Using the highest grade Titanium, the Trefoil system enables increased precision as well as adaptive implant surgery, that automatically adjusts to any deviations that will inevitably be experienced during the implant process. This state of the art system enables many benefits for the dental professional, as it allows teeth to be made on the day of the surgery and allows for the more efficient implementation of those teeth. The patent for the system is currently pending, but the system could
Free hand implants require a great deal of skill, time and effort for a dentist to pull off. Not only this, the consistency from patient to patient is something which is clearly lacking if an implant is done by hand, which begs the question of whether or not there is a better way. The GuidePro3D utilises disruptive technology; additive layer manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, to be able to print out a custom frame and cartridge (as pictured) in
The esthetic quality and integrity of every single implant is inarguably influenced by the peri-implant tissue shaping of the implant healing abutment itself. Having the ability to be able to make highly accurate personalized healing abutments in a matter of minutes using the latest CAD/CAM software is a great tool for implantologists to have. The above picture and video shows how simple the process is to make a personalized healing abutment shaping block. This will take around 30 seconds
Internationally patented, this immediate placement kit brings the latest technology in precision dental engineering to ensure fast and efficient tooth extraction with immediate implant placement The specially designed tool, as shown in the image effectively locks in place and secures the direction in which dentists need to drill. This means there can be know distortions in the drilling movement and a clean channel can be produced, which is a much more repeatable process. In turn, by creating such a neatly
The Autoscan DS-EX offers unprecedented dental scanning technology in terms of both accuracy and efficiency. This desktop sized 3D dental scanner (pictured above) uses the latest in 3D structured light technology and allows the user to simultaneously scan up to 8 dies, without the loss of accuracy or detail. The software also offers the capability to scan various impression modes, with increased post-processing capability with continuous scanning. A full list of specifications can be found at http://en.shining3d.com/digitizer_detail-4492.html . In short,
Versah, a company started by Michigan Periodontist, Dr. Salah Huwais , have designed a set of multi-fluted osseodensification burs for implant placement. Osseodensification is a novel, biomechanical, non-excavation preparation method that compacts and autografts bone during the osteotomy. The burs will remove bone when spun clockwise, however when spun counterclockwise they collect and compact bone chips into the osteotomy wall and result in greater local bone density and higher insertion torques. They can also be used for internal sinus lifts
To cement or to screw – that is the question. Not anymore, startup RODO Medical has added a new option. Reversible retention using a shape memory metal dental retention system which uses one or more compression plates made from various shape memory materials, e.g., nickel-titanium alloys such as Nitinol. By applying energy via heat or electrical energy, the memory metal elements change shape. To remove a crown, energy is applied via a wand and the memory metal retentive element shape
In a deal worth $13.35, which has been approved by both companies’ boards, positions Zimmer, based in Warsaw since 1927, to become the second largest company by revenue in the $45 billion global market for artificial knees, hips and other orthopedic and bone-mending implants. The acquisition price, which includes the assumption of debt, consists of $10.35 billion in cash and $3 billion in Zimmer shares. The Zimmer-Biomet merger is the largest in the medical-devices industry since Johnson & Johnson purchased
Two recent recalls by the US Food and Drug Admininstration (FDA) of Zimmer’s Trabecular Metal Technology, one in dental implants and the other in shoulder implants raise concern. In the case of the recall of the Trabecular Metal dental implant: The Zimmer Dental voluntary device recall resulted from an investigation into the February 2012 complaint involving an apical tip of a 4.1mm D Trabecular Metal Implant which separated from the implant assembly during surgery on a patient with a dense
The FDA (US Food and Drug Agency) is proposing to reclassifying blade implants in a possible come-back for this type of implant. In a FDA press release they are proposing to change the classification from Class III devices to Class II devices because the benefits of blade-form implants “outweigh the risks enough to justify reclassifying the implants from class III, requiring premarket approval, to class II, requiring premarket notification with special controls,”. Class II medical devices are of “medium risk,”
An Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) research team that may have found a way to make bone implants less likely to fail using a high-tech adhesive that more securely bonds implants to bone by promoting cell growth between natural and artificial body parts. In a study published in the June 26 online edition of Science Translational Medicine, the MIT team and its collaborators from several other institutions reported that the implant adhesive — a multilayered coating of ceramic and nanolayers
Blue Sky Bio has released their BIO|Cut drill that features a unique drill topography to cut bone very efficiently without the need for sequential size drills. Only the final implant specific drill is needed to shape the osteotomy before implant placement. This design is particularly useful in guided surgery and allows very accurate guided osteotomies to be made without the need for key guides and sequential drill sizes which can introduce and compound inaccurate positioning. This system allows you to
Tantalum, element #73 on the periodic table has found its way into dental implants thanks to mega dental implant manufacturer, Zimmer. They have tranferred it from use in hip implants to dental implants. The trabecular metal material structure and stiffness similar to trabecular bone and is fabricated by coating a vitreous carbon skeleton with tantalum through a proprietary chemical vapor deposition coating process. The tantalum exhibits a crystallographic growth on the vitreous carbon surface of the interconnecting struts that form
Italian Manufacturer Sweden and Martina’s Magnetic Mallet is an innovative tool for Dental Surgery and Implantology. The magnetic mallet’s main application is in the maxillary sinus for use in bone compaction protocols and vertical and horizontal compaction. It is also useful in cases that call for the use of a surgical hammer. The device exploits electromagnetic impact, which allows an impact force of high intensity and short duration to produce plastic deformation of bone, without propagating the force throughout the
BioImplant is an Austrian dental implant company with a radical new solution to immediate dental implant placement. The patient`s extracted tooth is laser scanned and modified in CAD software, then machined out of zirconium and implanted in the still healing socket for incredibly natural looking results.
