One million SLActive
implants and one million individualized Straumann CADCAM elements sold
·
Commercial
success built on clinically proven benefits
·
SLActive
sets benchmark as the platinum standard, third-generation implant surface
·
New
SLActive production unit at Villeret facility goes into operation to meet
future demand
·
Dentists
and laboratories move to Straumann CADCAM for high precision dental crowns and
bridges in a broad range of materials, including super-esthetic ceramics
Basel, 10 September
2009: Straumann, a global leader in replacement, restorative and
regenerative dentistry, announced today that it has sold more than one million
dental implants with its proprietary SLActive surface technology, which cuts
healing times by half and provides higher security, compared with the
conventional SLA surface[1],[2] .
At the same time, Straumann’s CADCAM unit, etkon, also
reported that it has now sold over a million individualized CADCAM crown and
bridge elements. This is a significant milestone in view of the fact that the
company is comparatively new in this field and has only recently expanded
outside its local market.
The key to
SLActive’s success
Dental implants act like natural tooth roots in that they
provide a stable, durable foundation for replacement teeth. The great majority
of implants are manufactured from titanium, which is biocompatible and
integrates with bone. Conventional titanium surfaces are hydrophobic and thus
repel fluids, whereas the chemical purity and retained surface energy of
SLActive shows remarkable hydrophilic (fluid attracting) properties. As a
consequence, it quickly attracts blood and proteins and thus integrates with
bone considerably faster than conventional surface technology. The implications
of this are: higher security, shorter treatment protocols, higher
predictability and reduced risk with earlier loading, resulting in better
patient care.
The medical need for
enhanced surface technology
According to latest estimates, 80% of patients requiring an
implant have one or more risk factors for compromised treatment outcome, such
as: age, poor bone quality, diabetes, alcohol consumption, smoking etc.
Furthermore, as treatment with dental implants becomes more common, the
criteria for patient selection are expected to slacken and the frequency of
difficult cases being treated will increase. The number of less specialized
practitioners placing implants is also expected to rise. In addition, patients
increasingly want faster solutions. These trends underline the need for proven,
time-saving systems that are easier to use and achieve predictable optimal
results in challenging indications/situations. SLActive is a major step towards
meeting that need.
Launched in 2005, SLActive is now available on Straumann
implants in more than 70 countries around the world, including China, where
marketing approval has just been obtained. SLActive also features on
Straumann’s new Roxolid™ implants.
Proven activity
Backed by impressive clinical and preclinical studies and
publications, SLActive is one of the best investigated implant surfaces on the
market; more than 20 studies have provided evidence endorsing its remarkable
properties.
In head-to-head preclinical studies, SLActive compared
strongly with two leading competitors with regard to surface osseointegration:
it demonstrated a positive influence on the interfacial shear strength by
comparison with TiUnite[3],[4] , and achieved significantly higher
bone-to-implant contact compared with NanoTite[5],[6] . These
results, which are indicative of osseointegration, were presented at recent
scientific conferences[7] . Besides its excellent osseoconductivity,
SLActive has also demonstrated improved bone formation[8],[9],[10],[11]
and defect filling[12],[13] in preclinical studies.
SLActive has advantages in all indications, particularly in
the growing field of critical treatment protocols and whenever esthetics play a
role. Published 12-month clinical data from an ongoing multicenter study with
380 implants confirm that excellent results can be achieved with SLActive even
in challenging conditions. The results show exceptional survival rates, despite
the fact that more than 40% of the implants were placed in poor quality bone
and ‘aggressive’ protocols were used. Furthermore, a survival rate of 100% was
observed in class IV bone (28 patients) and bone gain was reported in
approximately 16% of cases[2] .
Straumann believes that this technology still has more
potential to be explored and will be the platinum standard for all implant
indications. This is mirrored in the uptake of SLActive, which is now sold on
more than one in every three Straumann implants.
New production unit
goes into operation
In order to meet future demand, Straumann has extended its
Swiss manufacturing site in Villeret by 1000 m2 to house a dedicated
SLActive production unit. The project, which was initiated in spring 2008,
became operational in August this year.
1 million Straumann
CADCAM crown and bridge elements
Modern dental prosthetic inlays, crowns, and bridges are
designed by computer (CAD) and then milled on computerized machines (CAM) from
polymer, metal or ceramics. This procedure is considerably more efficient and
replaces traditional labor-intensive processes, such as casting, layering and
firing, performed by dental technicians. CADCAM prosthetics are also used in
combination with dental implants, making the two businesses complementary.
