A Bibliometric Analysis of the Field of Artificial Intelligence in Cariology

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study is to examine the development trends and dynamics of research on the use of artificial intelligence in dental caries diagnosis, to identify the strengths and limitations of the existing literature, and to guide future research. Methods: A literature search was conducted using the Web of Science database, covering articles published before 3 June 2024. Pilot searches were conducted and 883 studies were reached. After the specified scanning and filtering processes, the study was carried out on 270 publications. In the bibliometric analysis, the Biblioshiny R package as well as the features of Web of Science and VOSviewer software were used for visualizations. Microsoft Excel was used to tabulate the data. Results: There is a general increase in the number of articles published each year. A total of 3081 citations were made to publications on the use of artificial intelligence in cariology. The average number of citations per article was found to be 11.41, and the H index was 29. The most cited country was Germany (581 citations), and the most influential author was Falk Schwendicke. On the basis of institutions, the highest contribution was made by Charite University Medicine Berlin (19 articles, 475 citations). Conclusion: Since 2008, and particularly since 2018, the utilisation of artificial intelligence (AI) in the investigation of dental caries and oral and dental diseases has garnered increasing interest. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be said to be a groundbreaking discovery that will be increasingly applied in various branches of dentistry.