international research led by The University of Hong Kong School of Dentistry has developed and tested a new AI model to screen for gingivitis or gingival inflammation from intra-mouth images.
Investigation result
This study, one of the first to look at the use of AI in the detection of gingivitis, utilized 550 gingival images with varying degrees of inflammation.
based on The new AI model identifies signs of inflammation such as redness, swelling and bleeding along the gingiva with greater than 90% accuracy, according to research results published in the International Dental Journal, the official journal of the World Dental Federation. can.
Researchers from the Computer Science Department of Chuhai College of Hong Kong, the Department of Information Engineering, Guangdong University of Science and Technology, and the Department of Dentistry, National University of Malaysia also participated in the study.
why it matters
Gingival inflammation is an important indicator of periodontal disease. Early detection can help prevent and manage adjacent oral and systemic diseases such as tooth loss, cardiovascular disease and diabetes..
The research team now aims to extend the application of the AI model to community services, increasing access to dental care for the elderly and underserved communities.
the bigger trend
In the field of dentistry, applications of AI have been increasing in recent years, from detecting caries to predicting treatment results and designing artificial teeth.
In the US, startups such as VideaHealth and Overjet have developed an AI-powered tool that can also help detect periodontal disease. Pearl recently introduced its FDA-approved AI diagnostic support tool, Second Opinion, to Australia and New Zealand.
on record
“Many patients do not have regular dental check-ups, have end-stage dental disease, see a dentist for pain relief only when tooth loss is unavoidable and only expensive rehabilitation treatments are available. Our study suggests that AI will become a valuable screening tool in detecting and diagnosing periodontal disease, one of the key indicators of periodontal disease, leading to early intervention and improved public health outcomes. It may allow for improvements,” said Dr. Walter Yuhan Lam, one of the study’s principal investigators. explained.
