Dentistry has changed dramatically during my career.

Some of those changes are obvious to patients: digital imaging, computer-guided treatment planning, improved dental materials and increasingly precise restorative techniques.

Others are happening largely behind the scenes.

Artificial intelligence can now assist clinicians in analyzing dental images. Three-dimensional printing can create remarkably precise dental models, surgical guides and prosthetic devices. Researchers are investigating stem cells, tissue engineering and biological signaling as potential ways of repairing or perhaps someday regenerating damaged dental tissues.

And scientists continue to pursue one of dentistry’s most ambitious goals:

Could we someday biologically replace a tooth rather than restore or replace it artificially?

The answer today is not yet.

But the research behind that question is becoming increasingly sophisticated.

As a practicing dentist, I think that distinction is important. New technology deserves excitement, but patients also deserve perspective.

“The most exciting technology in dentistry isn’t necessarily the newest machine. It’s technology that allows us to diagnose more accurately, preserve more healthy tissue and provide treatment more predictably.”

— Marielaina Perrone, DDS

Here is where some of dentistry’s most promising technologies actually stand today.

1. Artificial Intelligence Is Becoming a Second Set of Eyes

Artificial intelligence is probably the technology patients are hearing about most frequently.

But AI in dentistry isn’t about replacing the dentist.

Its most practical role is much simpler:

Helping clinicians recognize patterns in enormous amounts of information.

Dental AI systems can analyze radiographs and other images and highlight areas that may warrant closer examination.

Potential applications include identifying or evaluating:

• Dental decay
• Bone levels
• Periodontal changes
• Periapical abnormalities
• Anatomical structures
• Implant sites
• Orthodontic relationships
• Other radiographic findings

A large 2025 overview examining 116 systematic reviews found encouraging diagnostic performance across dental specialties. In the higher-quality evidence included in its meta-analysis, AI diagnostic accuracy generally ranged from approximately 82% to 95%.

That’s impressive.

But it doesn’t mean the computer should make the diagnosis.

“I view AI as another source of information not a substitute for clinical judgment. An algorithm can identify something on an image, but it doesn’t know the patient sitting in my chair, their history, their symptoms, or what I see clinically.”

— Dr. Marielaina Perrone, DDS

That’s an important distinction.

AI Can See Patterns, Dentists Still Treat Patients

A radiograph is only one piece of a diagnosis.

Imagine AI identifies an area that could represent decay.

I still need to evaluate the tooth.

Is the finding clinically significant?

Is the lesion active?

What does the tooth look like?

Does the patient have symptoms?

What is their caries risk?

Is intervention necessary now, or would monitoring be more appropriate?

Those decisions require context.

A 2025 systematic review of AI in dental imaging found that most included studies reported high diagnostic performance and concluded that AI has considerable potential to enhance diagnostic precision and clinical decision-making.

I believe the best future for dental AI is therefore:

AI + dentist, rather than AI instead of dentist.

2. AI May Make Dental Diagnosis More Consistent

One of AI’s most interesting potential benefits isn’t simply finding disease.

It’s consistency.

Humans can interpret the same image somewhat differently. Experience, image quality, fatigue and the subtlety of a finding can influence interpretation.

An AI system can evaluate an image using the same underlying criteria repeatedly.

That potentially gives dentists an additional layer of information when reviewing radiographs.

It may also become valuable for tracking changes over time.

Instead of merely asking:

“Is there bone loss?”

future systems may become increasingly useful for asking:

“Has this patient’s bone level measurably changed since their previous examination?”

That kind of longitudinal analysis could be especially useful in periodontal care.

But again, AI output should be interpreted within the patient’s complete clinical picture.

3. AI Is Moving Into Treatment Planning

Diagnosis isn’t the only application.

AI is being investigated for:

Orthodontic planning

Dental implant planning

Image segmentation

Restorative dentistry

Risk prediction

Treatment simulations

A recent systematic review and meta-analysis involving more than 60,000 radiographic images found strong overall diagnostic performance from AI systems used in dental diagnosis and treatment-planning applications.

As these systems improve, I expect dentists will increasingly use AI to analyze information before making the final clinical decision.

For patients, that could eventually mean more efficient planning and better visualization of treatment options.

