Internet of Things (IoT) shaping dentistry

Some dental practitioners are already using IoT technologies to improve patient care and reduce costs. For example, a dentist can reduce patient wait time by using a smart phone app that provides real-time information about the latest patient appointment availability. The doctor can then contact patients via their smartphone and book an appointment right away. Similarly, you can see the real-time status of each of your patients and keep track of their treatment progress and payments.

The use of IoT in dentistry – alternatively known as Internet of Dental Things (IoDT) – is however not limited to productivity or patient management apps. The technology can be applied to the clinical and treatment aspects as well. Some examples include measuring the position and force of a hand drill; laser ablation; and even monitoring how much sugar is being ingested by a patient.

IoT has the potential to improve clinical outcomes by reducing errors and improving quality of care. The technology can also help create a “smart” dental clinic, with data being gathered on how patients interact with their dentists and how they react to different treatments.

In this article, we will explore some of the current applications that exemplify the uses of IoT in everyday dentistry. But first, let’s figure out what IoT actually means.

What Is IoT?

IoT is defined as the interconnection of physical devices and the network infrastructure. It’s what most of us think about when we talk about a “connected world” where objects, people, and the Internet are linked together through the power of digital technology.

The technology encompasses more than just computers and digital networks, but extends to the physical objects around us that interact and communicate with each other. IoT has been applied to a number of industries, including manufacturing, transportation, healthcare, energy, and security.

There are three main types of IoT: the physical world, the virtual world, and the Cloud.

The physical world represents the physical objects that are part of the IoT network, such as sensors, wearables, and smartphones. Devices connected to the IoT network can send data over a variety of protocols. One protocol is based on Wi-Fi, which uses radio waves to connect computing devices.

The virtual world of IoT represents the information that is collected from devices connected to the IoT network. The Cloud is a computer processing system that handles all data sent over the Internet. IoT creates data that is valuable to individuals, companies and governments.

Data collected by IoT devices can be used for numerous purposes, such as analyzing customer habits or providing security in a public area. There are various types of data that can be collected. Sensors help collect information about a physical object. Some common sensors include accelerometers, capacitive sensors, and motion sensors.

Machine learning describes the ability of a computer to learn and process information that is acquired from sensor data. For instance, a sensor could be attached to a drill that monitors the amount of force being applied by the dentist during a procedure. If the force is too high, a warning could be sent to the dentist.

Current applications of IoT in dentistry

Pearlii

This is an app that patients can install on their iphones or android phones. It offers fast dental checks to enable self-tracking and monitoring of one’s oral health. Using artificial intelligence, the Pearlii smartphone app is able to scan photos for common dental problems and provide instantaneous oral health advice. It not only offers free check-ups from anywhere you are, the AI-enabled tips and suggestions are said to be tailored and personalised to the user. Touted as “world-first AI trained by dentists”, the Pearlii software is purportedly backed by a team of dentists examining thousands of dental images, which in turn trains the company’s algorithm how to identify dental problems.

Toothscan

Toothscan is essentially a smart scanner that is connected to an app for real-time monitoring. It uses an AI-enabled spectrometry to help consumers catch dental problems by analyzing the dental health of its users. For example, the toothbrush-sized device is said to be able to detect cavities just as they’re just beginning to form. It also to the app that allows the storage of each scanned data. The smart device, primarily designed for early caries detection to help patients prevent the need for fillings, can even predict calorie intake based on the collected data.

The spectrometer works by emitting a powerful light that reflects off the surface of the teeth. In so doing, the software is able to pick up, measure and interpret Irregular reflections. The app also offers real-time expert advice from dentists based on the data analysis put out by the device. The company is currently working on a Toothscan Pro for dentists.

Kolibree

Manufacturer of the world’s first connected electric toothbrush that was unveiled at CES 2014, Kolibree went on to be showcased at some of the biggest technology platforms today, including Apple WWDC and Google I/O. Imagine a smart connected toothbrush – with embedded artificial intelligence – that creates tailored recommendations based on your individual brushing patterns. Kolibree toothbrushes are reinventing oral care by generating bespoke guidance for your daily oral care regime, in perhaps akin to what you can expect from a personalised oral hygiene expert.