The 6th International Congress of the CAI Academy will be held in Verona, Italy from October 28 to 19, 2011. Computer aided implant surgery has reached peak levels of acceptance giving proof of the clinical efficacy of computerized procedures. The Congress will focus on the need of defining the state of the art in research and clinical application. Two main areas will be analyzed: topics of current research and current clinical application. Amongst the speaker are: Dr. Scott Ganz, Dr.
Researchers at the California Institute of Technology have developed a Palladium based glass that is an alloy of the noble metal palladium, a small fraction of silver, and a mixture of other metalloids—has shown itself in tests to have a combination of strength and toughness at a level that has not previously been seen in any other material. “Our study demonstrates for the first time that this class of materials, the metallic glasses, has the capacity to become the toughest
BioImplant, an Austrian company, has developed the BioImplant, a CAD/CAM Zirconium implant used in immediate placement. The hopeless tooth is extracted gently by means of a periotome to avoid any damage to the extraction socket, which is to be used as implant site. Particular care has to be taken not to destroy the thin buccal cortical bone. The root of the extracted tooth or an impression of the extraction socket serves as basis for the production of the individualized immediate
Sonitus Medica of San Mateo, California has received FDA clearance for SoundBite, a dental hearing aid for people with deafness in one ear. The system works much like a cochlear implant, except for the implantation. A behind the ear device wirelessly transmits audio from the affected ear to a little receiver attached to a tooth that resonates the teeth, that in turn stimulate both cochlea. The removable In-The-Mouth (ITM) device showed no long-term effects on dental or periodontal soft or
The use in spine surgery of bone-growth proteins like Medtronic Inc.’s product Infuse has led to widespread nationwide increases in hospital charges ranging from 11% to 41% above conventional surgical costs, researchers found. The researchers studied the results of a broad U.S. sample of 328,000 spine surgeries from 2002 through 2006. They report their findings this week in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association. The authors, from both Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston and from Yale, also
A new peptide, embedded in a soft gel or a thin, flexible film and placed next to a cavity, encourages cells inside teeth to regenerate in about a month, according to a new study in the journal ACS Nano. This technology is the first of its kind. The new gel or thin film could eliminate the need to fill painful cavities or drill deep into the root canal of an infected tooth. The gel or thin film contains a peptide
Keystone Dental`s Genesis Implant has been cleared by regulators. The implant system features a patented BioSpark™ surface, a nano-surface that mimics the structure of bone, creating a healing environment to optimize bone integration. In addition, the unique AnaTite™ process results in the first-ever marketed pink implant collar and a complete line of pink prosthetics. The aesthetic breakthrough of the AnaTite process allows the Genesis System to project a more natural hue through the patient`s gum tissue for a more natural
Dental Implant Prices Decline by 3.3% in Europe as Practitioners Purchase Implants From Low-Cost Manufacturers, According to Millennium Research Group. Average selling prices of dental implant fixtures and final abutments have decreased 3.3% and 8.1%, respectively, over the past year. This occurred as dentists attempted to maintain profitability during the economic crisis by demanding greater discounts and increasingly purchasing implants from low-cost manufacturers.
AstraZeneca is considering spinning off a Swedish business that makes dental implants and medical devices for $2bn (£1.25bn). The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker said today that it had hired JP Morgan Chase to help with a strategic review of the firm. In 2009 the industry suffered its weakest year, with sales falling by 3% to 5%. This year the market has been flat but it is slowly recovering. Potential suitors for Astra Tech include US rivals such as privately held Biomet, along
Because children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to radiation, doctors three years ago mounted a national campaign to protect them by reducing diagnostic radiation to only those levels seen as absolutely necessary. Not only do most dentists continue to use outmoded X-ray film requiring higher amounts of radiation, but orthodontists and other specialists are embracing a new scanning device that emits significantly more radiation than conventional methods, an examination by The New York Times has found. Some orthodontists now use
Swedish Oral Hygiene manufacturer, Tepe, has released their new implant toothbrush design specifically shaped to allow dental implant recipients to maintain excellent oral hygiene. The Tepe Implant Care brush has angled neck and slim brush head for easy access to the lingual and palatal surfaces of implants.
