At the forefront of medical technology, the application of AI is constantly surpassing our imagination. Perceptive, a Boston-based startup, has successfully developed the world's first fully automated AI robotic dentist and has already performed its first complete dental surgery on human patients, with a diagnosis and treatment speed eight times that of human doctors.
This innovation is not just a leap in speed; Perceptive has also announced two groundbreaking technologies, signaling that future dental treatments will be more accurate, safe, and efficient. Firstly, the OCT3D imaging system utilizes optical coherence tomography to generate 3D images inside the teeth within the oral cavity, penetrating below the gum line and into the bone, providing unprecedented resolution and positional accuracy.
Compared to traditional X-rays, OCT imaging not only avoids harmful radiation but also offers higher accuracy. Perceptive's structure from motion method, through shorter exposure times and moving scanner technology, solves the problem of image blurring, achieving pathological localization accuracy within 20 micrometers, with an accuracy rate exceeding 90%.
Secondly, the robotic dentist's diagnostic and treatment system has completely transformed the traditional dental surgery process. Taking crown installation as an example, Perceptive's robot can complete the entire process in a matter of minutes during a single visit. During the initial visit, the dentist uses an OCT imager to scan the teeth, the robot plans the drilling path based on the data, and pre-makes the crown. When the patient arrives, the robot completes the drilling in a few minutes, and the perfectly fitted permanent crown is bonded into place, completing the entire treatment process.
Safety is a key consideration in Perceptive's robot design. The robot is connected to the patient's body during operation, maintaining the mouth open through a device called a 'bite block' to prevent jaw fatigue. The robot's end effector is physically connected to the bite block, and even if the head moves, the drill can instantly compensate, ensuring the precision of the surgery.
Perceptive's robotic dentist not only improves surgical efficiency but also provides better treatment outcomes. Compared to traditional restorations, the robot can install restorations with higher precision, thereby extending their lifespan. Additionally, the robot's physical balance system and the dentist's ultimate safety control ensure the safety of the surgery.
Although Perceptive's robotic dentist has not yet been commercialized, it has successfully been tested on humans and has raised $30 million in funding. The next step, Perceptive will conduct critical clinical trials with the FDA, and if all goes well, this revolutionary technology is expected to be available to the public within a few years.
This breakthrough not only showcases the potential of AI in the medical field but also brings unprecedented precision and efficiency to dental treatment. With the continuous advancement of technology, we have reason to believe that future dental treatments will be more humane and personalized, providing patients with a better experience.
Reference: https://newatlas.com/health-wellbeing/robot-dentist-world-first/