Artificial intelligence integrated with CAD/CAM for automated design of dental restorations

Computer-aided design and manufacturing has transformed restorative dentistry, but the design step remains a manual and operator-dependent bottleneck. Artificial intelligence has been proposed to automate it. This narrative review synthesizes the integration of artificial intelligence with CAD/CAM for the automated design of dental restorations across five thematic axes: margin and preparation detection, automated restoration design, fit and quality assessment, manufacturing integration, and workflow and human-machine collaboration. The review draws on sources published up to 2025. The evidence shows that artificial intelligence can detect preparation margins, generate restoration designs, and assess fit, with accuracy approaching that of human technicians in the best studies, but the studies are small, heterogeneous, and mostly in vitro, and the transfer of the automated designs to clinically acceptable restorations is not yet established. The main limitation is the gap between the geometric accuracy that the models achieve and the clinical acceptability that the restorations require. The review concludes that artificial intelligence is a promising assistant to the CAD/CAM workflow rather than a replacement for the technician, and that the field should validate the automated designs clinically before unattended use can be recommended.