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Sunday, December 3rd, 2006 | in
Nobel Biocare, Dental Implant Systems
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Steven, a dentist, asks:
Have any of you heard of ZiUnite dental implants that Nobel Biocare is producing?
I recall, based on a presentation that I saw, that it is a one block of Zircon that forms the dental implant body. My question, though, is: Does Zircon osseointegrate? As far as I know Titanium is the only material that OsseoIntegrates. What then is Nobel advocating with the ZiUnite? Thanks for any explanations.
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31 Responses to “ ZiUnite ? ”
ZiUnite, BMP impregnated TiUnite and platform switch are the marketing for NBC’s research an development. We shall see which of the ideas will be realized…
According to the literature, zirconia has the same osseointegrative potential and even better hardness than titanium . . . only the surface should be rough like Tiunite to match immediate function (loading) concept! It could be ideal implant material for anterior thin soft tissue biotype.
The big difference between the modulus of elsticity of bone compared to that of zirconium should give us some food for thought…and a reason to worry
I have heard that the all zirconium implants are widely used in Germany [called the Z System] with good osteointegration results.
Also, they don’t show through the gums like a titanium implant can sometimes do. This might be an ideal thing for the front teeth area.
Also, the medical literature talks of titanium corroding in the body, but I don’t think that the zirconium will corrode like titanium can. This could be advantageous for immune compromissed patients.
Does anyone know if the ZiUnite (all zirconium implant)is up for FDA clearance as of today [Dec 5, 2006]?
Is an all zirconium implant the wave of the future?
if you have good results the change only means onething … more costs… For the seller thats the best thoughts you could have …
I say, what a great world we live in to experience these breakthroughs to benefit our patients. I am anxiously awaiting this news from Nobel. If it means better results for my practice I don’t mind spending a few bucks on a new kit if it’s required. Besides, if you have a good relationship with a company (I have a great one with Nobel) they will make an attractive offer to get me going. I will be attending the World Conference in Las Vegas where I am sure more news will be announced - this is where I first heard about the ZiUnite - at the last World Conference. What a positive experience it was for me, my practice and my patients to go to such a world class event.
Last comment is obviously from a Nobel employee.
I sat beside Mr Gottlander, VP of Nobel Biocare last week at a symposium and the last speaker was talking about a new corkscrew shaped implant that Nobel had bought from him and intends on launching. I also heard about their Zirconium implant. Lets not forget the Nobel Perfect Implant and Nobel Direct, both of somewhat questionable value. After the Corkscrew lecture, which I pointed out only work in soft bone, I leaned over to Mr. Gottlander and told him I only had two words for Nobel to consider - “Innovation diarrhea”
The question a dentist should ask when evaluating a new implant is “What problem will it solve, at what price and can it solved with my existing implants?
ZIRCONIUM AND THE FDA HAD A HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTION BACK IN THE LATE 90′S. WITH THE HIP ORTHOPEDIC IMPLANT. THAT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH LOAD TRANSFER TO THE NANO LAYER AND FRETTING. PERHAPS THIS COULD BE AN ISSUE WITH DENTISTRY? ALL HIGH STRENGTH CERAMICS FROM CROWN TO IMPLANT AND NOT ALOT OF LOAD DISSAPATION. JUST A THOUGHT TO CONSIDER ESPECIALLY IN DYSFUNCTION OR PARA FUNCTION.
Innovation, I guess we all still use the same laptop we bought in 1992. What problem is being solved? I have no idea what problem is being solved by this implant but I know that anything new from any company is dismissed as meaningless in post after post by Dr. Niznick. At the same time he will post on his implant the innovations he has made that make his RePlant or RePost or whatever better than Nobel. He will make statements that all tapered implants must follow his framework or they are not as good. According to who? Innovation diarhhea? Their are worse things like a lack of innovation followed by a stream of marketing position points diarhhea. As any person who has a business degree will tell you sometimes you are so engrossed in your process that you don’t recognize the problem. The biggest problem facing the implant marketplace today is not large companies trying to improve design. But practioners placing implants without proper training not only in placement but in handling complications. This mentality is going to create failures in the marketplace that could retard growth or at the very least generate lawsuits. This is not a GP vs. Surgeon arguement. Well trained is well trained and Dr. Niznick has stated he has no plan in investing in the training or education of the marketplace. If only sales people for Implant companies didn’t spend 80% of on service calls.
Last post,
I compete against niznbick’s implants.
I don’t think much of them but I do not think he is doing anything wrong by not training.
He is selling to experienced dentists. Niche implant system but he is doing nothing wrong.
He is right about tappered implants and I am sorry, you must work for Nobel as the tears in your statement were flowing.
Niznick hates reps, good for him. The main point he makes sense on is cost of implants. Good arguement.