4. 3D Printing Is Already Changing Dentistry

Unlike some futuristic dental technologies, 3D printing is already very real.

Dental laboratories and practices use additive manufacturing to create patient-specific objects from digital designs.

Current applications can include:

• Dental models
• Surgical guides
• Dentures
• Temporary restorations
• Occlusal guards
• Orthodontic appliances
• Certain crowns and prostheses
• Tissue-engineering scaffolds

Recent scientific reviews confirm that 3D printing is now integrated across numerous dental specialties, including prosthodontics, orthodontics, oral surgery, periodontics and endodontics.

The advantage is personalization.

Every mouth is different.

Digital scanning combined with computer design and manufacturing makes it possible to create something based on the anatomy of one particular patient.

5. But Are 3D-Printed Crowns Better Than Traditional Crowns?

This is where marketing sometimes gets ahead of science.

You’ll hear claims suggesting that 3D printing has essentially made conventional restorative dentistry obsolete.

It hasn’t.

Research published in 2026 evaluating 3D-printed resins for definitive dental restorations found promising properties but also important limitations. Mechanical performance remained below that of many established CAD/CAM materials, while evidence regarding long-term behavior and biocompatibility remained limited.

Another recent evidence review found that 3D-printed restorations can achieve clinically acceptable dimensional accuracy, but milled restorations continue to offer advantages in precision in certain definitive applications.

And a 2026 umbrella review concluded that while printed resins show encouraging short-term performance for selected restorations, evidence remains insufficient to establish their true long-term durability compared with established milled materials.

That’s why I wouldn’t tell a patient:

“3D printed is automatically better.”

I would ask:

What material and manufacturing method gives this particular patient the best result?

“Digital dentistry gives us more options. But more options don’t eliminate judgment. I still want the material and technique with the right combination of fit, strength, aesthetics and long-term predictability for that particular restoration.”

— Dr. Marielaina Perrone, DDS

6. 3D Printing Could Become Even More Important in Implant Dentistry

One of the most valuable applications of digital technology is implant planning.

Digital scans and three-dimensional imaging can help clinicians understand:

• Bone anatomy
• Available space
• Implant position
• Restorative requirements
• Important anatomical structures

A digitally planned surgical guide can then help transfer that treatment plan to the patient’s mouth.

That’s very different from claiming that we can simply “print a dental implant.”

The real advancement is the ability to connect imaging → planning → design → guided treatment with increasing precision.

And that represents a larger trend occurring throughout dentistry.

7. Regenerative Dentistry May Ultimately Be the Biggest Revolution

Artificial intelligence helps us analyze.

3D printing helps us manufacture.

Regenerative dentistry asks an entirely different question:

Can we persuade the body to repair itself?

This is an extraordinary area of research involving:

Stem cells

Growth factors

Biomaterials

Tissue-engineering scaffolds

Cell signaling

Regenerative endodontics

Instead of simply replacing damaged biological tissue with an artificial material, researchers are exploring whether we can stimulate biological repair or regeneration.

Some forms of regenerative treatment already exist clinically particularly techniques designed to encourage bone and periodontal regeneration.

But regenerating an entire natural adult tooth is a much greater challenge.

8. Can Stem Cells Regrow Dental Tissue?

Stem cells have attracted enormous interest because they can differentiate into specialized cell types.

Dental tissues themselves contain stem-cell populations, making them particularly interesting for regenerative research.

Scientists are investigating whether these cells might eventually help regenerate:

• Dental pulp
• Dentin
• Periodontal structures
• Bone
• Other oral tissues

A 2025 systematic review examining stem cells in regenerative endodontics found encouraging evidence for dental-pulp regeneration, including favorable findings from animal research and early clinical investigation.

However, the researchers emphasized that long-term safety and clinical effectiveness still require validation through randomized clinical trials before widespread adoption.

That’s a much more accurate picture than saying dentists are about to start growing replacement teeth.

The science is promising.

The clinical reality is still developing.

9. Could We Actually Regrow an Entire Tooth?

This is perhaps the most fascinating question in regenerative dentistry.

Researchers in Japan, including work associated with Dr. Katsu Takahashi, have investigated biological pathways involved in tooth development and whether suppressing particular proteins could stimulate additional tooth formation.

