Application of Robotics in Orthodontics: a Systematic Review

Objectives: To conduct a systematic review to summarize robotics application and clarify its role and scope in clinical practice
Methods: Original articles addressing employment of robotics in any area of orthodontic practice were included, and review articles were excluded. Data were searched in PubMed and Google Scholar from June to August 2023. The risk of bias was established using the ROBINS-E and certainty assessment tools with GRADE guidelines. A narrative synthesis of the data was generated and has been presented according to its application in surgical and non-surgical orthodontics.
Results: The search retrieved 2,029 articles that after reflected nine studies included in the final synthesis, corresponding to research conducted between 2011 and 2023 in Asia, Europe, and North America. The application of robotics in surgical orthodontics helps to guide orthognathic surgeries by decreasing the margin of error, but it does not replace the work of the clinician. In non-surgical orthodontics, it assists in performing customized bending of orthodontic wires and in simulating orthodontic movements, but its application is expensive.
Conclusions: The articles collected for synthesis exhibited a low risk of bias and high certainty. The results indicate that the advantages of the application of robotics in orthodontics outweigh the disadvantages.