AI Meets Dentistry: How This Boston Startup Is Changing Dental Procedures Forever
Perceptive.io is a Boston-based company that has completed the world’s first automated dental procedure on a human being.
How is this possible?
Perceptive.io created a system consisting of a robotic arm. The system is powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D imaging software to carry out dental crown procedures.
Perceptive.io system has drastically reduced the time needed for a dental crown process to only 15 minutes.
How the system works
The system involves scanning the tooth using optical coherence tomography (OCT) for diagnostics and treatment planning.
The OCT captures 3D images beneath the gumline and under the tooth surface. This allows the dentist to simulate the cut and create restoration before the actual tooth cutting by capturing 3D images beneath the gum line and under the tooth surface.
The great thing about OCT is that it ensures early and accurate diagnosis.
Reviews from Industry experts
Dr. Edward Zuckerberg
He is a tech pioneer and the father of Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. He praised the system’s design and rigorous testing for safety and reliability.
German Gallucci
He is the Chair of the Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences at Havard and he hailed the system’s over 90% accuracy rate for detecting caries without radiation.
Perceptive.io vs Traditional Methods
Traditional X-rays are only about 30% accurate in detecting cavities. Perceptive’s OCT imager provides much higher resolution and accuracy.
Future Availability
Perceptive.io’s system is currently in the prototype phase. Since the robot has successfully been tested on human patients, there is a possibility that it could be available within a few years pending further trials and regulatory approval.
