A New Jersey dentist has argued that in a few years robots could replace dentists when carrying out a range of procedures.
Dr Nicolas Elian stated however, that while technological advances could improve proficiency, robots will never fully replace people.
He argued that robots will not be able to take a patient’s feelings into account, as dentists have years of experience in patient care and are invaluable in this manner.
In addition, robots will be unable to have the same high standard of clinical judgement as people do.
Elsewhere, researchers from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bristol and Bristol Dental School have built a robot to help in the testing of new materials for dentures.
The device can simulate the wear and tear that dentures would undergo over a number of years in the space of a few days. The researchers hope this new machine will speed up the development of denture technology.