Eur Endod J. Ahead of Print: EEJ-37232 | DOI: 10.14744/eej.2025.37232

Artificial intelligence in the study of root and canal anatomy: A comprehensive review on applications, advantages, challenges and future directions

Hany MohamedAly Ahmed¹, Arwa Al-Maswary⁸, Mohamed Habaebi³, Abdulkadir Tasdelen⁹, Mohammed AbdullahSalim Al Husaini¹⁰, Hoda Elnawawy¹, Muaiyed Mahmoud Buzayan¹, Noor Azlin Yahya¹, Aeman Elkezza¹, Hithem Ahmed⁶, Paul Dummer^7
1Department of Restorative Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, Faculty of Dentistry, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
²Department of Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Sana’a University, Sana’a, Yemen
³Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
⁴Department of Software Engineering, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Ankara, Turkiye
⁵Department of Computer Studies, Arab Open University (AOU), Muscat 130, Oman
⁶Chief Technology Officer, Cegedim, Cairo, Egypt
⁷Department of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
⁸Department of Restorative Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, Faculty of Dentistry, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Department of Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Sana’a University, Sana’a, Yemen
⁹Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Department of Software Engineering, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Ankara, Turkiye
¹⁰Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Department of Computer Studies, Arab Open University (AOU), Muscat 130, Oman

A thorough understanding of tooth anatomy is essential for all endodontic therapies. Over the last two decades, technological advances in 3D imaging have revealed the complexities of root and canal anatomy. Recently, artificial intelligence (AI) models have been developed and are being applied to a range of fields within medicine and dentistry. There is an emerging trend for the application of this technology in 2D and 3D imaging tools to study the anatomical features of roots and canals. This narrative review provides a comprehensive analysis of AI applications in the study of root and canal anatomy and their implications for education, research and clinical practice. The analysis reveals that AI applications for the study and teaching of root and canal anatomy are promising; however, more investigations are warranted with larger datasets to provide more accurate deep learning models. Students, researchers and clinicians should understand the inherent limitations of AI data generated from 2D and 3D imaging devices. Future studies are needed to assess what effect deep learning models have on the diagnostic and operative clinical skills of students and dental practitioners when managing teeth with different levels of anatomical complexities.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, deep learning, dental pulp cavity, machine learning, neural networks, root and canal anatomy

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