Detection of Periapical Lesions Using Artificial Intelligence: A Narrative Review.

Abstract

Periapical lesions (PALs) are a common sequela of pulpal pathology, and accurate radiographic detection is essential for successful endodontic diagnosis and treatment outcome. With recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), deep learning systems have shown remarkable potential to enhance the diagnostic accuracy of PALs. This study highlights recent evidence on the use of AI-based systems in detecting PALs across various imaging modalities. These include intraoral periapical radiographs (IOPAs), panoramic radiographs (OPGs), and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). A literature search was conducted for peer-reviewed studies published from January 2021 to July 2025 evaluating artificial intelligence for detecting periapical lesions on IOPA, OPGs, or CBCT. PubMed/MEDLINE and Google Scholar were searched using relevant MeSH terms, and reference lists were hand screened. Data were extracted on imaging modality, AI model type, sample size, subgroup characteristics, ground truth, and outcomes, and then qualitatively synthesized by imaging modality and clinically relevant moderators (i.e., lesion size, tooth type and anatomical surroundings, root-filling status and effect on clinician's performance). Thirty-four studies investigating AI models for detecting periapical lesions on IOPA, OPG, and CBCT images were summarized. Reported diagnostic performance was generally high across radiographic modalities. The study results indicated that AI assistance improved clinicians' performance and reduced interpretation time. Performance varied by clinical context: it was higher for larger lesions and lower around complex surrounding anatomy, such as posterior maxilla. Heterogeneity in datasets, reference standards, and metrics limited pooling and underscores the need for external validation and standardized reporting. Current evidence supports the use of AI as a valuable diagnostic platform adjunct for detecting periapical lesions. However, well-designed, high-quality randomized clinical trials are required to assess the potential implementation of AI in the routine practice of periapical lesion diagnosis.