Facial biotype classification for orthodontic treatment planning using an alternative learning algorithm for tree augmented Naive Bayes

Abstract

Abstract Background When designing a treatment in orthodontics, especially for children and teenagers, it is crucial to be aware of the changes that occur throughout facial growth because the rate and direction of growth can greatly affect the necessity of using different treatment mechanics. This paper presents a Bayesian network approach for facial biotype classification to classify patients’ biotypes into Dolichofacial (long and narrow face), Brachyfacial (short and wide face), and an intermediate kind called Mesofacial, we develop a novel learning technique for tree augmented Naive Bayes (TAN) for this purpose. Results The proposed method, on average, outperformed all the other models based on accuracy, precision, recall, $$F_{1}\hbox {-score}$$ F 1 -score , and kappa, for the particular dataset analyzed. Moreover, the proposed method presented the lowest dispersion, making this model more stable and robust against different runs. Conclusions The proposed method obtained high accuracy values compared to other competitive classifiers. When analyzing a resulting Bayesian network, many of the interactions shown in the network had an orthodontic interpretation. For orthodontists, the Bayesian network classifier can be a helpful decision-making tool.