

Publication: Journal of Clinical Periodontology, June 17 2022; Issue 10 (Volume 49): p. 988-998

Full-Text Article: https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpe.13675