In the past 18 months, Dr. Colin Diener, owner of Nuvo Dental in St. Albert and an associate professor at the University of Alberta, says his team became the “first” in Canada to integrate 3D imaging, 3D printing, and AI-powered anesthetic pumps to streamline dental implant procedures.
Diener told the St. Albert Gazette his team is developing a new protocol for all-on-X surgeries, which replace full sets of upper or lower teeth.
Diener said adding AI-powered pumps, which adjust sedation based on a patient’s vitals, has significantly reduced recovery time from hours to minutes. He is hoping that the new protocol to cut these operations from eight to four hours.
“You push ‘stop’ on this infusion pump … [and] you’re awake within minutes,” he said.
Health Canada approval of a highly accurate scanner integral to the process is expected later this year, and Diener hopes to begin teaching the technique to students soon.
He predicts these technologies will be standard in Canadian dentistry within a decade.
