Moonshot thinking in periodontology

Digital technology is changing every aspect of dental clinics, as well as daily life—although this fact is no longer major news. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) was introduced in the early 2000s in dental clinics, and thereafter it has become routine to perform treatment planning, diagnosis and 3-dimensional (3D) reconstruction with the help of CBCT technologies. Likewise, 3D digital imaging technology, in combination with static and dynamic navigation, is supporting dental surgeons to place dental implants in more accurate and ideal positions. Desktop and handheld digital scanners are routinely used in the dental implant field, and this innovative technology is now being used to revisit conventional periodontal studies [1]. Artificial intelligence and deep learning technologies are now starting to enter the spotlight as the next major innovations in the field [2].