Animal studies generated considerable attention because they suggested that manipulating these biological pathways could promote tooth development under certain circumstances.

This has fueled legitimate research into therapies that might eventually benefit people with congenital tooth agenesis—individuals born without certain teeth.

But there is a huge difference between:

stimulating tooth development under carefully selected biological circumstances

and

allowing any adult who loses a molar to simply grow another one.

We aren’t at the second scenario.

And I would remove the old article’s prediction that naturally regenerated replacement teeth would be available by late 2025. That didn’t happen.

10. Why Growing a Tooth Is Much Harder Than It Sounds

A tooth isn’t simply a piece of enamel.

To regenerate a functional natural tooth, researchers potentially need to recreate an extraordinarily complex biological structure involving:

Enamel

Dentin

Pulp

Blood vessels

Nerves

Root structure

Periodontal ligament

Supporting bone

And then the tooth has to erupt or develop in the correct location, orientation and relationship to the opposing teeth.

That’s a remarkable engineering challenge.

Which is why I find the research exciting but don’t expect dental implants, bridges or conventional restorative dentistry to disappear anytime soon.

11. Regenerating Bone and Gum Tissue Is Much Closer to Everyday Dentistry

Regenerative dentistry doesn’t have to mean growing an entire tooth.

Some of the most clinically meaningful advances involve helping the body regenerate tissues supporting existing teeth or dental implants.

Modern dentistry can use combinations of:

• Bone grafting materials
• Membranes
• Biologically active materials
• Growth-promoting approaches
• Advanced surgical techniques

to create conditions that encourage the body to rebuild certain tissues.

Periodontal regeneration and bone augmentation are already important parts of contemporary dentistry.

Future biomaterials may make these processes even more predictable.

12. Nanotechnology and Smarter Dental Materials

Another fascinating area of research involves dental materials that do more than simply fill space.

Scientists are studying materials capable of interacting with the oral environment.

Future restorative materials may increasingly be designed to:

Release beneficial ions

Reduce bacterial activity

Encourage remineralization

Respond to changes in oral acidity

Mimic natural tooth properties more closely

Researchers are also investigating nanoparticles and nanostructured materials for restorative dentistry, preventive care and tissue regeneration.

The long-term goal is intriguing:

Instead of a restoration being biologically passive, could it actively help protect the tooth around it?

13. Laser Dentistry and Minimally Invasive Treatment

Technology is also supporting one of the philosophies I value most:

Preserve healthy natural tooth structure whenever possible.

Lasers have established applications in selected soft- and hard-tissue procedures.

Digital magnification, improved imaging, adhesive dentistry and increasingly precise instruments can also allow clinicians to work more conservatively.

But “minimally invasive” doesn’t simply mean using a laser.

It means making a thoughtful diagnosis and removing or altering only as much tissue as necessary to accomplish the clinical objective.

“Technology is most valuable to me when it helps preserve something natural. If better diagnostics allow me to identify a problem earlier or a better technique allows me to preserve more healthy tooth structure, that’s meaningful progress.”

— Marielaina Perrone, DDS

What Will a Dental Visit Look Like in the Future?

I don’t think the dental office of the future will feel like science fiction.

Instead, many technologies will quietly become part of everyday care.

A patient may have a digital scan rather than a conventional impression.

AI may provide an additional analysis of diagnostic images.

Three-dimensional software may help plan an implant or restoration.

A surgical guide may be digitally designed and printed.

New restorative materials may better mimic natural tooth properties.

And regenerative therapies may increasingly help us preserve tissues that previously could not be repaired.

The technology will become more sophisticated.

But from the patient’s perspective, the goal remains remarkably traditional:

A healthy, comfortable, functional and natural-looking smile.

Will Artificial Intelligence Replace Dentists?

I don’t believe so.

AI can recognize patterns remarkably well.

It cannot replicate the complete relationship between dentist and patient.

It doesn’t feel a tooth.

It doesn’t understand why a particular aesthetic result matters emotionally to someone.

It doesn’t see subtle facial expressions when a patient is anxious.

It doesn’t integrate every medical, functional, aesthetic and personal consideration the way an experienced clinician does.

And it doesn’t sit beside a patient and discuss whether treatment is actually right for them.

The future of dentistry isn’t dentist versus technology. It’s dentists using better technology to practice better dentistry.

