Mini robot could simplify dental treatment
As a next step, the researchers plan to integrate sensors and a camera
Picture: Catherine Weyer, University of Basel.
A miniature dental robot that could one day automatically prepare teeth for crowns, and reduce the number of appointments needed for treatment, has been developed by researchers at the University of Basel.
The prototype is about the size of a wine cork. Its motors and control system are located outside the robot and connected to it via flexible drive shafts, cables and tubes. “It is designed to be small enough to fit comfortably into an open mouth,” says Dr Yukiko Tomooka, first author of a paper in IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics.
The prototype, called “MIR” — short for Miniature Intraoral Robot — is designed to prepare teeth precisely, according to a digital plan. After a scan during the first appointment, dentists could plan exactly how the robot should remove the tooth material and order the crown straight away, rather than waiting for a second appointment.
The scan is used not only to plan the crown, but also to produce a custom-fitted dental splint to which the mini dental robot is attached. “Even if the patient turns their head, the MIR moves with them,” said Tomooka.
The researchers tested their dental robot on tooth models made of synthetic resin and on a ceramic material with a hardness similar to that of tooth enamel. The robot prepares the tooth in two steps; first, it uses a wide drill to reduce the tooth surface, removing material from above. In the second step, a longer, thinner drill works on the sides of the tooth.
In tests, the positional error was less than 0.2 millimeters, which will be further reduced after sensors are integrated into the system.
In addition to precision, the researchers are also measuring the forces generated during drilling. In the tests, these remained below five newtons, roughly equivalent to the gravitational force of a half-liter bottle of water. The team is also investigating the noise produced by the system in order to better assess its suitability for use in dental practice.
As a next step, the researchers plan to integrate sensors and a camera into the robot so that the system can monitor its position and the progress of the treatment. “Even after a power outage, MIR would know where it is and where it needs to continue based on the sensor data,” explains research group leader Professor Georg Rauter.
Rauter’s team works closely with physicians and dentists to develop robots for medical applications. The dental robot was developed as part of an Innosuisse-funded project in collaboration with the Center for Dentistry at the University of Zurich, Basel-based Camlog Biotechnologies GmbH and the University of Bern.