La digital dentistry nella pratica clinica dell’odontoiatra pediatrico: una scoping review

OBJECTIVES The aim of the present paper was to provide the status of digital technologies in paediatric dentistry, highlighting in detail the clinical situations in which it has become an indispensable resource and highlighting the innumerable advantages, proceeding through a review of the available evidence. MATERIALS AND METHODS This scoping review was performed in accordance with the statement of “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses” (PRISMA) for scoping reviews; an electronic search was performed in PubMed and Web of Science databases, up to July 2023. “Paediatric Dentistry,” “digital workflow or 3D or Technology” were used as keywords. The included studies were case reports, cohort studies, case-control studies and randomized clinical trials, published in English and conducted in the pediatric population. RESULTS After removing duplicates and applying the inclusion criteria, 58 studies were selected. The application of digital technology mainly involved 5 different areas of paediatric dentistry including: digital radiography, conservative dentistry, orthodontics, teledentistry and treatment of special needs patients. In digital radiology, the combination with artificial intelligence is the main innovation, giving us new diagnostic realities such as, for example, in the early diagnosis of supernumerary teeth. Regarding conservative dentistry, the introduction of the intraoral scanners and CAD/CAM systems allow the fabrication of indirect restorations in a precise, fast, minimally invasive and reducing the number of appointments, a detail that is often appreciated by the parents of young patients. Digital has undoubtedly completely changed orthodontics, from model diagnosis and analysis, set up and treatment previsualization, aligners and device fabrication with a complete digital workflow. On the other hand, with respect to teledentistry, an increasing number of apps are being proposed and used to control and improve oral hygiene, manage dental anxiety, and also monitor the progress of orthodontic therapy. Finally, digital technology provides different tools to manage special needs patients, as is the case of the rehabilitation of cleft lip and palate patients. CONCLUSIONS Based on the outcome of the studies evaluated in this review, it is possible to conclude that digital technology is now part of the clinical practice of paediatric dentistry as well, and that it has brought improvements in all the areas analyzed that are essential nowadays. From diagnosis to therapy, digital technology has changed our clinical habits, raising more interest in the little patient, reducing discomfort in various procedures and improving communication with patients and parents. Considering the high speed at which technology is progressing, it is the responsibility of every clinician to remain up-to-date with the latest developments in the field. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE The implementation of simple, safe, and effective clinical procedures is what practices should aspire in our practices; the introduction of digital technology embrac es this paradigm by simplifying the clinician’s management of the paediatric patient and making the dental experience more pleasant for the little patient.