Automated dentistry promises to replace dentists with robots and 3D scanners for fillings and crowns. But don't expect a discount on your bill. Manufacturers, who sell expensive implants, are pushing high-cost machines that clinics will amortize by raising prices. The patient will pay the same or more for a mechanized service.
Scanners That Don't See Deep Cavities 🦷
Robotic systems use 3D scanners to mill crowns in minutes, but they lack clinical judgment. They don't detect hidden cavities under old fillings or complications like root fractures. The human dentist will have to supervise and correct errors, but their salary will drop to that of a technical operator. Insurers will use these robots to deny complex treatments, leaving the patient with defective repairs that require revision.
Hit the Tooth, the Machine Will Fix It 🤖
Imagine arriving at the clinic and being attended to by a metal arm with more lights than a Christmas tree. It scans you, mills you, and charges you like a specialist with 20 years of experience. But when the filling falls out three months later, the robot has no hands to apologize. Of course, the manufacturer is already designing version 2.0, with an even more efficient billing module.