Authors: Dr. Manju Natarajan.
Introduction: As much as hand-skills are important in Dentistry and Dentist go through so much skill based training, iatrogenic errors do happen sometimes especially in operative Dentistry. Such errors lead to unintended consequences such as pain and discomfort for patients putting Dentist-patient relationship at stake.
Purpose: The aim of this paper is to explore if an innovation Haptic technology could address such errors.
Discussion: An innovative idea called Haptic Feedback Processing Unit (HFPU) is proposed. HFPU is an external unit that constantly monitors actual preparations made by Dentist with pre-loaded ideal preps to provide wireless feedback through micro-vibrations in Dentist’s index finger. The idea is developed and discussed in detail including various components of HFPU, its functions, communication path and decision making process. HFPU designed as an enabler to Dentist’s dexterity and it is not meant to replace or take over operative procedure.
Conclusion: This manuscript presents this innovative idea as the one with a promising future to avoid or reduce iatrogenic errors in operative dentistry. Further development and testing could drive this from drawing board to real world.
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