USAGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE DIGITAL PROTOCOL OF DESIGNING AND MANUFACTURING STABILIZATION OCCLUSAL SPLINTS

Background: Conservative treatment strategies for temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and sleep bruxism emphasize non-invasive stabilization, typically utilizing occlusal splints. Traditional analog fabrication, involving physical impressions and laboratory acrylic processing, is prone to volumetric errors and patient discomfort. Advanced intraoral scanning, cloud computing, and Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) workflows have transformed splint manufacturing.
Purpose: This study evaluates the direct involvement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) paired with digital dental systems to streamline the digital design and 3D printing fabrication of occlusal splints.
Material and Methods: A digital workflow was established at the PHI UDCC St. Panteleimon – Skopje, involving patients diagnosed with temporomandibular dysfunction. Digital workflows utilizing intraoral scanning, cloud-based design software powered by AI automation (SprintRay Cloud Design), and NextGen biocompatible polymers (SprintRay NightGuard Flex) were utilized.
Results: The AI automated boundary alignment and undercut calculations, facilitate high-precision designs. Utilizing advanced 3D printers (SprintRay Pro 2), print preparation times were minimized, decreasing potential laboratory structural discrepancies and optimizing clinical workflow timelines.
Conclusion: Incorporating AI algorithms into digital dental manufacturing facilitates same-day splint delivery, providing anatomical precision and predictable biomechanical adaptation. Meticulous long-term tracking remains mandatory to firmly evaluate the exact clinical accuracy across emerging printing systems.