Every year, the global population jointly loses 1.34 billion teeth, which keeps increasing, according to the World Health Organization. In comparison, in 2023, an estimated 15 million dental implants were placed. General dentists often lack the confidence to place dental implants due to the associated risks such as infection, paralysis and lawsuits. This leads to patients being referred to specialists, meaning long waiting lists and increased costs.
Surgical implant guides offer a solution to place implants safely and qualitatively, empowering general dentists to do so as well. These surgical guides remain costly and time-consuming to make because the design is most often outsourced to dental technicians. More than 90% of surgical guides are designed by a dental technician. However, the number of people who enrol for dental technician education is dropping at a staggering rate.
To keep up with the increasing demand for surgical guides while dental technicians are becoming more and more scarce, automation must be introduced.
The revolution of 1-click surgical guides
Relu, a Belgian-based software company specialising in artificial intelligence (AI), developed an AI-based algorithm that automates the entire design of surgical implant guides. Relu partners with dental software providers to make 1-click surgical guides available in the treatment planning software.
Relu makes its algorithms available through an API or SDK to achieve the following workflow in any surgical guide design software:
- Upload cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and digital impressions and share preferences.
- A digital twin is generated by segmenting the individual teeth, mandibular canals, mandible, maxilla, maxillary sinuses and pharynx.
- The digital impressions are aligned to the CBCT.
- The algorithm determines teeth that are missing in the patient’s mouth.
- The ideal new position and size of the virtual wax-up and implant are calculated.
- An STL file is generated of the surgical guide.
- The dental professional reviews the proposal and adapts where necessary.
- The surgical guide is 3D printed.
Imagine a world where a dental assistant uploads a CBCT and digital impressions, and after a few minutes, a surgical guide design is proposed from start to finish. This design can still be edited to meet the dentist’s personal requirements. This would empower even more dentists to use surgical guides, lower the dependence on dental technicians, lower the cost of surgical guides and, overall, lead to more implants being placed more safely and qualitatively.
This world might be here sooner than you expect.
“Surgical implant guides offer a solution to place implants safely and qualitatively, empowering general dentists to do so as well.”
About Relu
Relu BV was launched in 2019 in Leuven, Belgium, with the goal to focus exclusively on AI-based automation for dentistry. Starting with four founders, Relu has grown to a team of 20, creating a critical mass of experts and expertise in AI and data management.
Relu’s technology is backed by multiple medical research studies, has achieved CE and ISO13485 certifications, and is pending FDA 501(k) clearance. Today, thousands of dentists across the globe use the Relu® Engine through partners who have integrated Relu’s API into their software.