FULL STORY:  I fully agree here.  There’s nothing unsettling about a robot using sharp tools to drill into my face . . .

Robot dentists are about to become a thing after an A.I. company called Perceptive pulled off the first fully automated dental procedure.  A robotic arm controlled by A.I. shaved down a guy’s tooth for a crown.

It works by 3D mapping the inside of your mouth.  Then it clamps onto your jaw, and a drill moves in circles to grind your tooth down.  (Here’s a video.)

They claim it offers enhanced “precision and efficiency” compared to human dentists, and also an “improved patient experience.”

Getting a crown normally requires two visits, one hour each.  But they say it’ll be able to do a full crown procedure in about 15 minutes.

It’s not ready for primetime yet, so you won’t see one at your next check-up.  They say they’re still five years away from FDA approval.  But the plan is to eventually have them at dental offices all over the country.

They recently raised $30 million in funding.  One of the investors is Dr. Edward Zuckerberg, who’s a dentist and also Mark Zuckerberg’s dad. 

(Business Wire)

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