Are You Ready For A Robot Dentists Artificial Intelligence and Robotics?

It’s no secret that the robots are coming for our jobs — coming to retail outlets, coming to sales counters, coming to construction sites, coming to the work office. While the medical arena will withstand some of this penetration of robots, eventually, it will happen in dentistry. Robotics in dentistry is a possibility now.

Would you be willing to undergo a dental cleaning performed by a robot? How about a root canal? Autonomous gum surgery, anyone? What if the robotic procedure was offered at half-price?

What’s ahead for Artificial Intelligence & Robotics in Dentistry?

The term artificial intelligence (AI) and the official pursuit of intelligent machines in the scientific community actually dates to a 1956 conference of researchers from Dartmouth and IBM.

Technology and people do not have to compete. Machines are better at crunching numbers, remembering things, finding patterns, lifting heavy objects, and moving with precision; humans are better at tasks that involve creativity, abstract thinking, and uncertainty. Collaborating with AI systems, we can augment and amplify many aspects of work and life.

First Dental Implant installed by a Robot Dentist

In China, two dental implants were installed on a woman by a robot dentist. Although human doctors supervised the procedure, they did not actively intervene. Instead, the robot followed a set of pre-programmed commands to do the dental implant procedure. The implants were fitted within a 0.2-0.3 mm margin of error, which matches the standard for this type of process.

Developed by Stomatological Hospital and Beihang University, the technology was created to address the shortage of qualified dentists and frequent surgical errors in mainland China by combining dental expertise and technological benefits.

The robot does the surgery without human intervention, hence, preventing faults brought by human error. Due to the tiny space inside the mouth and areas that are difficult to see, oral surgery is usually complicated to administer.

Robotics in dentistry has increased their visibility by assisting dentists with various dental procedures, including root canal procedures and orthodontic treatments. Robots have also aided students in their dental training.

Will Robots Replace Dentists?

Economists and scientists say robots will be taking orders at drive-thru restaurants soon. Robots may even be changing the oil in cars or rotating tires. But will robots clean teeth, perform a root canal, or fill a cavity?

Americans say: “Not so fast.” As eager as many sectors are to embrace artificial intelligence and robots, dental patients are only lukewarm to the idea of an autonomous machine operating within the tight confines of their mouths.

Robots have been around for decades in the medical field and have not yet replaced doctors. However, robots can be an excellent tool to improve the precision of certain procedures, such as dental fillings, crowns, bridges, dental implants, and more. – Friedman told Healthline

“Robotic dentistry” looks promising, especially with the advancements in technology in recent years. Artificial intelligence is already changing the platform of Dentistry with Invisalign and Yomi. But, for now, Dentistry will have to depend on humans for its dental treatments and services.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our article and insights on Robot Dentists Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. If you’re looking to learn more about how to help your practice thrive – be sure and download our FREE 43-page Report on Increasing Case Sizes and Collections.