July 2022
Artificial intelligence technology has a lot of successful applications in various fields such as image and speech recognition. More recently, Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN), a branch of deep neural networks, can generate missing data from trained networks.
Dr. Richard Tai-Chiu Hsung, an Associate Professor from the Department of Computer Science of Chu Hai College of Higher Education, recently collaborated with the Faculty of Dentistry of The University of Hong Kong (HKU) to develop a new method for automatically designing personalized dentures using artificial intelligence to improve treatment efficiency and patient experience.
The study focused on generating one missing tooth using 3D GAN. 175 participants are recruited at HKU, 3D models of dentures were scanned, and the digital data was preprocessed using an automated program we developed for data preparation for network training. The 3D GAN can then automatically learn from this data to generate missing teeth.
In preliminary studies, our 3D GAN was able to reconstruct a shape similar to the original tooth in 60 percent of the cases. We are now working on more AI training data and improving the network design of 3D GAN.
The study entitled “Artificial intelligence-designed single molar dental prostheses: A protocol of prospective experimental study” is published in the journal PLoS ONE.
The preliminary results of the study were presented in the recent International Association of Dental Research (IADR) General Session. The study won the IADR Neal Garrett Clinical Research Prize and First runner-up in the 2022 IADR-SEA Hatton Award – Senior Category.
The research team members
Chu Hai College of Higher Education
Dr Richard Tai-Chiu Hsung, Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science
HKU Faculty of Dentistry
Dr Walter Lam, Clinical Assistant Professor in Prosthodontics
Dr Reinhard Chau, Research Assistant in Restorative Dental Sciences and Applied Oral Sciences & Community Dental Care
Professor Colman McGrath, Clinical Professor in Dental Public Health
Dr Khaing Myat Thu, Senior Research Assistant in Restorative Dental Sciences
A&B: Superimposition of teeth for comparison (left). Measurement of the geometric morphology and 3D position by locating the anatomical landmarks of a tooth such as cusp tips and fossae as well as the center of a tooth (arrowed) respectively (right).
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0268535.g007
A & B: Example of a maxillary teeth model (left) and a mandibular teeth model (right). C: Demonstration of maxillary teeth model and its antagonist mandibular teeth model at the maximal intercuspal position.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0268535.g006
Research team member From Left to right:
Dr Richard Tai-Chiu Hsung, Professor Colman McGrath, Dr Reinhard Chau, Dr Khaing Myat Thu and Dr Walter Lam.
