Artificial Intelligence in Oral Medicine: Current Potential and Future Scenarios

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful tool in healthcare (1), progressively reshaping the field of oral medicine. Among its most promising applications is its role in diagnostics, where AI has the potential to enhance accuracy, optimize clinical decision-making, and improve workflow efficiency (2). Just as minimally invasive surgical techniques have been developed to reduce postoperative morbidity (3), AI is increasingly being employed to improve preoperative planning, identifying the most appropriate candidates for such procedures and thereby further minimizing surgical risks and complications. While many AI-driven approaches are still in the experimental phase, the growing body of evidence suggests that these technologies could significantly contribute to the early detection of potentially malignant oral lesions, facilitating prompt intervention and improved patient outcomes (4, 5). At present, the diagnosis of suspicious lesions in the head and neck region is based on a combination of clinical examination, imaging, and histopathological analysis (6, 7).