Robotic dentistry and autonomous implant placement: an evolutionary review from computer-assisted surgery to artificial intelligence

Robotic dentistry has evolved from computer-assisted surgery to autonomous implant placement systems over four decades, and this review traces that trajectory and synthesises the current evidence on accuracy, safety and autonomy. The origins of dental robotics lie in stereotactic neurosurgery and computer-assisted implant planning, which established the principles of image-to-patient registration that the first autonomous implant systems inherited. Between 2018 and 2020 the first autonomous and semi-autonomous implant robots entered clinical use, and between 2021 and 2023 a body of accuracy studies accumulated showing that robotic placement achieves deviations comparable to or smaller than static guides and dynamic navigation. Between 2024 and 2026 the field turned toward higher levels of autonomy and integration with artificial intelligence, while systematic reviews and multicenter studies consolidated the accuracy evidence and identified the barriers to clinical integration. The trajectory shows a consistent pattern: each period added capability without yet resolving the questions of cost, workflow integration and the level of autonomy that is clinically justified, and these remain the open questions that will shape the next stage of the field.