Revolutionizing dental surgery with AI

 

Researchers in engineering are exploring smart dental implant surgery planning for personalized care with predictable outcomes

Grant and Award Announcement

Texas A&M University

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Texas A&M University researchers Dr. Yuxiao Zhou, assistant professor in the J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Dr. Jaesung Lee, assistant professor in the Wm Michael Barnes ’64 Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, have been awarded the 2024 Seed Program for AI, Computing, and Data Science award. 

Their project, “Toward Smart Orthopedic Surgery Planning by using Physics-Informed Machine Learning,” was selected as one of the top ten proposals in a competitive cycle featuring 39 submissions from researchers across three institutions.

Dental implant surgeries are critical for enhancing the quality of life, particularly among the aging population. However, their success depends on achieving optimal mechanical stress levels in the surrounding bone during chewing to prevent bone loss from insufficient loading and avoid bone fracture due to excessive loading. 

Implant success is complicated by challenges such as delayed bone healing and age-related bone loss in older individuals and varying bone stiffness. Current methods for measuring bone stiffness are often invasive, computationally costly, or lack accuracy, creating a need for innovative and practical patient-specific solutions.

To address this, Dr. Zhou and Dr. Lee are developing a hybrid biomechanical physics-informed machine learning model. Their approach combines experimentally measured bone deformation data with governing physics and a robust machine learning framework, enabling precise, personalized predictions of mechanical stress in the bone. This innovation provides an efficient tool for patient-specific dental surgery planning, optimizing bone healing and ensuring long-term implant success.

“Our model will revolutionize surgical planning by delivering personalized, computationally efficient treatment plans with predictable outcomes,” said Dr. Zhou.

The project also highlights interdisciplinary collaboration, leveraging Dr. Lee’s expertise in machine learning for healthcare systems to address a long-standing clinical challenge. The success of this work has the potential to extend beyond dental implants, offering advancements for other surgical applications in healthcare.

This award highlights Texas A&M’s commitment to research in AI, computing, and data science that drive solutions with real-world impacts.

By Maddy Busby, Texas A&M Engineering

Regular dental flossing may lower risk of stroke from blood clots, irregular heartbeats

 

Research Highlights:

• People who regularly floss their teeth (one or more times per week) may lower their risk of stroke caused by a blood clot traveling from the heart and a stroke associated with an irregular heartbeat such as atrial fibrillation (AFib).
• The benefits of regular flossing may be independent of tooth brushing and other oral hygiene behaviors.
• Researchers suggest that flossing is a healthy habit that is affordable, easy to adopt and accessible everywhere.
• Note: The study featured in this news release is a research abstract. Abstracts presented at the American Heart Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary until published as full manuscripts in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Flossing your teeth at least once a week may be linked to a lower risk of stroke caused by a blood clot blocking brain blood flow and irregular heartbeats, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2025. The meeting is in Los Angeles, Feb. 5-7, 2025, and is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health.

“A recent global health report revealed that oral diseases — such as untreated tooth decay and gum disease — affected 3.5 billion people in 2022, making them the most widespread health conditions,” said study lead author Souvik Sen, M.D., M. S., M.P.H, chair of the Department of Neurology, Prisma Health Richland Hospital and the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia, South Carolina. “We aimed to determine which oral hygiene behavior — dental flossing, brushing or regular dentist visits — has the greatest impact on stroke prevention.”

The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, one of the first large-scale investigations of this kind in the U.S., assessed the home use of dental floss through a structured questionnaire of more than 6,000 people. Among those who reported flossing, 4,092 had not experienced a stroke, and 4,050 had not been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation (AFib).

Participants were asked about their status regarding high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, body mass index, education, regular brushing and dentist visits. During the 25 years of follow-up, 434 participants were identified as having strokes, of which 147 were larger artery brain clots, 97 were heart-driven clots and 95 were hardening of the smaller arteries. Additionally, 1,291 participants were noted to have experienced AFib.

The analysis found:

• Flossing was associated with a 22% lower risk of ischemic stroke, 44% lower risk of cardioembolic stroke (blood clots traveling from the heart) and 12% lower risk of AFib.
• The associated lower risk was independent of regular brushing and routine dental visits or other oral hygiene behaviors.
• Increasing the frequency of flossing had a greater chance of stroke risk reduction.
• Flossing was also associated with a lower chance of cavities and periodontal disease.