It does this by tracking the user’s brushing movements and analyzing them multiple times per second. They even offer an offline mode so you won’t have to bring your smartphone into the bathroom. The kid-version of the product, named Magik, lets the little ones brush their teeth with an augmented reality (AR) experience that “gamifies” the cleaning process.

The IoT Diet Wearable

Developed by Scientists at the Tufts University School of Engineering, this wearable RFID sensor sticks to a single tooth for the purpose of tracking a user’s diet.

Communicating wirelessly with a mobile device, the tooth-mounted sensor is able to transmit information on the intake of glucose, salt, and alcohol. Measuring just 2mm x 2mm, the sensor provides dentists and medical professionals insights into the dietary habits of the wearer, based on chemical changes in their mouth.

Potential benefits include supporting the treatment of food intolerances, allergies and eating disorders. The miniature device can also assist dentists in preventive work, detecting problems before they become more serious.

Said Fiorenzo Omenetto, corresponding author of the study and Professor of Engineering at the University:

“In theory, we can modify the bio-responsive layer in these sensors to target other chemicals – we are really limited only by our creativity.

“We have extended common RFID technology to a sensor package that can dynamically read and transmit information on its environment, whether it is affixed to a tooth, to skin, or to any other surface.”

Smart Dental Implants

X-rays currently offer the best method to monitor jaw health following the placement of a dental implant. What if a sensor can be embedded within the dental implant itself to perform that task?

This new type of sensor is the brainchild of Prof Alireza Hassanzadeh and two graduate students at Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. Integrated within dental implants, their sensor is designed to passively monitor bone growth, thus eliminating the need for multiple x-rays of the jaw.

Made of titanium and poly-ether-ether-ketoneIt, the sensor passively measures changes in the surrounding electrical field (capacitance) to monitor bone growth. The scientists have created two designs, to enable both short- and long-term monitoring.

Embedded into a dental implant using microfabrication methods, the sensors do not require battery power.

“When the bone is forming around the sensor, the capacitance of the sensor changes,” said Prof Hassanzadeh.

By capturing the changes in capacitance value the device monitors the changes in surrounding bone growth over time. The results are then conveyed to a reader device which transfers the measurements into a data logger.  

According to the professor, the sensor still needs to be optimized for size and different implant shapes. Clinical experiments are underway to trial different kinds of dental implant patients. “We plan to commercialize the device after some clinical tests and approval from FDA and authorities,” says Prof Hassanzadeh.

Diagnocat

Ever thought of engaging an AI virtual assistant that helps out in every area of the practice from patient communication to image storage and processing to treatment planning?

Diagnocat was designed for all that, delivering cutting edge technologies to enlighten your decision-making processes.

Acting as your personal dental assistant Diagnocat offers a global view of your patients’ dental health by collecting and storing data. The AI-powered smart system can analyze the patient’s tooth anatomy, condition and even spot anomalies. Based on your uploaded scans, it can provide insights that support your overall medical opinion. 

Diagnocat can even guide your patients at the treatment planning stage. Communicating in clear layperson terms, the system is said to have been trained to explain dental conditions and involve patients in the decision-making process about what to expect for the treatment.

Taking about 5 minutes, the Diagnocat can automatically perform routine image check-up tasks such as examination uploading, saving, editing, sharing, screening of diagnostic images, etc.

Spotimplant

This AI-based software allows you to identify the an unknown implant based on any x-ray image you supply. Using Proprietary Deep Learning algorithm, Spotimplant is designed to analyse an image by comparing it against over 3500 implant models.

Purportedly designed and reviewed by implantology experts, the AI technology is able to identify your implant from a simple periapical radiograph – even predict technical features, dimensions and most similar implants!

All you need to do is upload a radiograph of an unknown implant that has confounded you and your colleagues and let the AI assistant send you an identification report shortly.

In the meantime, you get to browse through the search engine that contains all the technical information and catalogues of implant models available in the Spotimplant database. Even discontinued brands are included to help you locate the suppliers and compatible components.