Is endo going sci-fi? How robotics and AI are showing us the future
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 9th January 2023
Robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) – we are starting to see more of this kind of disruptive technology used in medicine and dentistry. A robot is a machine that can be programmed to carry out tasks, or a series of actions, autonomously. Across many industries, robotics has made production workflows faster and factories use it to improve speed, volume and safety.
In medicine, robot-assisted surgery has huge advantages for doctors and their patients. It is minimally invasive, meaning shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery times. Other advantages include less blood loss.[i] The surgeon will manipulate and administer instruments remotely, to direct and perform the operation. Offering improved accuracy for complex procedures, robots also provide a 3D, magnified view of the surgical site and have greater dexterity than a human hand. Robotics has been applied, successfully, across a spectrum of areas from urology and cardiology to gynaecological surgery, also for the treatment of tumours in the head and neck and other maxillofacial surgeries.[ii] Dental implantology is another treatment segment where we are seeing the rise of the machines. In early 2022, the company behind “the first and only dental robotic system for implant surgery,” claimed it had already placed over 10,000 implants.[iii]
AI differs from robotics in that in involves machines being programmed to think like a human and stimulate human processes. In dentistry, it has the potential to simplify protocols and support predictable outcomes. Current trends relating to AI includes its use in diagnostics and decision-making. Among other things, it has the improved the interpretation of radiographs to detect caries, and has enabled a new understanding of periodontitis, using algorithms to predict compromised teeth, also patients at high risk of oral cancer.[iv] AI has a growing presence in endodontics, including applications such as “determining working length measurements, predicting the viability of dental pulp stem cells, and the success of retreatment procedures.”[v] Also, robot-assisted endo surgery.
Combining technology with the human touch
The future of dentistry will see more integration between ground-breaking technology and the skills and knowledge of the clinician. For treatment plans to be accepted and completed, there needs to be good relationships between dental teams and patients, based on trust. If endodontic therapy is being recommended, for example, the patient will need to understand the steps involved, including how their dentist will use the latest hi-tech solutions to support precision and accuracy and preserve healthy tissue. Technology and AI can enhance their whole ‘journey’ and facilitate successful, enduring outcomes. It can improve the quality of delivery, as well as the end result. In the dental setting, hi-tech solutions look impressive too, showing people that this is a forward-thinking and modern practice committed to doing things better.
The possibilities all this could open up for more efficient and reliable treatments are exciting and may encourage more patients to say “yes”, particularly to procedures with a scary reputation. Could cutting-edge technology be part of the story about how root canals became less fearsome? Yes – which is the best reason to embrace it and explore the possibilities for your work. Opting to have a tooth endodontically treated to save it, rather than have it extracted, can have long-lasting benefits, for oral health as well as wellbeing. Although the steps for endodontic treatments and retreatments are well established, dentists can choose to use cutting-edge tools to elevate the experience, and make it more comfortable, conservative and successful. Already available from COLTENE, the leading global dental manufacturer, is the CanalPro™ Jeni, an endomotor with integrated apex locator, which employs complex algorithms to adapt the file movement within milliseconds and navigate the root canal system on its own. Endodontic dentists who use this autonomous assistance system, for everyday endo to more complex treatments, say it makes their preparations simpler, more efficient and safer. An audible signal will indicate when a file change is required – this is an intelligent and intuitive use of innovation for root canals that are as predictable as they are safer, faster and more comfortable.
Patients demand dental care that is fit for the modern world. Alongside these high expectations is the development of robot-assisted and AI data-driven dentistry, to help clinicians deliver precise and accurate work, as well as facilitate the better detection and prediction of disease. The latest technology can also support the conservative approach that dentists want to deliver, protecting and preserving healthy tissue, to prevent further problems. Along with the skills and knowledge of a highly trained dentist, a greater use of robotics and AI could mean we see a significant increase in successful outcomes across all areas of oral health, from the treatment of cancer and maxillofacial problems to implantology and endodontics.
For more on COLTENE, visit www.coltene.com,
email info.uk@coltene.com or call 0800 254 5115.
Author: Mark Allen, General Manager at COLTENE
[i] Gerhardus D. Robot-assisted surgery: the future is here. Journal of Healthcare Management. 2003 Jul 1;48(4):242.
[ii] Liu HH, Li LJ, Shi B, Xu CW, Luo E. Robotic surgical systems in maxillofacial surgery: a review. Int J Oral Sci. 2017 Jun;9(2): 63-73. doi: 10.1038/ijos.2017.24. PMID: 28660906; PMCID: PMC5518975.
[iii] Dental Tribune. Over 10,000 Dental Implants Placed Using Yomi Robotic System. Link: https://www.dental-tribune.com/news/over-10000-dental-implants-placed-using-yomi-robotic-system/ (accessed January 2022).
[iv] Chen YW, Stanley K, Att W. Artificial intelligence in dentistry: current applications and future perspectives. Quintessence Int. 2020;51(3):248-257. doi: 10.3290/j.qi.a43952. Erratum in: Quintessence Int. 2020;51(5):430. PMID: 32020135.
[v] Aminoshariae A, Kulild J, Nagendrababu V. Artificial intelligence in endodontics: current applications and future directions. Journal of Endodontics. 2021 Sep 1; 47(9):1352-7.
