Science: Health: Dental
Virtual Reality teledentistry helmet   (+5)  [vote for, against]
Have a go yourself ?

Dentistry is a bit of an odd profession; it's not clear what - other than money - motivates someone to spend their working days peering into people's mouths.

Current social conditions have made accessing dental services somewhat more difficult.

But be not downhearted; BorgCo engineers have a solution.

Dentistry robots are Baked but as yet not widely used in the market place. This system goes a bit further.

Our product resembles a motorcycle helmet with built-in VR goggles; on the front is a mounting for the actual robotic mechanism. A cable connects to the power/control unit which contains a backup battery so that in the event of a power failure the operation can be completed. There's provision for high-speed data connection via hardwire or cellular network.

Simply don the helmet and open your mouth, then use the joysticks to guide the selected tool - co-mounted with a stereoscopic camera and light source - towards the offending tooth.

You can "do it yourself", or leave it to a remotely-located dental practitioner to do the work; you can even get a friend, with a suitable VR headset, to carry out the job.

Ideal for those in remote and/or uncivilized areas without ready access to prompt dental intervention; oil rigs, arctic bases, space stations, france...

There's a VR simulation to allow users to acquire some minimal competence before commencing operations.

There's an optional module that allows local nerve-block anesthesia to be administered. It's quite remarkably expensive, but interestingly all those who have tried the equipment without that part invariably call up and order it extremely quickly after their first trial run.

The usual BorgCo "fair usage" and disclaimers apply, of course.
-- 8th of 7, Jul 26 2020

Like this but not. https://comixjoint.com/zapcomix8-1st.html
[doctorremulac3, Jul 26 2020]

Sure, but why stop at teeth?

Put a flip top on this sucker and let's see some self performed brain surgery. THAT would be impressive.

(link)
-- doctorremulac3, Jul 26 2020


// why stop at teeth //

Because efforts to extend the scope of the device have not -so far - been quite as successful as first thought, and there are now serious problems with recruiting new testers.
-- 8th of 7, Jul 26 2020


// your idea almost sounds reasonable .... if I could fix it myself I would. //

<Incompletely suppressed evil chuckle/>

"Just slip this on oiver your head, and breathe through your nose."

<Flips up covers on arming switches, turns both keys, fondles START button in disturbing, suggestive way/>

"Now... open wide... "

// you haven’t noticed the stereotypical bad teeth? //

We understand that such problems do indeed afflict the proles; however, as a matter of policy, we endeavour to interact with them as little as possible. We even reject quite a few of them for Assimilation...

// Do they even HAVE dentists there? //

Rumour has it that there are a few NHS ones left in the wild, but the evidence is anecdotal and unsubstantiated by credible evidence.

There are, of course, private dentists, who minster with great skill and dexterity to the pearly gnashers of the wealthy and priveledged, for a suitably swingeing fee. But then that's the same everywhere.
-- 8th of 7, Jul 26 2020



random, halfbakery