TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploring a decade of deep learning in dentistry
T2 - A comprehensive mapping review
AU - Sohrabniya, Fatemeh
AU - Hassanzadeh-Samani, Sahel
AU - Ourang, Seyed AmirHossein
AU - Jafari, Bahare
AU - Farzinnia, Golnoush
AU - Gorjinejad, Fatemeh
AU - Ghalyanchi-Langeroudi, Azadeh
AU - Mohammad-Rahimi, Hossein
AU - Tichy, Antonin
AU - Motamedian, Saeed Reza
AU - Schwendicke, Falk
PY - 2025/2/19
Y1 - 2025/2/19
N2 - OBJECTIVES: Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly deep learning, has significantly impacted healthcare, including dentistry, by improving diagnostics, treatment planning, and prognosis prediction. This systematic mapping review explores the current applications of deep learning in dentistry, offering a comprehensive overview of trends, models, and their clinical significance.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following a structured methodology, relevant studies published from January 2012 to September 2023 were identified through database searches in PubMed, Scopus, and Embase. Key data, including clinical purpose, deep learning tasks, model architectures, and data modalities, were extracted for qualitative synthesis.RESULTS: From 21,242 screened studies, 1,007 were included. Of these, 63.5% targeted diagnostic tasks, primarily with convolutional neural networks (CNNs). Classification (43.7%) and segmentation (22.9%) were the main methods, and imaging data-such as cone-beam computed tomography and orthopantomograms-were used in 84.4% of cases. Most studies (95.2%) applied fully supervised learning, emphasizing the need for annotated data. Pathology (21.5%), radiology (17.5%), and orthodontics (10.2%) were prominent fields, with 24.9% of studies relating to more than one specialty.CONCLUSION: This review explores the advancements in deep learning in dentistry, particulary for diagnostics, and identifies areas for further improvement. While CNNs have been used successfully, it is essential to explore emerging model architectures, learning approaches, and ways to obtain diverse and reliable data. Furthermore, fostering trust among all stakeholders by advancing explainable AI and addressing ethical considerations is crucial for transitioning AI from research to clinical practice.CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This review offers a comprehensive overview of a decade of deep learning in dentistry, showcasing its significant growth in recent years. By mapping its key applications and identifying research trends, it provides a valuable guide for future studies and highlights emerging opportunities for advancing AI-driven dental care.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly deep learning, has significantly impacted healthcare, including dentistry, by improving diagnostics, treatment planning, and prognosis prediction. This systematic mapping review explores the current applications of deep learning in dentistry, offering a comprehensive overview of trends, models, and their clinical significance.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following a structured methodology, relevant studies published from January 2012 to September 2023 were identified through database searches in PubMed, Scopus, and Embase. Key data, including clinical purpose, deep learning tasks, model architectures, and data modalities, were extracted for qualitative synthesis.RESULTS: From 21,242 screened studies, 1,007 were included. Of these, 63.5% targeted diagnostic tasks, primarily with convolutional neural networks (CNNs). Classification (43.7%) and segmentation (22.9%) were the main methods, and imaging data-such as cone-beam computed tomography and orthopantomograms-were used in 84.4% of cases. Most studies (95.2%) applied fully supervised learning, emphasizing the need for annotated data. Pathology (21.5%), radiology (17.5%), and orthodontics (10.2%) were prominent fields, with 24.9% of studies relating to more than one specialty.CONCLUSION: This review explores the advancements in deep learning in dentistry, particulary for diagnostics, and identifies areas for further improvement. While CNNs have been used successfully, it is essential to explore emerging model architectures, learning approaches, and ways to obtain diverse and reliable data. Furthermore, fostering trust among all stakeholders by advancing explainable AI and addressing ethical considerations is crucial for transitioning AI from research to clinical practice.CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This review offers a comprehensive overview of a decade of deep learning in dentistry, showcasing its significant growth in recent years. By mapping its key applications and identifying research trends, it provides a valuable guide for future studies and highlights emerging opportunities for advancing AI-driven dental care.
KW - Deep Learning
KW - Dentistry
KW - Humans
KW - Deep learning
KW - Neural networks
KW - Diagnostic imaging
KW - Artificial intelligence
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85219127157
U2 - 10.1007/s00784-025-06216-5
DO - 10.1007/s00784-025-06216-5
M3 - Review
C2 - 39969623
SN - 1432-6981
VL - 29
JO - Clinical Oral Investigations
JF - Clinical Oral Investigations
IS - 2
M1 - 143
ER -