Development of a Facial Analysis Digital Tool With the Assistance of Artificial Intelligence: a Pilot Study

Objectives: Artificial intelligence (AI) is a science developing machines that autonomously mimic human intelligence. It is expected that the development of AI in dentistry can result in a significant improvement in patient care. The objective of the present study was to develop an AI based application for smartphones (APP), capable of performing facial measurements, through a frontal photograph, to determine an index of facial symmetry in patients.
Methods: To validate the app, four different smartphones were used to analyze 105 students from the School of Dentistry at the University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (29 men and 77 women). During the photography and manual measurements of the face, participants were instructed to maintain their habitual maximum intercuspation and to keep a neutral expression (without smiling). A previously calibrated professional performed manual measurements using digital calipers, evaluating various anthropometric points on the face. The results were analyzed in Sigma Plot to investigate the correlation between the measurements obtained through smartphones, and these results were compared to those obtained manually.
Results: It was possible to observe that the values obtained from the smartphones agreed with the values obtained manually. There was no statistically significant difference between manufacturers, operating systems, and camera quality.
Conclusions: The use of the tool for obtaining various facial measurements through a single photograph proved to be simple and more practical when compared to the use of calipers.