Medical Science: Updates and Prospects Vol. 10

Dental radiology provides the diagnostic foundation for a broad spectrum of clinical decisions in oral health care, from the detection of early approximal caries to the three-dimensional planning of complex surgical procedures. Over the past three decades, the discipline has undergone substantial transformation: the transition from conventional film-based image receptors to digital platforms, and subsequently to volumetric three-dimensional imaging via cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), has fundamentally expanded diagnostic capability while simultaneously intensifying scrutiny of radiation safety practices. At the forefront of an emerging technological wave, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are beginning to reshape the interpretation of dental radiographic data, offering the prospect of improved diagnostic consistency and enhanced workflow efficiency, though the evidence supporting their clinical deployment remains incompletely established. Despite major advances in dental imaging technologies, significant gaps remain regarding evidence-based clinical justification, radiation safety optimisation, standardised regulatory guidance, and the real-world applicability of emerging artificial intelligence and advanced imaging systems.

This chapter presents a critical narrative review of the principal diagnostic applications of dental radiography across intraoral, panoramic, and CBCT modalities; evaluates the evidence base for radiation protection principles, dose estimation, and clinical guidelines; and critically appraises the scientific evidence for emerging technologies including AI-assisted image analysis, optical coherence tomography (OCT), three-dimensional digital workflow integration, and dental magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Literature was identified through comprehensive searches of multiple academic and field-specific databases covering publications from 2000 to 2026, supplemented by selected pre-2000 foundational studies. The review identifies persistent evidence gaps, particularly regarding prospective outcome data for AI-assisted diagnosis and population-level dosimetric studies for newer CBCT acquisition protocols. It further highlights inconsistencies in the application of radiographic guidelines across clinical settings and underscores the need for more rigorous evaluation frameworks as emerging technologies enter routine practice. The chapter concludes that while dental radiology has advanced considerably in technical sophistication, translating those advances into uniformly safe, equitable, and evidence-based diagnostic practice remains a substantive and ongoing challenge for the profession. Future research should prioritise multicentre prospective clinical trials, longitudinal radiation exposure assessments, externally validated AI models, and internationally harmonised imaging protocols to support safer, more evidence-based, and clinically generalisable implementation of advanced dental imaging technologies.