Collaborative Robots in Operative Dentistry
摘要
Dentistry is an expanding market and a challenging profession that deals with a broad spectrum of oral health issues. It is characterized by complex procedural guidelines and an extremely high patient-to-dentist ratio resulting in heavy workloads and stress for professionals. Furthermore, a significant number of dental offices carry out their activities in work areas that are not ergonomically optimized which means occupational risks are present, i.e., musculoskeletal disorders. This paper describes the current problems in contemporary dentistry and discusses the possibilities of technological approaches. A case study is provided in order to illustrate the use of collaborative robots (cobots) to address these issues. The combination of innovative robotics such as cobots and exoskeleton devices is a potential avenue for enhancing dental practice. In addition, progress in medical imaging, and artificial intelligence (AI), is on the cusp of transforming the diagnostic process and treatment pathways and providing increased accuracy and efficiency. The combination of robot, AI, and imaging technologies, not only simplifies workflow process, but also enhances the quality of services and treatment for patients. With the development of the field, implementation of such innovation will prove to be of critical importance in relieving practitioners’ fatigue, improving patient satisfactions, and responding to the increasing needs in the field of oral healthcare.