Oral hygiene monitoring can be performed for all patients, whether they are preparing to start treatment, actively undergoing orthodontic treatment, or in the post-treatment phase. By providing regular feedback on oral hygiene, DentalMonitoring helps patients stay engaged and maintain healthy habits throughout their orthodontic journey.
Plaque and Food Residue Classification Levels
Hygiene assessment is based on predefined AI thresholds that classify each tooth into No Plaque, Slight, or Noticeable.
No Plaque / Food Residue
No visible dental plaque or food residue is detected on the teeth or appliances.
Slight Amount of Dental Plaque
A mild amount of visible plaque is present on a tooth or appliance.
A thin plaque layer
Limited surface coverage
Early-stage accumulation
Note: food residue is never classified as Slight, any visible food residue is automatically Noticeable (see below).
Noticeable Amount of Dental Plaque or Food Residue
A moderate to heavy amount of visible plaque is present.
Thicker plaque deposits
Increased surface coverage, often obscuring the underlying enamel
More established accumulation
Any visible food residue, regardless of size, is classified as Noticeable.
Please note that all classifications are based solely on visible findings in the submitted images. A patient may present generally good oral hygiene overall but still receive a Noticeable classification if a localized area shows significant accumulation of plaque or food residue (for example, in an interproximal region).
How Are Patients Notified?
Patient messages are determined by the doctor's protocol settings.
Doctors can choose to:
Notify patients as soon as Slight Amount of Dental Plaque is detected.
Notify patients only when Noticeable Amount of Dental Plaque/Food residue is detected.
Create customized protocols based on treatment type, age group, or other clinical considerations.
For example, a practice may decide to:
Notify young patients with braces when a slight amount of plaque is detected.
Notify adult aligner patients only when a noticeable amount of plaque is present.
What Areas Are Evaluated for Plaque and Food Residue?
Buccal Surfaces of Teeth
Plaque and food residue are evaluated only on the visible buccal surfaces of the teeth. Lingual, palatal, and occlusal surfaces are not assessed.
Aligners and Removable Appliances
Plaque accumulation inside aligners and removable appliances is also assessed. Findings are classified as either Slight or Noticeable, depending on the amount of visible plaque. These notifications are displayed with "(Appliance)" in the notification label.
Orthodontic Auxiliaries
Plaque accumulation on orthodontic auxiliaries — such as brackets, power chains, buttons, hooks, and similar appliances — is also assessed. When plaque covers one of these auxiliaries, the tooth associated with that auxiliary is included in the notification.
Oral Soft Tissues
White plaque-like lesions, patches, or other abnormalities located on the oral soft tissues (mucosa) are assessed under the Mucosa Irregularity category.
The Six-Tooth Threshold
If six or more teeth within the upper or lower arch are affected, the notification is displayed at the arch level (upper or lower arch), instead of listing individual teeth.
Additional Information
In some cases, small buccal calculus deposits or small amounts of light-colored food debris may resemble dental plaque and therefore be classified as plaque by the system.
DentalMonitoring also includes a dedicated Buccal Dental Calculus category.
Each scan is evaluated independently based on the images submitted, regardless of findings from previous scans.
If you have further questions, feedback or notice any inconsistencies, please reach out to your Customer Experience Team via live chat or email us at support@dental-monitoring.com