Researchers were surprised by the reduction of irregular heartbeats, or AFib. AFib is the most common form of irregular heartbeat. It can lead to stroke, heart failure or other cardiovascular complications. More than 12 million people are projected to have AFib in the United States by 2030, according to the American Heart Association’s 2025 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics.

“Oral health behaviors are linked to inflammation and artery hardening. Flossing may reduce stroke risk by lowering oral infections and inflammation and encouraging other healthy habits,” Sen said. “Many people have expressed that dental care is costly. Flossing is a healthy habit that is easy to adopt, affordable and accessible everywhere.”

Study limitations include that data were based on answers to a questionnaire, and the 25-year follow-up appears to have focused on stroke and heart outcomes only. There was no follow-up concerning flossing or other oral behaviors over the years, Sen said.

“This study offers more insights into the specific dental health behaviors that may be linked to stroke risks and potential risk reduction. With further research, dental health practices could possibly be incorporated into the "Life's Essential 8" risk factors, which include diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep, body mass index, blood pressure, blood glucose and blood lipids,” said Daniel T. Lackland, Dr.P.H., FAHA, American Heart Association EPI and Stroke Council member and professor of epidemiology and director of the Division of Translational Neurosciences and Population Studies in the department of neurology at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Lackland was not involved in this study.

Study background, and details:

• The study began in 1987 and is ongoing.
• Of the 6,258 participants, 82% were self-reported white adults and 18% Black adults. Their average age was 62 years and 55% were women.
• Potential participants were excluded if they had total tooth loss, dental implants, heart disease, organ transplant, artificial joints, implanted heart valve or stent or major surgery.

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the manuscript.

Statements and conclusions of studies that are presented at the American Heart Association’s scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. Abstracts presented at the Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, rather, they are curated by independent review panels and are considered based on the potential to add to the diversity of scientific issues and views discussed at the meeting. The findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Over 1/3 of parents say their child has experienced dental problems that reflect oral hygiene habits

 

More than a third of parents say their child doesn’t regularly brush teeth twice a day, many kids don’t follow other dental recommendations like flossing

Reports and Proceedings

Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

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More than one in three parents say their child has faced issues like tooth decay, cavities, stained teeth, gum concerns or tooth pain over the past two years, a national poll suggests.

And these problems were linked to children’s oral care routine, more commonly experienced among those who skipped dental hygiene recommendations or followed them less often, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.

“Maintaining oral health from a young age, including regular brushing and flossing, helps prevent tooth decay, gum disease and other issues that make it difficult for children to eat and speak clearly,” said Mott Poll Co-Director Sarah Clark, M.P.H.

“Over a third of parents in our poll reported their child does not regularly brush twice a day - the most basic level of oral hygiene.”

The nationally representative report is based on 1,801 responses from parents with at least one child aged 4-17 polled in August 2024.

Oral hygiene practices often neglected

Sixty-four percent of parents say their child brushes their teeth twice a day and roughly 60% say brushing lasts for at least two minutes.

But fewer parents say their child consistently follows other oral health recommendations. For example, only a third of parents report their child regularly brushes the tongue, and less than a quarter floss regularly, which helps remove hard-to-reach food remnants between the teeth.

Both the tongue and the crevices between teeth are areas that harbor bacteria that cause tooth decay, gum disease or bad breath, Clark notes.

In between brushing, rinsing the mouth with water after consuming sugary foods or beverages can help to prevent the sugar from adhering to the teeth; however, only 15% of parents report their child regularly uses this strategy.

Overall, just one in five parents say their child does at least four of the top six recommended oral health tasks on all or most days — with less consistency reported among boys than girls. Children who followed fewer practices and did them less frequently had more oral health challenges.

“Regular oral health prevents plaque buildup and keeps gums healthy by preventing inflammation, bleeding, and infection,” Clark said. “Teaching kids the importance of a comprehensive oral hygiene routine sets the foundation for lifelong oral health.”

Over a third of parents polled have also noticed that their child has bad breath, which was more common among children who only followed one or less oral hygiene practices all or most days.

