-- Guaranteed precision and reliability with Straumann prosthetics on
Straumann implants
-- A new standard of patient care and esthetics
BERLIN, Oct. 26, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- At a key dental congress(b) in Berlin today, Straumann, a global leader in implant dentistry and oral tissue regeneration, announced the initial launch of CARES(a) Ceramic, an individualised implant abutment service using the most advanced ceramic material for ultimate precision, durability and lasting esthetics in implant dentistry.
CARES Ceramic builds on Straumann's state-of-the-art CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Design/Manufacturing) service CARES, which was launched earlier this year with individualized abutments in titanium.
"CARES Ceramic has been subjected to millions of cycles in fatigue tests to ensure long-term durability. This means that we can offer guaranteed 'all-Straumann' precision and reliability to customers who choose ceramic abutments to achieve high-end lasting esthetic results," explained Dr. Sandro Matter, Executive Vice President of Straumann's Products Division. "Straumann has advised dental professionals not to combine our dental system with non-Straumann components, however, recent promotions by our competitors have ignored the potential risks of mixing systems. We believe that with CARES Ceramic and our innovative SLActive surface technology, Straumann offers the ultimate in restoration esthetics and implant security. In other words, we are offering a new standard of patient care."
CARES Ceramic uses zirconium dioxide (zirconia, ZrO2) instead of titanium as the material for manufacturing the implant abutment. Zirconia is a white ceramic material that offers an optimal combination of strength (outstanding fracture toughness) and esthetics. It is, however, difficult to process faultlessly in the laboratory. The CARES service facilitates this process and eliminates the risk of imprecision, surface cracks or even breakage during processing. Using proven CAD/CAM technology, the dental lab technician designs the individualised abutment on a computer and transmits the specifications to a central Straumann manufacturing center. There the ceramic abutment is shaped to the technician's design on industrial scale machines to fit precisely onto Straumann implants. The finished item is then sent by express delivery to the laboratory for crowning.
Pictures
A selection of pictorials is available for a limited period at: http://straumann.imagedirector.net/album?album_code=h750q8nh4a6r
About Straumann(r) CARES
Straumann has a long tradition in responding to individual customer needs and has a business unit devoted specifically to custom-made products. Straumann CARES builds on this tradition and extends Straumann's comprehensive range of standard abutments to include customized titanium and ceramic solutions.
Straumann CARES is the result of an exclusive collaborative arrangement with Sirona Dental Systems, the world's leading producer of dental CAD/CAM systems. Using the most advanced computer assisted modeling technology, Straumann CARES enables the dental technician to digitize the patient's oral situation, using a "inLab" or "inEos" Sirona scanner, and then to design the individualised abutment on a computer.
In addition to highest precision and quality, Straumann CARES offers considerable laboratory timesavings as it obviates wax modelling, casting and grinding. Moreover, it eliminates the failure risks associated with these processes. Straumann CARES also simplifies reproducibility as existing data can be used to produce a replacement quickly.
Both Strauman CARES and CARES Ceramic are being rolled out in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, with introductions in other markets to follow. Individualized abutments currently represent a niche market, as the major demand for abutments is covered by Straumann's broad range of standard abutments.
About the Straumann(r) Dental Implant System
Renowned for its outstanding quality and precision, the Straumann Dental Implant System is one of the most successful and widely used implant systems in the world. It is also one of the longest and most extensively documented systems and is backed by more than 3,000 publications. Its lasting success is the result of outstanding reliability and safety. Designed for maximum flexibility with a minimum number of components, the Straumann system offers excellent solutions for all indications using just three implant types: the Standard implant, optimized for non-submerged placement, the Standard Plus for semi- or fully submerged placement, and the Tapered Effect implant, designed for placement immediately after tooth extraction. All Straumann implants are finished with the SLA(r) surface, which offers the option of immediate loading (with good primary stability, appropriate occlusal loading according to indication). Straumann dental implants are complemented by a comprehensive portfolio of implant prosthetic components, offering optimal solutions for tooth restorations with sustainable high-end esthetic results.
About Straumann
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Straumann (SWX:STMN) is a global leader in implant dentistry and oral tissue regeneration. In collaboration with the International Team for Implantology (ITI), leading clinics, research institutes and universities, the Group researches, develops, produces and distributes implants, instruments and tissue regeneration products for use in tooth replacement solutions or to prevent tooth loss. Straumann also provides training and services to the dental profession worldwide. The Group manufactures implant system components and instruments in Switzerland and the USA and dental tissue regeneration products in Sweden. Straumann's products and services are available in more than 60 countries worldwide through the Group's 16 distribution subsidiaries and a broad network of distribution partners. Straumann employs 1,293 people worldwide, and generated sales of CHF 420 million and a net income of CHF 101 million in 2004.
Disclaimer
This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" which reflect the current views of management and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These include risks related to the success of and demand for the Group's products, the potential for the Group's products to become obsolete, the Group's ability to defend its intellectual property, the Group's ability to develop and commercialize new products in a timely manner, the dynamic and competitive environment in which the Group operates, the regulatory environment, changes in currency exchange rates, the Group's ability to generate revenues and profitability, and the Group's ability to realize its collaboration projects in a timely manner. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this release. Straumann is providing the information in this release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in it as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
(a) CARES: Computer-Aided Restoration Service
(b) Erste gemeinsame Tagung der wissenschaftlichen Gesellschaften der Zahn-, Mund- und Kieferheilkunde und Deutscher Zahnarztetag 2005