Robotic systems that several years ago were integrated into the aeronautical industry are used today by the Dental Surgery Laboratory of the School of Dentistry of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The robots, powered by artificial intelligence technologies, scan the mouth, take a digital impression of the patient’s teeth, design the restoration based on the morphology of the adjacent teeth, jaws and mouth, and send the design wirelessly to another machine. It 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) and can be polished and glued to the damaged and properly ground tooth.

This practice began to be implemented at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 2010, but in the last few years it has evolved significantly, and in the last years one hundred and fifty tooth restorations have been done in this way.

“The same job is traditionally done with silicone impressions of the teeth. The dentists send this impression to the technicians and after four to five rehearsals and appointments, totaling two or three weeks at least, the porcelain is placed in the patient’s mouth. However, craftsmen seem to make exactly the same teeth for all people, and an expert can tell from the result which craftsman made it. On the contrary, the robots we use, through artificial intelligence, give the dentist the ability not to make a mistake, they capture all the patient’s teeth and suggest the most suitable shape and the appropriate convergence of the jaws of the mouth so that the result is both beautiful and natural and very functional” explains Petros Mourouzis, assistant professor of the School of Dentistry of the AUTH, speaking to APE-MPE.

Artificial intelligence technology in the education of students and dentists

This particular artificial intelligence technology, framed by state-of-the-art intraoral scanners, is used in a few dental clinics in Europe and only in AUTH, in Greece. According to AUTH professor and director of the Laboratory of Dental Surgery Kosmas Tolidis, there are two dental schools in Greece, one in Athens and one in Thessaloniki. The school of Athens has not yet included the system in its program, while the school of AUTH started operating a previous generation system in 2010 and has been continuously developing it ever since.

“The system has been integrated into the training of postgraduate students and as of this year it has also been integrated into the undergraduate level as well as lifelong learning programs for fellow dentists who return to school to be trained in new techniques and new protocols,” he adds. At the same time, he states: “the Dental Surgery Laboratory of AUTH is currently at the forefront of education in Greece and is one of the most up-to-date laboratories in Europe. In addition, it is the only laboratory in Greece that teaches the application of lasers in dentistry”.

It is noted that similar equipment exists and is used in some private dental offices or dental centers in various regions of the country.

The process is a bit like the mechanical arms that assemble a car

Mr. Mourouzis points out that the process of operating robotic systems is a bit like the mechanical arms that assemble a car. Among its advantages, after all, it includes the speed, precision, beauty and naturalness of the result, while underlining that it is indicated for cases of rehabilitation for children or people who are not in Thessaloniki and can, within two visits, complete the treatment their. Children and disabled people who face difficulties in transportation are also particularly facilitated.

More specifically, the assistant professor of AUTH, pediatric dentist Aristidis Archakis reports, for example, to APE-MBE cases that were treated with the help of the system in children with incomplete enamel formation, short root syndrome and dysplasia of molar areas. “We proceeded to place an aesthetic crown on young teeth, in a seven-year-old child. The tooth was completely damaged and we could not put a conventional filling as the choice given to us by the science of dentistry is a very good restoration but totally unsightly, with a metal preformed crown. At the Clinic for Digital Impression and Fabrication of Aesthetic Restorations, we managed to make a restoration with good retention and very good aesthetics within 40 minutes,” he notes characteristically.

Very good results even in difficult cases

On the other hand, Mr. Mourouzis comments that the use of robotic systems with artificial intelligence has very positive results even in difficult cases, such as those of people whose teeth have been worn in the anterior region (workers who work in factories and show wear due to the inhalation of various materials). “Their teeth wear out very easily but with this method they are rebuilt from scratch with the help of a case and not with aggressive dentistry that involves the denervation of teeth and axes,” he says. “In any case, the performance of this method is much better than that of traditional dentistry,” he adds.

Mr. Tolidis points out that most of the modern robotic systems that exist in the Department of Dentistry of the AUTH have not cost the Greek government anything, as, he says, companies trust the school with machine donations after finding that what they offer works fruits in research and educational outcomes. He notes, finally, that for the members of the group this practice is a daily routine, however, people are impressed by the system that gives very fast and aesthetically perfect results compared to other procedures and techniques.