Robotics has continued to advance across various medical fields, and dental implantology is no exception. Neocis’s Yomi system, the only robotic assistant for dental surgery with US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance, is transforming the way dental professionals approach implant procedures. Robotics offers unprecedented precision, efficiency and patient comfort, and systems like Yomi are helping to streamline complex cases and improve outcomes. In this interview, Dr Alon Mozes, CEO of Neocis, discusses the advantages of robotics over certain conventional methods in implantology, such as dynamic navigation and surgical guides, and explores the unique capabilities of the Yomi platform. Addressing key factors such as cost considerations and impact on patients, Dr Mozes explains why robotics is becoming a critical tool for modern dental practices and how Yomi’s technology could soon become the industry standard.
Dr Mozes, could you tell us more about your vision for the role of robotics in dental implantology? In what types of cases or patient demographics do you see robotics being particularly beneficial?
I think robotics will become the standard of care for dental procedures. Our Yomi platform has already placed more than 60,000 implants, and this figure is growing exponentially. Yomi can be beneficial across a wide variety of clinical cases: emergent cases where a patient walks in with trauma, like a cracked tooth, and needs immediate replacement; single-implant cases where the clinician may have to work with precision in the aesthetic zone; difficult-to-reach posterior implant sites where angulation is tough to achieve and there’s no room for surgical guides; and complex full-arch cases with few anatomical references and challenging bone conditions. Every implant case can benefit from the expert guidance provided by robotics, combined with the clinician’s skills.
Dr Alon Mozes, CEO of Neocis.
How does a robotic technology like Yomi differ from dynamic navigation systems? What distinct advantages does robotics bring?
Robotics is an entirely different category from navigation. Navigation is simply an on-screen visual cue, like GPS on your phone. You wouldn’t want to focus exclusively on the map on your phone while driving down the highway. There’s nothing in navigation that physically prevents you from making a mistake. Our key opinion leaders like to say that you get to watch your mistake on-screen as you make it.
Robotics, however, physically guides the dentist so that he or she can’t deviate from the plan. It’s also easy to change the plan to cater for any intra-operative surprises; a few clicks of the mouse and the digital plan is updated, and the robot can guide to a new location. The haptic feedback provided by the robot ensures that the dentist won’t hit a nerve, sinus, nearby tooth root or any other anatomical structure that should be avoided.
From your perspective, what are the primary advantages of using robotics in dental surgeries? There are numerous advantages to using robotics in dental surgeries. The accuracy is unsurpassed by any other modality. This was shown in a recent landmark study by Dr Jay M. Neugarten. This accuracy helps provide safety and confidence regardless of procedural complexity. With haptic guidance, Yomi can also enable flapless procedures, which have been shown to promote faster healing and result in less pain. There is also an impact on practice workflow because Yomi’s efficiency, especially in full-arch cases, can greatly speed up operations. Ultimately, most practices are seeking to grow their businesses, and robotics is a huge boon for patient flow, marketing opportunities and case acceptance rates. By showcasing their state-of-the-art technology and superior approach to dental surgery, practices can effectively distinguish themselves and attract more patients.
How does the Yomi system compare with competing technologies—if there are any? Could you highlight some unique features or benefits of the Yomi system?
Yomi is the only FDA-cleared robotic system for dental surgery. There aren’t really any competing robotic solutions. Aside from navigation, surgical guides are the other primary form of guided dental surgery, but these have many drawbacks: delays and costs with custom manufacturing, clunky clinical workflows, obstructed surgical site visualisation, reduced irrigation leading to bone overheating and a completely analogue workflow that makes on-the-fly changes impossible. The greatest competition is simply the freehand approach. We saw a similar curve in orthopaedic robots before at MAKO Surgical. Some dentists believe their hands don’t make mistakes. However, the adoption curve accelerates as dentists discover the clinical and financial benefits of the Yomi platform, especially after experiencing the aha moment once they use it. This is how Yomi is becoming a new standard of care.
Yomi robotic technology is revolutionising implant surgery by offering increased clinical precision and efficiency.
Investing in robotics can be a significant expense for dental practices. What are the main cost factors for practitioners considering robotic systems for dental surgery?
As with any new technology, there is a cost, but the return on investment is clear. The Yomi platform is priced affordably so that any practice can justify the purchase. There is ample opportunity to take advantage of efficiencies and grow the practice, allowing Yomi to pay for itself in a relatively short time.
Looking ahead, how do you see the adoption of robotics evolving in the field of implantology? What might encourage more dental specialists to integrate robotics into their practices?
We continue to install more Yomi systems across the US and add more functionality to the platform, aiming for a fully digital dental workflow that includes surgical planning, restorative planning and both surgical and restorative implementation. As more dentists see neighbouring practices adopting robotics and become aware of the clinical and business benefits, we expect to see Yomi systems in every practice.
In terms of patient experience and outcomes, what improvements have been observed with robot-assisted implantology, and how does this have an impact on practitioner–patient interactions?
Patients have become some of the best advocates for Yomi, and testimonials can be found on our website. They mention the minimal pain and quick treatment, often marvelling at the improvement if they compare a Yomi-placed implant with a previous freehand implant. For dentists, this means happier patients and better referral opportunities, both of which help the practice grow.
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