Last year, Lithoz announced a collaboration with Dr. Jens Tartsch, the founder and president of the European Society for Ceramic Implantology (ESCI), to improve the production of 3D printed ceramic implants.
Metoxit is a Swiss high-tech ceramics company that develops oxide ceramics. The company focuses on precision medical implants as well as high-performance components for mechanical and electrical engineering applications. The company will bring its expertise in ceramic medical applications acquired over the years, both in the areas of hip joint implants and dental applications.
For those who do not know, dental implants are crucial for the reconstruction and restoration of missing teeth in partially or completely edentulous patients. The challenge for dentists is that they often lack aesthetics, comfort and biocompatible materials for their production, not to mention that their good bone ingrowth capabilities are very much required for withstanding the daily stress the wearer puts on them. Furthermore, for such implants, the absence of defects such as pores or cracks is more important than with any other ceramic parts.
To address these issues, the Austrian 3D printer manufacturer will leverage its Lithography-based Ceramic Manufacturing (LCM) to produce biocompatible dental implants in different sizes and shapes.
Interestingly, LCM does not require molds as with other conventional manufacturing techniques, which facilitates the production of more complex structures. In addition, the number of manufacturing steps involved is significantly reduced, with intricate features such as inner threads and surface modifications being carried out during the 3D printing stage.
“Components produced via LCM fit suitably to the restored crown and have high mechanical strength, while the ceramic materials used by Lithoz for these applications also have biocompatible properties and facilitate good adhesion between the bone and implant. This method also allows for a broad variety of shapes and sizes when manufacturing these dental components, ensuring every need can be met for different patients”, one reads in a press communication.
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