Pearl announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a U.S. Patent No. 11,676,701 entitled “Systems and methods for automated medical image analysis.” This patent grants Pearl the exclusive rights to the computer system technology supporting the application programming interface (API) of its chairside AI disease detection software, Second Opinion.

This patent covers the machine learning models used to generate and train image data depicting dental radiographs. Within Second Opinion, several machine learning models localize, classify, and detect a wide array of pathologies, existing restorations, and natural anatomy in bitewing, periapical and panoramic dental radiographs.

Pearl’s patented system then presents the AI’s findings in real-time for patient-facing display in the dental operatory, allowing dentists to display, review, add, or reject the system’s detections while conducting exams.

With the most robust range of FDA-cleared clinical AI detection capabilities on the market, dental professionals using Second Opinion AI can detect pathologies in x-rays with 37% more accuracy.

“Pearl’s position as the leading AI provider in the dental category rests on the quality of the innovation we bring to dentists and practices,” said Cambron Carter, co-founder and CTO of Pearl. “This patent reflects the ingenuity at the core of our company and is a testament to our continued dedication to empowering dentists and patients with state-of-the-art technology.”

This is the tenth patent granted for Pearl’s dental AI technology and the second covering Second Opinion’s breakthrough technology.

In 2021, Pearl was issued a grant for Systems and Methods for Automated Medical Image Annotation, which covers technologies underlying Second Opinion’s display of detections in dental x-rays. With medical regulatory clearances for clinical pathology detection in over 100 countries, this patent marks another important milestone for the company’s effort to revolutionize the future of global dentistry with AI.