Athens/Basel, 13 October 2011 – Straumann customers around the world are among the first to enjoy the benefits of a novel RNC material used to manufacture dental crowns, inlays, onlays and veneers. The new material, which has been developed by 3M ESPE, is called a ‘Resin Nano Ceramic (RNC)’ because it combines nano ceramic components with a highly cross-linked resin matrix. The material is cured in a 3M proprietary process, giving it remarkable properties. Mimicking the translucency and fluorescence of natural teeth, it combines brilliant esthetics with durability, tooth-like wear and shock absorption characteristics. Because RNC is not brittle, restorations are unlikely to chip.
Thanks to its strength, consistency and elasticity, the new material can be used to produce complete restorations in a single piece, rather than in multiple layers. It is also ideal for very thin, minimally invasive, restorations. In contrast to ceramics, RNC does not require firing and is particularly suitable for final adjustment and polishing. It thus streamlines workflows, offering benefits to dentists, dental labs and patients.
Straumann – a leading global partner for CADCAM prosthetics
Straumann is the first company to launch the new material, which is supplied by 3M ESPE under the trade name ‘3M™ ESPE™ Lava™ Ultimate Restorative’. It is indicated for single-tooth restorations, full-contour inlays, onlays, veneers, partial crowns, and crowns (tooth- or implant1-borne) – all offered by Straumann® CARES® Digital Solutions. Twelve different shades are available and the material can only be processed by modern CADCAM technology.
Straumann used the 20th Annual Scientific Meeting of the European Association for Osseointegration, which opened today, to launch the new material. Further information is available from: http://www.straumann-cares-digital-solutions.com.
Straumann CARES Digital Solutions
With its state-of-the-art CADCAM milling centers in Germany and the US, Straumann is a leading global partner for high precision, minimally invasive, quality restorations, and workflow efficiency.
Tooth- and implant-borne restorations designed and milled by Straumann CARES Digital Solutions are increasingly popular thanks to the company’s complete digital offering, including guided surgery, in-lab and intra-oral scanning, and CADCAM production. Digital workflows are beginning to supersede labor-intensive manual processes, eliminating interfaces, shortening treatment times, reducing risk of error and improving quality assurance. These benefits are expected to translate into lower treatment costs, added convenience and improved comfort for patients. However, the key differentiator is the seamless connectivity of integrated technologies, offered together with product and service excellence by a single provider.
Partnership with 3M ESPE
The launch of Straumann CARES restorations made of 3M ESPE Lava Ultimate Restorative follows a collaboration agreement between the two companies, which was announced at the International Dental Show in Cologne in March 2011. The goal of this collaboration is to increase accuracy, simplicity and productivity of the implant restorative procedure by combining technology solutions from industry leaders. The 3M ESPE Lava Ultimate Restorative increases the breadth of the Straumann CARES offering, which already includes high performance ceramics (e.g. zerion™, IPS e.max® CAD, IPS Empress® CAD, VITABLOCS® Mark II and TriLuxe), titanium, cobalt-chromium, and various polymers.
NEW-GENERATION SMALL-DIAMETER SOFT TISSUE-LEVEL IMPLANT
Also at the EAO, Straumann introduced a new generation small-diameter, soft-tissue-level implant, which offers increased flexibility and additional treatment options. The new implant, which is called the ‘Straumann® Standard Plus Narrow Neck CrossFit®’ (NNC), combines the exceptional strength of Straumann’s proprietary Roxolid® material, the rapid osseointegration of the SLActive® surface and the reliability and improved handling advantages of the CrossFit® connection.
The NNC is being introduced in a controlled market release in Europe. The full launch is planned for next Spring – in Europe and North America2 with other markets2 to follow.
When fully launched, the ‘Straumann Standard Plus Narrow Neck CrossFit®’ will supersede Straumann’s current narrow-neck soft-tissue-level implant, which is made of titanium, has an external hex design, and is only indicated for single-tooth replacement.
Extended treatment options
Small diameter implants are used for limited inter-dental spaces or narrow bone ridges. The NNC is indicated for a variety of uses, including: single-tooth replacement and multiple-tooth replacement with bridges and fixed or removable overdentures. Being a soft-tissue-level design, the new implant facilitates soft-tissue management and can be placed in a one step procedure that avoids a second surgical intervention. It thus simplifies treatment and reduces the number of dental visits. The NNC complements Straumann’s small-diameter bone-level implant – no other company is able to offer small-diameter implants made of Roxolid for both soft-tissue-level and bone-level applications.
Roxolid is the key
Roxolid has been the key to the development of the NNC. The material’s physical strength has enabled Straumann to develop a small diameter implant with an internal rather than an external connection. The design of the implant-abutment interface provides an excellent seal and distributes the biting pressure optimally. It also offers greater flexibility for prosthetic angulation.
The SLActive surface
SLActive is one of the best investigated implant surfaces on the market. A multitude of studies have provided scientific evidence endorsing its remarkable properties3, including a marked reduction of healing times4, improved bone formation5 and excellent survival rates6.
Handling simplicity with the CrossFit Connection
Implant dentistry involves working with tiny, high-precision components in restricted, poorly visible spaces. The CrossFit Connection, which is used in Straumann’s Bone Level range, is an ingenious solution to this problem because it guides the abutment precisely into the correct position and enables the user literally to ‘feel the fit’. In addition to offering a variety of four positions, the CrossFit Connection safeguards against abutment rotation.
A broad portfolio of surgical and standard prosthetic components is available for the NNC and will be complemented by custom abutment options shortly after the full market release.
One system, one instrument set
Straumann has integrated the NNC into its existing Dental Implant System which includes a full range of Soft Tissue and Bone Level options and covers all indications7. In spite of this, the procedures and instruments are the same and only one surgical kit is required.
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 more than 2400 people worldwide and its products and services are available in more than 70 countries through its broad network of distribution subsidiaries and partners.
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