Add one more profession for robots to potentially conquer: dentistry.
In China, a robot dentist successfully completed the first autonomous implant surgery, fitting two teeth into a woman’s mouth, reports The South China Morning Post.
Human medical staff were present during the one-hour procedure, but the surgery itself was handled solely by the robot dentist.
The report says the robot dentists were designed to overcome a shortage of qualified human dentists, as well as cut back on surgical errors.
Similar technology has been cleared for use in the U.S. In March, health care company Neocis confirmed receiving approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Yomi, a robotic system for dental implant procedures.
“Yomi is a precision instrument that makes sure your implant goes exactly where you planned to put it,” said Dr. Jeffrey Ganeles, D.M.D., periodontist at South Florida Center for Periodontics and Implant Dentistry, in a statement from March.