Nobel Biocare has been sued by a California dentist seeking class-action status on behalf of dentists whose patients have suffered complications such as bone loss from one of its products namely the NobelDirect dental implant. The suit by Jason M Yamada, a periodontist, seeks compensation for dentists who have had to perform surgery on their patients, or pay for restorative surgery, after complications from the implants, which it said were defectively designed. The suit proposed a class action to cover
The New York Times has published a consumer-oriented article on dental implants. They discuss the options: dental implant versus bridge and the coverage dental insurance companies provide for this service. This well written article is an excellent introduction to dental implants especially useful to share with patients considering this treatment.
Scientists at North Carolina State University have developed a new lightweight “metal foam” with elasticity similar to bone that could lead to a new generation of medical implants, likely overcoming a range of problems associated with devices currently in widespread use. “Our composite foam can be a perfect implant material to prevent stress shielding,” said Rabiei, the lead researcher. “This is because the modulus of our composite foam is matching perfectly with that of bone. That means when the implant
Cerapedic`s i-FACTOR bone graft is the only biologic bone graft that combines a unique anorganic bone mineral (ABM) and small peptide (P-15™) to act as an attachment factor for specific integrins on osteogenic cells. This novel mechanism of action enhances the body’s natural bone healing process resulting in safe, predictable bone formation at a lower cost than growth factors. ABM/P-15 has been in human clinical use for more than thirteen years in an estimated 500,000 patients worldwide. P-15 is a
Dr. Kirk Johnson, an Anchorage Alaska dentist spread holiday cheer by performing an unusual operation on an unusual patient. A bald eagle came to Anchorage`s bird treatment and learning center with a severely damaged beak possibly caused by fishing line. Dr. Johnson made a mold using dental impression material with which he fashioned a temporary beak implant.
The body can heal minor bone injuries itself – but with major injuries, it needs help. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology have developed a process called Selective Laser Melting (SLM) by which a razor-thin laser beam melts pulverized material layer-by-layer to produce structures that may be as delicate as 80 to 100 micrometers. The porous canals create a lattice structure which the adjacent bones can grow into. Its basic structure consists of the synthetic polylactide, or PLA
To see how the brain responds to pain emanating from different teeth, researchers led by Clemens Forster of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany used fMRI to monitor changes in activity when the upper tooth or the lower tooth was zapped. “At the beginning, we expected a good difference, but that was not the case,” Forster says. Because the same regions were active in both toothaches, the brain — and the person — couldn’t tell where the pain was coming
Developed by a practicing dentist, the Zosseo Universal Implant Drill Stop kit allows for osteotomies that do not require as precise a visualization for depth control. It has a single width for all drills – only requires length determination for the osteotomy and has precise depth penetration – eliminating the risk of over drilling and potential sinus or nerve complications.
The million or so artificial hips and knees implanted each year in the United States are normally not guaranteed. Instead, the costs of replacing implants that fail early because of design or mechanical problems — devices that sell for as much as $15,000 each — are largely paid by Medicare, insurance companies and patients. Implants can fail for many reasons, but if only a small percentage of them fail prematurely because they are substandard, the costs to taxpayers, policyholders and
A Las Vegas dentist has filed a FDA Med Watch report regarding the integrity and therefore sterility of Nobel Biocare Replace Implants. To quote from the report: “I have experienced substantial and unexplainable failures with Nobel Biocare`s (“Nobel”) Replace(TM) Implants. Of 88 consecutively placed implants,34 required removal due to pain or infection for a failure rate of 38.6% (Attachment #1). I doubt these failures are caused entirely by my case selection or surgical skill because I also recorded the clinical
Dr. Paul Sharpe`s company Odontis Ltd. has been awarded US Patent #7588936 for the regeneration of teeth primordia using bone marrow cells. Bone marrow cells may be employed to generate teeth without the need for purification and expansion of a population of cells. The group of British scientists claim that they have figured out a way to make dentures obsolete, with the power of stem cells. Simply put, stem cells taken from a patient will be used to grow a
Dental implant makers lost their shine as a recession-proof investment during the global crisis, which turned fixing smiles into a luxury for consumers who struggled to pay for non-essential work on their mouths. “In spite of their rather functional nature, implants are similar to luxury goods in the sense that they are expensive, discretionary items,” Jefferies analyst Stephan Gasteyger said. The dental implant market earned a reputation for being recession-proof by maintaining double-digit growth rates in prior downturns, but the
