New fixed teeth in 30 minutes: from fiction to reality

Date: 25 August, 2004
Time: 15:00-16:00
Room: Folkets Hus, room number 307

Teeth lost due to caries, trauma or periodontal disease can be replaced using titanium implants anchored directly into the living bone. What was a treatment period of at least nine months is now reduced to 30 minutes. Using computer-aided radiography images are reconstructed, and the surgical procedure is planned in three dimensions (3D). The implants and prosthetic bridge are manufactured after the data are transferred to the laboratory. During the single surgical session, a computer-generated template is used to guide the position of the implants and the prosthesis is finally attached.

Dr. Matts Andersson, Prof. Daniel van Steenberge and Dr. Björn Klinge will present the story from the discovery of the unique biological properties of titanium to the treatment of a patient by this new technique.

Dr. Björn Klinge, Professor in parodontology, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden. Dr Klinge has operated four patients using this new technique.

Dr. Matts Andersson is Senior Chief Scientist, Nobel Biocare Ltd and Adjunct Scientist, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Periodontology.
Dr. Andersson is the inventor who has turned the digital information into a production process.

Prof. Daniel van Steenberghe, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium
Daniel van Steenberghe is an MD, PhD and periodontologist who together with a team of engineers has developed a 3-D CT-scan image based software which enables surgeons to plan the installation of implants in the jaws bone or other parts of the skeleton in a virtual environment. In cooperation with industry this planning can be transferred to a hardware model which allows to fabricate a high precision drilling template and even when applicable the dental prosthesis. Thus a perfect match is reached during surgery with planned positions of implants and prosthesis fits perfectly and can be installed at once. After some 10 years of development this concept is now used at a clinical level in a series of reputed clinical centres with great success. Surgery time is around half an hour since the soft tissues do not have to reflected anymore. Implants go directly through the gums. After surgery the dentist can install the prosthesis in some fifteen minutes.

At the press briefing you will also meet one of the patients treated by Dr. Björn Klinge.

The plenary session is held on 26 August at 09:30-11:00, Norra Latin Room 461.