JUVORA showcases implant prostheses at AO meeting

A proven success
Though it is a new and innovative entrant to the field of implant dentistry, there is substantial scientific evidence to support the use of JUVORA-based prosthetic frameworks. This is in part because its base material, PEEK-OPTIMA, has been used successfully in the medical field for quite some time. “In a medical context, this PEEK polymer has been used in around 9 million devices for patients, so it’s already had quite a proliferous usage,” said Dr. Robert Lemke, Chairman of AO’s Research Submission Committee and a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon from San Antonio. “It has been used for everything from cranioplasties to joint replacements and reconstructive surgeries.”

Dr. Carlos Moura Guedes, Director of the MALO CLINIC in Lisbon, Portugal, is conducting an ongoing prospective study regarding the clinical applications of PEEK-based frameworks. He has successfully fitted patients with JUVORA prosthetic frameworks for full-arch rehabilitation, with promising results. “According to the data analysis performed in our study, the patients submitted to full-arch rehabilitation through the All-on-4 concept with JUVORA infrastructure and acrylic resin prostheses registered an implant cumulative survival rate of 100% and an average marginal bone loss of 0.37 mm after one year of follow-up,” said Guedes. “These results are very encouraging considering the short-term evaluation.”

Emulating nature
When a foreign material is introduced to replace a part of the human body, the ultimate goal is to have it function as naturally as possible. One of the benefits of using implantable PEEK, according to Guedes, is its high level of biocompatibility. “The improved resilience of PEEK, compared with titanium, induces a more physiologically natural behavior from a mechanical point of view, even when hard materials like ceramic are used for veneering the PEEK framework. As a restorative dentist, having the possibility of approaching natural dentition in implant rehabilitation is something that is extremely important,” he said.

Though a material like titanium has commonly been used for prosthetic frameworks, its lack of flexibility and low level of shock absorption can ultimately lead to fracture and subsequent implant failure. With its bonelike modulus of elasticity, proven in vitro fracture resistance and impressive shock-absorbing qualities, JUVORA presents an alternative that allows for a lighter and more flexible prosthesis for the patient. “A JUVORA prosthetic framework not only works in a way that resembles natural teeth, it feels more like natural teeth,” said Dr. Miguel de Araújo Nobre, Director of the MALO CLINIC’s Research & Development and Oral Hygiene departments.

Prioritizing patient comfort
Given how integral dental prostheses can be for everyday life, special attention needs to be paid to their fit and function in a patient’s mouth. “The main benefit for the patient of a JUVORA prosthetic framework, besides the potential for longevity, is the comfort a more resilient restoration provides,” Guedes explained. “The lower rigidity of PEEK frameworks, compared with titanium, allows more normal function for patients, especially for those with parafunctional habits like bruxism. This can mean less maintenance of the prosthesis, and when there is natural opposing dentition, less wear of enamel and dentin of the natural teeth.”

Nobre emphasized that, though JUVORA-based frameworks can be successful in the long term, principles of care management need to be followed to support this. “The patient needs to maintain proper oral hygiene self-care and periodic recall visits just like he or she would need to do if there were natural teeth,” he stated. “However, there is no extra care needed to maximize the likelihood of success of a JUVORA-based framework—just the standard of care that is necessary for the patient’s natural teeth or prosthetic restorations.”

JUVORA at the AO meeting
Invibio is exhibiting at the 2018 AO annual meeting, taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center from Feb. 28 to March 3. The company is inviting dental professionals to visit Booth #146 to have their questions regarding JUVORA answered.

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