Dear colleagues,
I honestly admit that I belong to the last species who never used a vacuum cleaner in their lives. Therefore, there is hardly anything more unattractive for someone like me than a vacuum cleaner. Nevertheless, I am currently fascinated by one of these models – to be precise: the DYSON vacuum cleaner!
I honestly admit that I belong to the last species who never used a vacuum cleaner in their lives. Therefore, there is hardly anything more unattractive for someone like me than a vacuum cleaner. Nevertheless, I am currently fascinated by one of these models – to be precise: the DYSON vacuum cleaner!
I first noticed it while my taxi driver in San Francisco, where I was holding a lecture in fall, was laughing about the security in front of the DYSON flagship store at Union Square, located just opposite to the Apple store. “Security at the DYSON Store!” he screamed, ” Who is going to come up with the stupid idea of robbing a vacuum cleaner store?!”
I became curious and decided to have a closer look at it. The huge, futuristic-looking shop, which was in no way inferior to the Apple store, had an entire wall to read:
“Our mission is simple; we solve the problems others seem to ignore.”
Suddenly I realized two things. Firstly: there is a person behind it, or to be more precise, a whole family, as I later found out, no stock corporation that is solely focused on profit maximization. Secondly: these people not only solve problems others ignore, but also problems that people like me don’t even know they exist! Once I saw the DYSON vacuum cleaner, I realized that the classic vacuum cleaner is a really problematic item: the box you have to drag behind you and to carry up and down stairs, damaging furniture and walls. Then there is the filter bag you have to constantly re-buy and whose contents we are unable to control: does it contain perhaps the wedding ring we have been looking for for a long time or the missing piece of the puzzle to our 2000-piece picture? Then the limited range and mobility due to the pull-out cable.
Mr. James Dyson has recognized this problem and solved it elegantly and effectively – although not quite cheap, I admit – and in fact in such a good way that even I have accompanied my wife with pleasure and enthusiasm to the DYSON Store in Zurich and purchased this vacuum cleaner, which could also be a gadget from Starship Enterprise.
Since then, I have been asking myself: what exactly is our mission at SDS or SWISS BIOHEALTH GROUP? At the end of 2019, SWISS BIOHEALTH CLINIC was subdivided into SDS as the “company clinic” which it is, and the entire SWISS BIOHEALTH GROUP was transferred to a family holding company, because my wife, my daughters and I decided that SDS will never be sold and will be still in family ownership 100 years from now on!
So what is the significant difference between us and other implant companies? We do not have to “dress the bride” to get a good price for an acquisition, nor do we have to satisfy shareholders every three months. Indeed, our strategy focuses on sustainability, inner values, risk coverage, reliability and quality of the products and, most importantly, on solving problems already today that will affect our dental community and our patients in the future!
Currently, SDS is not only the world market leader for ceramic implants, but is also, in my person, run by the family and the entrepreneur himself. In addition, as the founder, I have the most comprehensive and longest experience in this area, and I will probably still insert the most zirconia implants every year! As far as I know, no other implant company can currently offer this constellation. It provides safety and sustainability for our team, our customers and our patients.
“I will cooperate with you, since I can assume that I will be still dealing with you in 10 years. Regarding all other companies, I have to expect that they will be sold or that my contact person will leave the company,” a well-known scientist recently told me. However, back to our mission: which claim could express every single part of our entire company, including the ceramic implants, the supplements, the comprehensive training in the Education Center and the patients’ treatment in the SWISS BIOHEALTH CLINIC? Many different phrases came up and were rejected. They were fine, but not perfect and applicable to every aspect of our work. “It should be something like “MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE …”, was crossing my thoughts as I heard Michael Jackson on the radio and finally I realized the solution:
No other claim could express more precisely what each of our products or services and every detail of our activities represents! This claim will be implemented step by step in 2020 as part of the redesign of SDS. The black background of SDS will be replaced by the clinical blue-green of SWISS BIOHEALTH to better symbolize the unity of SDS and SWISS BIOHEALTH.
Which other innovations have we implemented by the end of 2019 and what are our tasks for the year 2020?
Besides the fusion and transfer into a family holding company, the most important step was certainly Joachim Amann, whom we gained as CEO for SDS.
