Boston company claims world’s first automated dental procedure
The world’s first fully automated dental procedure on a human patient was completed by a robot dentist developed by a company that counts Mark Zuckerberg’s father among its investors.
Image by Perceptive
The world’s first fully automated dental procedure on a human patient was completed by a robot dentist developed by a company that counts Mark Zuckerberg’s father among its investors.
Perceptive, a Boston-based dental technology company, said it used its AI-driven robotic dentistry system to perform the procedure. It said it was a “milestone” and a “significant leap forward” that could set a new standard in dental care.
“We’re excited to successfully complete the world's first fully automated robotic dental procedure,” said Chris Ciriello, chief executive and founder at Perceptive.
“This medical breakthrough enhances precision and efficiency of dental procedures, and democratizes access to better dental care, for improved patient experience and clinical outcomes,” Ciriello said.
The company’s dental robotics system integrates AI-driven 3D imaging software with a robotic arm that was designed to perform dental procedures such as restorative dentistry.
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According to Perceptive, it takes only 15 minutes for the robot to complete tasks such as crown placements – a procedure that would normally require two one-hour long office visits, thus potentially reducing the amount of time spent at the dentist’s eight times.
The robotic system is also expected to minimize the chances of human error and reduce the need for manual labor, freeing dentists to diagnose and treat more patients. This could lead to safer and more precise diagnoses, according to German Galluicci, chairman of Restorative Dentistry at Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
“Perceptive’s technology achieves over a 90% accuracy rate for detecting caries without the ionizing radiation associated with traditional X-rays and CBCT scanners – a significant improvement over the approximately 40% accuracy of 2D X-rays,” Galluicci said.
The robot was “rigorously” tested to ensure the treatments are carried out safely, even when the patient is actively moving, according to the company.
Perceptive is partnered with the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and American Dental Association’s Forsyth Institute. It has raised $30 million in funding to date, with investors including Edward Zuckerberg, the dentist father of Meta’s chief executive Mark Zuckerberg.