A Boston-based automated dental technology firm has announced that it has completed what it suggests is the world’s first fully automated dental procedure on a human using the company’s robotic dentistry system.

Perceptive’s dental robotics system reportedly combines advanced optical coherence tomography, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. Specifically, AI-driven 3D imaging software is paired with a robotic arm capable of performing dental procedures, beginning with restorative dentistry, such as crown placements. This procedure can reportedly be accomplished in just 15 minutes, which is a dramatic reduction in the time it takes to perform manual crown replacements that typically require two office visits, spanning at least one hour each.Source: PerceptiveSource: Perceptive

Making this possible is Perceptive’s AI robotics system, which uses 3D volumetric data for diagnostics and treatment planning, thereby paving the way for early and accurate diagnoses. Initially, an optical coherence technology (OCT) scan of the patient’s tooth and mouth is performed using Perceptive's handheld intraoral scanner, which captures 3D images beneath the gum line, through fluids and under the tooth surface.

Perceptive’s AI algorithms are then used to analyze the 3D data and to plan the procedure. These automated steps, according to the company, will allow dentists to diagnose and treat more patients with higher quality care and in less time, thus reducing the need for manual labor as well as minimizing the chances of human error.

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