CADCAM is a fast growing technology that is very profitable for dental
laboratories and offers precise, reliable, esthetic, individual solutions.
Straumann entered the tooth restoration market in 2007
through the acquisition of etkon, an emerging CADCAM company focused primarily
on its domestic market in Germany. Supported by Straumann’s global brand and
presence, the business has expanded rapidly and has now sold over a million
individualized elements.
Today, Straumann provides a comprehensive CADCAM service for
dental laboratories and dentists, including a full range of CADCAM dental
prosthetics and related technology. The success of its system is built on
innovative CAD software, powerful laser scanning technology, high precision
milling and high performance materials. Straumann® CADCAM
restorations include copings, full-anatomical crowns, bridges up to 14 units,
and customized abutments. The company offers a broad range of modern
biocompatible, durable and esthetic materials, including state-of-the-art
super-esthetic, high-performance glass ceramic.
In contrast to some systems, Straumann CADCAM is fully
integrated and meets FDA, and ISO standards, reflecting the high quality,
esthetics and precision for which Straumann is renowned.
[1] Oates TW et al. Enhanced implant stability with a
chemically modified SLA surface: a randomized pilot study. Int J Oral
Maxillofac Implants 2009;22:755-760.
[2] Ganeles J, Zöllner A, Jackowski J, ten Bruggenkate C,
Beagle J, Guerra F. Immediate and early loading of Straumann implants with a
chemically modified surface (SLActive) in the posterior mandible and maxilla:
1-year results from a prospective multicenter study. Clin Oral Implants Res
2008;19:1119-1128.
[3] Gottlow J, Barkarmo S, Sennerby L. Influences of surface
properties on osseointegration. Results presented at the Toronto
Osseointegration Conference, May 2008.
[4] TiUnite is a registered trademark of the Nobel Biocare
Group.
[5] F. Schwarz, D. Ferrari, M. Wieland, M. Sager, J. Becker.
Comparative study on bone regeneration in dehiscence-type defects at chemically
modified hydrophilic (SLActive®) or nanostructured (NanoTite®) titanium
implants. Presented at the EAO 2008, Warsaw.
[6] NanoTite is a registered trademark of Biomet 3i, Inc.
[7] Toronto Osseointegration Conference, May 2008; EAO,
Warsaw, September 2008.
[8] Schwarz F et al. Histological and immunohistochemical
analysis of initial and early subepithelial connective tissue attachment at
chemically modified and conventional SLA titanium implants. A pilot study in
dogs. Clin Oral Investig 2007;11(3):245-255.
[9] Schwarz F et al. Histological and immunohistochemical
analysis of initial and early osseous integration at chemically modified and
conventional SLA titanium implants: preliminary results of a pilot study in
dogs. Clin Oral Implants Res 2007;18(4):481-488.
[10] Schwarz F et al. Effects of surface hydrophilicity and
microtopography on early stages of soft and hard tissue integration at
non-submerged titanium implants: an immunohistochemical study in dogs. J
Periodontol 2007;78(11):2171-2184.
[11] Bornstein M et al. Bone apposition around two different
sandblasted and acid-etched titanium implant surfaces: a histomorphometric
study in canine mandibles. Clin Oral Implants Res 2008;19(3):233-241.
[12] Schwarz F et al. Bone regeneration in dehiscence-type
defects at non-submerged and submerged chemically modified (SLActive) and
conventional SLA titanium implants: an immunohistochemical study in dogs. J
Clin Periodontol 2008; 35:64-75.
[13] Schwarz F et al. Bone regeneration in dehiscence-type
defects at chemically modified (SLActive) and conventional SLA titanium
implants: a pilot study in dogs. J Clin Periodontol 2007;34:78-86.
About Straumann
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, the Straumann Group
(SIX: STMN) is a global leader in implant and restorative dentistry and oral
tissue regeneration. In collaboration with leading clinics, research institutes
and universities, Straumann researches, develops and manufactures dental
implants, instruments, prosthetics and tissue regeneration products for use in
tooth replacement and restoration solutions or to prevent tooth loss. Straumann
currently employs approximately 2200 people worldwide and its products and
services are available in more than 70 countries through its broad network of
distribution subsidiaries and partners. www.straumann.com