Robot helps dentist perform surgery in Onslow County

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - Dentists in Eastern Carolina are now on the cutting edge of technology for dental surgery.

Carolina Dental Specialty Center is one of the first dental offices to use the FDA-approved Yomi Robotic Dental system designed to help dental surgeons with implant procedures.

The Yomi Robotic Dental System provides guidance to dental surgeons as they perform implant surgeries. Experts say It works much like a GPS system telling the robot and doctor the exact location in the jaw to drill.

The robot uses CT scans of the patient’s jaw exported into the robot’s computer system.

A link splint signals a ray on the dental robot allowing it to precisely locate and operate on the desired area of the mouth without causing extra damage during surgery.

Experts on the robotic system explained this technology improves the healing process post surgery.

“So if you’re coming in at a perfect 90 degrees on your first drill but then you come in at 85 on one then you come in at 92 on another that’s a discrepancy between those three drills which could you know potentially affect the survivability of the implant,” said clinical sales representative Chance Langley.

“Traditionally to take it out we would cut the gums open and we would have to do stitching and that creates more discomfort,” said the owner and lead dentist of Carolina Dental Specialty Center Dr. Jose Arauz.

Dr. Arauz said he has performed more than 300 surgeries using the robotic system.

The robotic system costs $250,000. The company also says the Yomi Robotic Dental System is the only system operating in Eastern North Carolina, but it has six other systems in operation across North and South Carolina.

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