I will be happy when he goes away or sells his company but in the end he is just another mail order company.
“I will be attending the World Conference in Las Vegas where I am sure more news will be announced - this is where I first heard about the ZiUnite - at the last World Conference. What a positive experience it was for me, my practice and my patients to go to such a world class event.”
Are you kidding me? I just went to Nobel’s world tour in Montreal and it was nothing but a giant infomercial. Each presentation was just a plug - no teaching of techniques or sharing of science. Total baloney. But I’m sure they’ll make millions from it thanks to fellow clinicians who simply can’t be bothered to educate themselves.
I don’t even use Straumann, but I’m going go to the ITI World Symposium in New York. Just look at the schedule of lectures. This is where a clinician should go to learn how to better treat patients.
I like the above concept. I dont like the nasty stuff. Its ok to disagree, but not be disagreable! Happy Holiday’s to all.
To Niznicks competitor, I don’t work for Nobel, Nor have I seen any research that compares a fully tapered implant to hybrid designs. I have seen necrosis of the bone on fully tapered implants causing countless failures. 3i changed their instrumentation after about a year of problems with the NT implant. Nobel, Zimmer and Implant Direct have similar tapered designs and have studies comparing them to cylindrical implants. Statements about a required taper degree or fully tapered vs. partially tapered implants are not definitive in the literature to my knowledge. Some people believe in Global Warming without proof, relying on consensus. Science is not defined by consensus. As for the training of the marketplace I find that to be a worthwhile pursuit, Not a waste of time or resources. This blog being an example of an opportunity for practioners to share information and advice. I choose to respond to posts on a variety of products that miss the point or in my view are mis-leading. Dr. Niznick does the same.
If smsddsmdt is referring to my comments, I apologize for sounding disagreeable. I just get a little frustrated when I see my colleagues being sold a bill of goods.
We all talk a good game (patient comes first) but I’m not sure we all walk the walk.
My profit margins may not be the highest, but I make up for it with high success rates. And I sleep soundly at night, not in ignorant bliss, but knowing I’ve offered my patients clinically proven products and techniques.
Show me the studies on tappered implants.
What did you want to be certain of?
so what is the lastest gossip on the all zirconium implant? will nobel be bringing it to the US market soon? or did they run into regulatory hurdles that have slowed them or stopped them in their tracks?
anyone know any German or other European dentists who are placing the all zirconium implants overseas? are they seeing solid results or more failures and complications than expected?
2 years ago we were shown live surgeries on the big screens at the World Conference relating to Nobelguide and Teeth-in-an-hour that still today cannot be accomplished in clinical practice due to lack of critical components. Those were damm and blatant lies!!! The Nobeldirect line of products was also marketed towards GP’s placing dental implants and BTW was a big failure. Every single one of those I placed for my GP’s they did not like! They did not like to prep the titanium in the mouth! Nobelperfect came and went! It seems like a lot of things marketed with Nobelbiocare have to do with creating the appearance that it is soooooo easy for “anyone” to place dental implants. I am tired of being a testbed for their new widgets that don’t work half the time.
It is all about marketing in NBC….is there really a lot of research done? Some staff from NBC did ask the management about research….guess what? If there were a lot of research done for these products…..other companies will be selling them before us….it is all about $$$$$$$$$$…..
I have been a NobelBiocare trainer for a long time. I find no reason for price rising taking out the cover screw (40$). Nothing wrong with Dr Niznick policy. He is targeting well experienced doctors with a nice product, perfectly machined, proved surface, all the features and a great price on top of that!!
Just came on… curious note, TED wrote back in December about literature pertaining to titianium corroding in the body and immune compromised patients.
That makes no sense- I have been selling craniofacial and small frag titanium implants and dental implant for the last 5 years, and the reason for the companies GOING to titianium if for the fact that it DOESN’T corrode due to the oxide layer.
Finally, and this is my personal opinion as a seasoned surgical sales professional… Nobel should be cautious this new product with respect to its efficacy and necessity. Looking at its recent prior product launches, many of which have not lived up to the considerable hype, they do risk losing even more confidence in the marketplace if this one isnt a home run.
It is nice to see someone doing more R&D, I just question the necessity or purpose of some of their innovations.
You can also find additional discussions on zirconium implants, in general, by clicking here
One-hour tooth implant may have problems
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swiss-Swedish Nobel Biocare’s Teeth-in-an-Hour implant system may carry more risk of complications than conventional methods, an abstract of a study by Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet showed on Saturday.
The study examined 31 patients treated using the method, which uses computer modeling to reduce implant installation time, and showed that complications such as the loss of fixtures and the need for adjustments arose for nearly a third.
Nine percent of the 175 fixtures examined — the titanium screws which are fastened to the bone — were lost, said Bjorn Klinge, professor of periodontology at Karolinska Institutet and one of the study’s authors.