Most parents attribute their child’s bad breath to “morning breath” or lack of brushing or flossing while less than a quarter cited smelly food, mouth breathing or dental problems.

“Neglecting oral health habits is not only harmful for overall health but can increase the risk of discolored teeth and bad breath, which can be embarrassing for children and cause low self-esteem,” Clark said.

To improve oral hygiene, she adds, parents need to find ways to ensure that all family members have enough time in the morning and evening while also making sure children are brushing and flossing correctly.

Dental visits essential for catching problems early

Most parents polled say their child’s most recent dentist visit was within the past year, but 7% said it was one to two years ago and 4% said it’s been more than two years. Parents reporting their child follows 0-1 oral hygiene recommendations all or most days are also more likely to say their child has not had a dental visit in over a year

The American Dental Association recommends a dental visit every six months to discover early signs of decay, monitor the growth of teeth, and educate children and families on oral hygiene, Clark says.

“Each child’s oral health needs are unique. Dentists can provide tailored recommendations; for example, some children will benefit from sealants or fluoride varnish to protect the teeth from sources of decay,” she said.

“Early detection allows for timely intervention, often reducing the need for more invasive treatments later.”

 

Non-opioid pain relievers beat opioids after dental surgery

A combination of acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) controls pain after wisdom tooth removal better than opioids, according to a Rutgers Health study that could change how dentists treat post-surgical pain.

The trial in more than 1,800 patients found that those given a combination of ibuprofen and acetaminophen experienced less pain, better sleep and higher satisfaction compared with those receiving the opioid hydrocodone with acetaminophen.

“We think this is a landmark study,” said Cecile Feldman, dean of Rutgers School of Dental Medicine and lead author of the study. “The results actually came in even stronger than we thought they would.”

Dentists, who rank among the nation’s leading prescribers of opioids, wrote more than 8.9 million opioid prescriptions in 2022. For many young adults, dental procedures such as wisdom tooth extraction are their first exposure to opioid medications.

“There are studies out there to show that when young people get introduced to opioids, there's an increased likelihood that they're going to eventually use them again, and then it can lead to addiction,” said study co-investigator Janine Fredericks-Younger, adding that opioid overdoses kill more than 80,000 Americans each year.

To compare opioid and non-opioid pain relief, the researchers conducted a randomized trial on patients undergoing surgical removal of impacted wisdom teeth, a common procedure that typically causes moderate to severe pain.

Half the patients received hydrocodone with acetaminophen. The other half got a combination of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Patients rated their pain levels and other outcomes, such as sleep quality, over the week following surgery.

Results in The Journal of American Dental Association showed the non-opioid combination provided superior pain relief during the peak-pain period in the two days after surgery. Patients taking the non-opioid medications also reported better sleep quality on the first night and less interference with daily activities throughout recovery.

Patients who received the over-the-counter combo were only half as likely as the opioid patients to require additional "rescue" pain medication. They also reported higher overall satisfaction with their pain treatment.

“We feel pretty confident in saying that opioids should not be prescribed routinely and that if dentists prescribe the non-opioid combination, their patients are going to be a lot better off,” Feldman said.

The study's size and design make it particularly notable. With more than 1,800 participants across five clinical sites, it's one of the largest studies of its kind. It also aimed to reflect real-world medication use rather than the tightly controlled conditions of many smaller pain studies.

“We were looking at the effectiveness – so how does it work in real life, taking into account what people really care about,” said Feldman, referring to the study’s focus on sleep quality and the ability to return to work.

The findings align with recent recommendations from the American Dental Association to avoid opioids as first-line pain treatment. Feldman said she hopes they will change prescribing practices.

“For a while, we've been talking about not needing to prescribe opioids,” Feldman said. “This study’s results are such that there is no reason to be prescribing opioids unless you've got those special situations, like medical conditions preventing the use of ibuprofen or acetaminophen.”

Members of the research team said they hope to expand their work to other dental procedures and pain scenarios. Other researchers at the school are testing cannabinoids for managing dental pain.

“These studies not only guide us on how to improve current dental care,” said Feldman, “but also on how we can better train future dentists here at Rutgers, where we constantly refine our curriculum the light of science."