Abstract
The recent advancements in digital technologies have led to exponential progress in dentistry. This narrative review aims to summarize the applications of Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality in dentistry and describes future challenges in digitalization, such as Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality represent effective tools in the educational technology, as they can enhance students’ learning and clinical training. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality and can also be useful aids during clinical practice. Augmented Reality can be used to add digital data to real life clinical data. Clinicians can apply Virtual Reality for a digital wax-up that provides a pre-visualization of the final post treatment result. In addition, both these technologies may also be employed to eradicate dental phobia in patients and further enhance patient’s education. Similarly, they can be used to enhance communication between the dentist, patient, and technician. Artificial Intelligence and Robotics can also improve clinical practice. Artificial Intelligence is currently developed to improve dental diagnosis and provide more precise prognoses of dental diseases, whereas Robotics may be used to assist in daily practice.
Highlights
Dentistry is benefiting from the development of modern digital transformation
During the retrieval of the scientific literature on the potential uses of Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics in the dental field, we found research from multiple disciplines, such as dental education, restorative dentistry, endodontics, dental surgery, preventive dentistry
Exclusion Criteria Opinion or narrative discussions that did not report on the use of virtual and or augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and robotics in dentistry
Summary
Dentistry is benefiting from the development of modern digital transformation. Three-dimensional (3D) digital technology as well as computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing represent modern-day dentistry [1]. Innovations have been introduced in the dental field to improve dental education and clinical activity. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) represent some of these innovations (Figure 1) and are part of the reality–virtuality continuum [2]. Traditional digital technologies in dentistry are structured into a three-step procedure which can be summarized as follows: (1) the digital image is acquired by a scanning device; (2) the operator can modify or change different dental aspect digitally, such as position or orientation of teeth; (3) the new information is transferred back to solid state or remain digital as a wax-up. AR and VR possess many common aspects, the outcomes and the users’ experience are completely different
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