This compared with a loss rate of roughly 2 to 3 percent using conventional and more time-consuming methods, he added.
“My assessment is that this is still at the trial stage and therefore can’t be recommended for general use,” Klinge told Reuters. “Our data shows rather unequivocally that there is a lot of development left before one can say if this is a good or a bad product,” he added.
I have not made myself familiar with Nobel’s zircon, but assume from the comments made by others that it is a ceramic (zirconia) implant body. Use of ceramics for implants is not new, although this may be the first use of zirconia. The original Frialit implant was ceramic and Kyocera had a ceramic dental implant many years ago. Friadent changed to titanium and I believe that Kyocera did as well. Ceramics osseointegrate very well, but have other material problems that have been problematic in the past. If contemplating using such a product, these issues should be carefully researched.
Keith, thanks for bringing us back to focus. the topic was Zirconium implants. The discussion was not to put Dr. N versus the world of Nobel. Nor was it to discuss marketing of implants to non-surgeons(and i do feel highly offended by nobel for this) Friadent’s original Tubigen implant was zirconium and has since evolved to the Frialit 2. It is stepped tapered and distributes force nicely. Yes it is tapered and works nicely too. I seem to recall that the problem with the Tubigen was resorbtion of the fixture.? Dr. N is correct in asking us to evaluate what we are using now, how it will solve a problem, and comparitive cost.
About Zirconium Implants: what about the prosthetic connection?
Screw in Zirconium: that material works great in compression, but breaks under tension.
If one piece implant, good luck to prepare Zirconium in the patient mouth…. Be ready Invest in many and expensive carbide drills, and be prepared to spend lot of time at chaisrside…
And what if the implant is placed at an angle?…..
As Keith reminds us Kyocera and Friadent marketed ceramic implants 20 and 30 years ago. They stopped…. Do you know why?
May be this is another marketing hype?…..
From N.H.”2 years ago we were shown live surgeries on the big screens at the World Conference relating to Nobelguide and Teeth-in-an-hour that still today cannot be accomplished in clinical practice due to lack of critical components. Those were damm and blatant lies”
I was there, the thundering applause was still ringing loud in my ears!!I was so envious of the surgeons performing the procedures. Where were the so call leaders in our profession? There was not one person in the crowd that would raise any questions about the validity of the concept and the process, let alone asking for research data. Have we lost the ability to critical think or just plan thinking for ourselves in our profession? This kind of approach is just plainly experimentation without informed consent.
I am just wondering What are they selling or what is “HOT” or what is the Buzz word in the March AO convention this year? Are we just a whole bunch of sheep. There were a lot of clinicians that were on this “Teeth-in-an-hour” bandwagon and advertised to the public.
What is wrong with our profession, everything has to be immediate. I am sorry, if you want baby, it will take nine months.
The fault lies not with the company but with our profession, in that we are confusing our professional responsibilities with the objectives of the implant companies.
Norman Kwan
Two ceramic implant systems were extensively researched & published upon in the seventies & eighties. One was the Tuebingen implant developed by Professor Shulte’s group at the University of the same name. It was an aluminum oxide stepped, tapered cylinder & it was used for immediate extraction single tooth replacement. It evolved into the Frialit Ti system because of the brittle, fragile nature of the ceramic.
The second was the Kyocera single crystal sapphire implant extensively researched & published on by Ralph McKinney & David Steflik of the Medical College of Georgia. This was a straight, threaded, one piece implant with a smooth post & it evolved into a Ti alloy straight threaded implant, acid anodized or HA-coated, that is marketed only in Japan, Korea & Tiawan.
The Zirconium that Nobel is using is obviously much stronger than the above since they have bench-tested it to be as strong as Ti6-4 & are using it for partial & full arch FPD frames. Whether it should be used in bone as an implanted material remains to be seen. I certainly would agree with many of the Osseo News commentators, that extensive research & clinical testing remains to be done. I, personally, would not use this material in the bone without at least five years of data since alot of the HA failures did not appear until the 5-7 year period & the biomechanics of placing such a rigid material in flexible bone has not been studied.
wipo.int/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?WO=2002/024098
please go tru this web article
and you will know that zirconium and this implant was presented at Greater New York Dental Meeting
2003
It s a french system but no publicity
and the big companies do not want this one to come by itself
good luck
I can understand the bias against Nobel, given their over marketing; however I don’t understand the comment of “innovation diarrhea.” Many of you seem as though you would be comfortable with an “abutment in a box” concept of restorative implant dentistry. Oh, and for the record, my Nobel rep will always sell me implants at a 20% discount. 30% if I purchase 100 or more. I’ve taken advantage of the 30% savings a couple of times now, which drops my implant price to $244. Let’s at least compare apples to apples, shall we?
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