Fluoride modification to TiOblast™ surface promotes growth of more bone more rapidly after dental implant surgery
Astra Tech, Inc., the medical device company, today announced FDA approval and the availability of OsseoSpeed™, a unique fluoride modification to the TiOblast™ surface that promotes faster bone growth and improves on the clinically documented TiOblast surface for optimal treatment outcomes in dental implant surgery. OsseoSpeed provides more rapid bone growth during the crucial healing period immediately following implant placement, improving bone growth speed, surface contact area and bonding strength by as much as 30-50 percent over un-modified roughened titanium implants.
”Our research has shown that the fluoride-modified surface leads to faster osteoblast differentiation (the basis of more rapid bone formation) that my be advantageous in sub-optimal clinical situations,” said Dr. Lyndon F. Cooper, DDS, PhD, Department of Prosthodontics, University North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Dentistry. “More bone growth more rapidly may enable dental professionals to perform implant surgery with greater confidence.” Dr. Cooper’s research was funded by The AstraZeneca group.
Once the implant is firmly attached to the bone, dental professionals select and place an abutment onto which prosthetic teeth can be attached. The results are replacement teeth that very closely match the patient’s original teeth in terms of look, feel and function.
"The Astra Tech Dental Implant System is backed by a 10-year record of clinical and pre-clinical research," said Dr. Clark Stanford, DDS, PhD, University of Iowa, College of Dentistry. "And ongoing studies of the OsseoSpeed surface have demonstrated enhanced qualities compared to other rough implant surfaces in terms of the speed of bone growth, surface contact area, and bonding strength - the primary factors in a successful implant placement."
The OsseoSpeed surface is available in four diameters (3.5, 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0), all of which include internal “double-hex” to provide anti-rotation and allow for convenient indexing of the abutment. To further simplify installation, the carrier is narrower with depth markings which can guide abutment selection and confirm implant depth.
“OsseoSpeed and the other key features of the Astra Tech Dental Implant System provide optimal long-term results in which surgeons and patients alike can have confidence,” said Anders Holmén, Dental Medical Director at Astra Tech AB. “We are proud to make this technology available in the United States.”
The U.S. market for dental implants is approaching $400 million and is estimated to grow by as much as 20 percent each year for the next five years to an estimated $1 billion in 2011. More than 500,000 dental implants were placed in the U.S. last year.
About the OsseoSpeed surface
The new fluoride-modified OsseoSpeed surface improves on the TiOblast surface to further stimulate bone healing and allow for more effective and reliable early loading.
The micro-roughened TiOblast™ surface is created by blasting the implant with titanium dioxide particles to create a surface topography that transfers physiological loads and enhances bone stimulation, resulting in increased bone-to-implant contact area and enhanced mechanical interlock between implant and bone.
In two studies, TiOblast implants and TiOblast implants with fluoride modification were exposed to solutions containing calcium and phosphate. The implants with fluoride modified surfaces absorbed significantly more calcium phosphate, indicating a significantly greater capacity to promote bone formation and bone bonding.
Fluoride modified fixtures have been implanted into bone in a number of studies. Histological analysis of the bone-to-implant interface has illustrated superior bone response and attachment to the OsseoSpeed implant surface with higher bone-to-implant contact documented as early as one month after implant placement.
In a study with two months’ observation before histological analysis, new bone formation was identified on OsseoSpeed surfaces that had been placed in the bone marrow of rabbit tibia. This study also tested implant stability, as measured by removal torque, with OsseoSpeed demonstrating significantly higher retention in bone compared to machined or rough surface implants.
About the Astra Tech Dental Implant System
Natural and healthy soft tissue depends on support from the underlying bone. Astra Tech Dental Implants offer unrivaled documented results for maintaining marginal bone integrity and soft tissue health, with several features that work together to help prevent bone loss and ensure implant stability after placement.
The tight and precise-fitting implant-abutment relation of the Conical Seal Design™ makes abutment connection a quick and simple procedure. The abutment is self-guiding and installation is non-traumatic, virtually eliminating the risk of damage to the bone.
To maintain bone, dental implants must be designed to mechanically stimulate the surrounding bone. The neck of the Astra Tech dental implant, which is the most critical part of the implant-bone interface, stimulates surrounding bone with MicroThread™ retention elements – tiny threads that offer optimal load distribution and lower stress values.
About Astra Tech
Astra Tech AB, part of the AstraZeneca group (NYSE: AZN), develops and manufactures advanced healthcare devices, primarily for the dental implant and urology markets. Astra Tech AB designs products that improve patient care, simplify procedures for healthcare personnel and reduce overall healthcare costs. Astra Tech, Inc. is the North American division of Astra Tech AB and is responsible for sales and marketing for the USA and Canada with its headquarters in Waltham, MA. Inquiries:
Brian Spies
Astra Tech USA
800-531-3481