The Part of Dentistry Technology Cannot Replace

I’ve watched dentistry evolve for more than two decades.

Materials improve.

Imaging improves.

Computers become faster.

Techniques change.

Artificial intelligence will continue improving.

And some technologies we currently consider experimental may eventually become routine.

But I don’t believe dentistry will ever become simply an engineering problem.

Patients aren’t data sets.

Every smile has different anatomy, health considerations, expectations, priorities and history.

That’s why clinical experience and judgment become more important, not less important, as dentists gain access to more technology.

“I want technology to give me better information and better tools. But the final question will always be the same: What is the right treatment for the person sitting in front of me?”

— Dr. Marielaina Perrone, DDS

Frequently Asked Questions About the Future of Dentistry

Is AI currently being used in dentistry?

Yes. AI-based systems are already being used and studied for dental imaging analysis, diagnostic support, orthodontics, implant planning and other applications. Research demonstrates promising diagnostic performance, although clinical oversight remains essential.

Can dentists 3D print crowns?

Certain crowns and other restorations can be produced using additive manufacturing. However, material selection and clinical indication matter. Current evidence does not support assuming that 3D-printed materials are superior to established milled or conventional restorative materials for every definitive restoration.

Can scientists grow new teeth?

Researchers are actively studying tooth regeneration, developmental signaling, stem cells and tissue engineering. However, routine biological replacement of a lost adult tooth is not currently available clinical dentistry.

Are stem cells currently used to regrow teeth?

No. Stem-cell research in dental regeneration is promising, particularly in areas such as pulp regeneration, but additional clinical research is necessary before many of these therapies can become routine.

Will dental implants become obsolete?

There is currently no reason to expect that. Dental implants remain an established treatment for appropriately selected patients with missing teeth. Biological tooth regeneration could eventually create new options, but that technology remains investigational.

Is newer dental technology always better?

No. The appropriate technology depends upon the patient, diagnosis, treatment objective, available evidence and clinician’s judgment.

A More Exciting and More Human Future for Dentistry

The future of dentistry isn’t simply about robots, algorithms or machines.

It’s about seeing disease sooner.

Planning treatment more precisely.

Preserving more healthy tissue.

Creating restorations more efficiently.

Understanding oral disease at the biological level.

And perhaps one day helping the body regenerate structures we currently have to replace artificially.

AI, 3D printing and regenerative medicine are bringing us closer to some of those goals.

Some innovations are already transforming clinical dentistry.

Others remain promising research.

And a few ideas that sound extraordinary today may eventually become commonplace.

But there is one principle I don’t expect to change.

Technology should support the relationship between dentist and patient—not replace it.

That is the future of dentistry I find most exciting.

About Marielaina Perrone

Dr. Marielaina Perrone, DDS, is a trusted cosmetic and family dentist in Henderson, NV, known for helping patients achieve healthy, beautiful smiles through personalized, compassionate care. With more than 20 years of clinical experience, she combines advanced dental expertise with an artistic eye to deliver exceptional results in porcelain veneers, dental implants, smile makeovers, periodontal therapy, Botox, dermal fillers, and facial aesthetic treatments.

A graduate with honors from Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine, Dr. Perrone remains committed to lifelong learning and regularly pursues advanced continuing education in cosmetic dentistry, implant dentistry, and facial aesthetics. Her comprehensive approach focuses on enhancing oral health, facial harmony, and overall confidence through customized treatment plans tailored to each patient’s unique goals.

Dr. Perrone is passionate about patient education, preventive care, and building lasting relationships founded on trust, communication, and comfort. She believes every patient deserves individualized attention and treatment that supports both long-term health and a confident smile.

Proudly serving Henderson, Green Valley, Las Vegas, Summerlin, and surrounding communities, Dr. Perrone is dedicated to providing modern, patient-centered dentistry in a welcoming environment. Outside the office, she enjoys cooking, staying active, spending time with family, and participating in community activities throughout the Las Vegas Valley.

Reviewed for Clinical Accuracy

This article has been written and clinically reviewed by Marielaina Perrone, DDS, to ensure it reflects current evidence-based dentistry and the personalized philosophy of care practiced at her Henderson, Nevada office.

Last Reviewed: August 2026

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