A dental robot has been created that can perform dental procedures, announced researchers at the 79th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research, or IADR.
Polish researchers constructed an artificial oral cavity and a robot on a 4:1 scale, so that intra- and extraoral cameras and servomechanisms could be used. Images from the cameras were transmitted via the Internet to another building, where dentists could see pictures from two movable viewpoints inside the "mouth." The dentists used joysticks and virtual reality glasses to operate handpieces and materials syringes to prepare caries for restoration, perform endodontic therapy and prepare tooth surfaces for bridges.
Dentists said they found it easy to guide the handpiece using the joystick and to control its position using the cameras.
According to IADR’s press release, saving the dentist from having to lean over could lead to employment opportunities for dentists with spinal disabilities, and the transmission of disease between the dentist and the patient is impossible when the robot is used. Also, the robot could be useful in providing dental care in countries at war or with economic problems.
The press release went on to say that researchers in Japan have built a robot system that simulates mandibular movement to aid in the diagnosis and management of temporomandibular joint disorders.
