THE ACCURACY OF AI-ASSISTED IMAGING DIAGNOSIS VERSUS CONVENTIONAL EVALUATION OF DENTAL PROFESSIONALS

The accurate detection of dental caries is crucial for effective treatment planning and prevention of disease progression.Artif icial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a valuable tool in odonto-periodontal imaging, offering potential improvements in diagnostic accuracy compared to traditional methods employed by dental professionals.This study aimed to compare the accuracy of AI-assisted odontoperiodontal imaging in detecting dental caries with diagnoses established by general dentists, specialists, and senior specialists.Materials and methods: A comparative analytical study was conducted on a sample of 60 dentists categorized into three professional groups-general dentists, specialists, and senior specialists-alongside AI diagnostics using the Planmeca Romexis platform.Results: High-quality panoramic radiographs (OPG) representing various carious lesions were analyzed independently by all participants.Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26.0, employing chi-square and ANOVA tests to assess differences among groups.Senior specialists and AI reported the highest number of detected lesions, with AI demonstrating a lower standard deviation, indicating greater consistency.The ANOVA test confirmed significant differences in caries detection across groups (F=18.849,p<.001), hig hlighting the superior diagnostic performance of AI.Conclusions: This study demonstrates the significant advantages of AI-assisted diagnostic tools in dental-periodontal imaging, particularly in the detection of carious lesions.