Robotic systems, which were integrated into the aviation industry a few years ago, are today used in the laboratory of dental surgery at the School of Dentistry of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
Robots powered by artificial intelligence technology scan the oral cavity, take a digital impression of the patient’s teeth, design a restoration based on the morphology of adjacent teeth, jaws and mouth, and send the design wirelessly to another machine.
The mechanism then cuts a piece of porcelain or a piece of polymer to create a bridge, case, bezel or inlay. The result is ready in a few minutes (from 8 to 35), it can be polished and glued to the damaged and properly ground tooth.
This practice began to be introduced at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 2010, but in recent years it has developed significantly and one and a half hundred dental restorations have been performed in this way.
“The same work is traditionally done with silicone impressions of teeth. Dentists give this impression to technicians, and after four to five “try-ons” and visits totaling at least two to three weeks, the porcelain is placed in the patient’s mouth. However, craftsmen seem to make the same teeth for all people, and from the result an expert can tell which master made them. Against, The robots we use, thanks to artificial intelligence, give the dentist the opportunity not to make mistakesThey fix all the patient’s teeth and suggest the most suitable shape and appropriate closure of the jaws, so that the result is beautiful, natural and functional at the same time,” explains Petros Mourouzis, Associate Professor at the AUTH School of Dentistry.
This artificial intelligence technology, based on the latest intraoral scanners, is used in several dental clinics in Europe and only at AUTH in Greece. According to Professor and Director of the Dental Surgery Laboratory Cosmas Tolidis, there are two dental schools in Greece: in Athens and Thessaloniki. The school of Athens has not yet included this system in its program, while the AUTH school began using the previous generation system in 2010 and has been constantly improving it since then.
“The system is integrated into postgraduate trainingand from this year – into the bachelor’s program, as well as into continuing education programs for fellow dentists who additionally undergo training in new methods and protocols“, says the associate professor.
“AUTH’s Dental Surgery Laboratory is currently at the forefront of education in Greece and is one of the most modern in Europe. This is the only laboratory in Greece that teaches the use of lasers in dentistry.”
It is noted that such equipment exists and is used in some private dental offices or dental centers in various regions of the country.
Mr Mourouzis notes that the process of controlling robotic systems is a bit like the work of mechanical arms assembling a car. Its advantages include speed, accuracy, beauty and naturalness of the result, while it is indicated in cases of rehabilitation of children or people who are not in Thessaloniki and can complete the treatment in two visits. Special assistance is provided to children and disabled people experiencing transportation difficulties.
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