With economic pressures affecting millions of Americans, dentists may have noticed a drop in patients opting for a brighter smile, but they are seeing another phenomenon: a rise in the number of teeth grinders. “I’m seeing a lot more people that are anxious, stressed out and very concerned about their financial futures and they’re taking it out on their teeth,” said Dr. Steven Butensky, a dentist with a specialty in prosthodontics (aesthetic, implant and reconstructive dentistry) in Manhattan. One of
Numerous dental implant company`s have sprung up over the last 3 years that aim to deliver either very similar designs or almost direct copies of established company`s design. These clone implants are often substantially less expense i.e. 1/4 the cost of full service dental implant company`s implants. In addition to mimicking the implant, they have also expanded into compatible prosthetic parts and coverscrews. Especially prominent clone makers Blue Sky Bio (Clone: Straumann, Nobel Biocare and Zimmer) and Dr. Niznick`s Implant
Anna Tampieri at the Institute of Science and Technology for Ceramics, Faenza, and colleagues have turned wood into bone mimics that could be used to repair damaged limbs. The Italian scientists were inspired by nature`s highly organised hierarchial structures to make porous hydroxyapatite scaffolds with structures similar to that of real bone. The scaffolds `pave the way for realising prosthetic devices which could get closer to the extraordinary performance of human tissues`, they claim. The team heated the wood to
The New York Times health section recently published an informative article on the trend away from using bridges to replace missing teeth and toward replacement with dental implants. The comments section of this article is also particularly lively and well-worth reading.
The Powertome 100S from Westport Medical is a powered periotome used in the extraction of teeth. It features a powered periotome blade that is precisely guided in the periodontal ligament by a microprocessor controlled, solenoid actuator. It features a footswitch activated handle similar to other dental hand pieces and the operation, actuation and sterilization are therefore intuitive.
A former US Army orthropedic surgeon, Dr. Timothy Kuklo, previously accused of falsifying a study on a bone growth product used on severely injured Iraq war veterans has resigned his teaching position at Washington University in St. Louis. He was placed on leave earlier this year while the university investigated charges against him. Medtronic, a maker of the bone growth product Infuse, also suspended his consulting contract. The company paid him nearly $800,000 the last few years. An investigation last
Tel Aviv University researcher Prof. Noam Eliaz of the TAU School of Mechanical Engineering has developed an electrochemical process for coating metal implants which vastly improves their functionality, longevity and integration into the body. “The surface chemistry, structure and morphology of our new coatings resemble biological material,” explains Prof. Eliaz. “We`ve been able to enhance the integration of the coating with the mineralized tissue of the body, allowing more peoples` bodies to accept implants.” His new coating resulted in a
Patients who subconsciously take out stress on their teeth at night is nothing new. But the recession is. A periodontist, Dr. David Samuels reports that he can practically see the impact of the economy in his patients’ X-rays. “On these films right here that we’re looking at, this area right here represents the top of the tooth – a fracture of the top of the tooth from clenching and grinding,” Samuels says. “You also see flattened surfaces on tops of
Martin Jones, 42-year-old builder, was left blind after an accident at work more than a decade ago. After a remarkable operation in which part of his tooth was implanted in his eye, he can now regain some of his lost sight. The procedure involved taking a minute section of a patient`s tooth, reshaping and chiselling through to grip the man-made lens which was then placed in its core. It is implanted under an eyelid where it become covered in tissue.
Manhattan Scientifics has announced that its NanoTitanium product has been approved by the FDA. The patented new form of titanium metal originally developed by Russian scientists in concert with scientists at the Los Alamos National Laboratory is expected to significantly improve dental implants. Studies have shown that bone integrates with these new metals up to 20 times faster than with conventional metals. Patients should experience shorter post surgery healing times and a more reliable integration of these new implants into
Brookhaven Science Associates, the company that operates and manages the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), and Biosurface Engineering Technologies, Inc. (BioSET), have been issued a U.S. patent on a synthetic peptide, called B2A. B2A enhances the effects of a tissue growth factor known as bone morphogenetic protein 2, or BMP-2. BMPs are a family of proteins in the human body responsible for the proliferation, repair and differentiation of cells in many tissues, including bone. Tom Rouche, BioSET
This interesting article about `Titanium uses in Industry` reveals some facts you may not have known about your favorite metal: It has an extremely low response to magnetism Its use in medicine also encompasses surgical instruments and those used in image-guided surgery and magnetic resonance imagery. It is the ninth most plentiful element present in the Earths crust. It has been found in meteorites and detected in the sun and class M stars. The Apollo 17 moon mission brought back
