PREDICTION OF ESTHETIC OUTCOMES USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN DENTISTRY: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly being incorporated into Digital Dentistry as a support tool for image analysis, treatment planning, and clinical decision-making. In esthetic dentistry, its applications include facial and dental analysis, digital smile design, selection of morphological and chromatic parameters, and generation of preoperative simulations. This narrative review aimed to analyze the main applications of AI in predicting esthetic dental outcomes, as well as its benefits, limitations, ethical aspects, and challenges for clinical use. Publications from 2021 to June 2026 were considered, retrieved from PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, and Google Scholar, in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. The literature indicates that AI may automate planning steps, reduce digital design time, support patient communication, and assist in tasks such as proportion analysis and shade selection. However, specific evidence for AI-based smile design remains limited: a 2025 scoping review found only four eligible studies among 2,653 initially identified records. Recent comparative studies also show that the esthetic performance of automated systems may be acceptable, but is not uniform and remains dependent on data quality, algorithm, clinical task, and human assessment. Issues involving database representativeness, external validation, transparency, privacy, bias, and professional responsibility remain central. AI therefore has relevant potential to improve the predictability and efficiency of esthetic planning, but should be used as an adjunct to clinical judgment, with adequate validation and compliance with ethical and legal principles.