Besides the old principle ” Who heals is right”, which must be regarded critically, since it focuses mainly on the correlation and less on causality, there is another medical principle that describes the rules in medicine:
OBSERVE > RECOGNIZE > ACT > PROVE
Certainly, nobody would have requested randomized double-blind studies with a testing period of 5 years during the contergan scandal. The drug thalidomide was removed from the market by the manufacturer Grünenthal one day after an article in the newspaper “Welt am Sonntag” was published on 26 November 1961. Final proof of the toxicity of this drug was provided in many studies over the following years. Approximately 10,000 victims (Germany: 4,000) are known worldwide, only about half of them are still alive. If they had waited until the scientific evidence was clear, the number of victims would probably have been much higher. Therefore, necessary and reasonable measures should not be prevented by the demand for scientific evidence!
After beginning to implement ceramic implants, there was a limited amount of data, except of a few studies by Schulte, Akagawa, Heydecke, Ichikawa, Postendörfer, Wennerberg and the human histologies of Dr. Dr. Rudelt. However, we already knew that this material would osseointegrate and, as a metal-free, inert material without any free electrons on its surface, it would not pose any risk of intolerance or intoxication. Even the stability of HIP zirconia as starting material was comparable to that of titanium implants. The first 300 implants were inserted in a study approved by the Ethics Committee and quickly proved that these implants had an extremely high healing rate (> 94% after 3.5 years; Haase, Schlömer, Siddharta, Volz 1996 University of Ulm) as well as a perfect soft tissue behavior and outstanding esthetics. Further studies showed positive results as well. For example, a prospective study carried out in cooperation with the University of Hamburg-Eppendorf showed not only an excellent healing rate for the 112 immediate implants inserted over a period of 12 working days (> 80% in the dorsal region, 69% immediately loaded with long-term temporaries), but also a significantly lower bone resorption compared to late implant insertions and a Pink Esthetic Score of 12.3 out of 14 possible points, which means an overall gingival gain in average.
Last year, we established the SWISS BIOHEALTH ACADEMY, a competent and effective scientific institution, which, in addition to intensive clinical treatments, invests a significant amount of time in research by conducting studies to complete the last step of the “OBSERVE > RECOGNISE > ACT > PROVE” chain. Currently, it consists of 6 medical and 7 dental members.
At the moment nearly 20 studies in the form of dissertations are being carried out with various German universities. Furthermore, we will show the bone quality around the SDS implant on the minipig in histologies as a result of the “Healing-Chamber-Drilling-Protocol” compared to conventional systems. Also, the abrasive behavior and undrilling forces will be evaluated with other systems. In 2020, a prospective multicenter study will be initiated at three renowned universities to provide a comparison with other titanium and ceramic systems.
Currently, comparative trials according to ISO 14.801 are carried out in comparison to other two-piece ceramic and titanium implant systems. They will prove the outstanding stability of the SDS implants, which show enormous stability rates due to the macro- and microdesign and the manufacturing process.
Furthermore, you may look forward to the modified and extended version of the BISS which offers many possibilities of application. In cooperation with Prof. Dr. mult. Ghanaati, it was extended by including the Open Healing GBR Concept. In addition, it is applicable to other implant systems and, last but not least, it was equipped with an umbrella screw, which can be used as a pillar supporting the BISS plate instead of an implant.
Pre-orders for the 0-series (already CE approved) can be registered at SDS.
Furthermore, Prof. Ghanaati and I are developing a metal-free PRF-Box, which will consist of only two parts instead of 10 metal components and will standardize and simplify the entire blood-concentrate-protocol. New and extended application methods of the LSCC (Low Speed Centrifugation Concept), developed by Prof. Ghanaati and which is independent of a specific system will provide comparability especially for studies and clinical centers.
With approval of the FDA clearance end of 2019, we will hit the American market this year and launch our new one- and two-piece implants 1.2 and 2.2. Therefore, I will be on tour across the USA from mid-February to mid-March to give several lectures at congresses in Dallas and New Orleans and to offer certification and user courses in New York, Denver, Los Angeles, Dallas and New Orleans. This new product update and upgrade has tremendous USPs and will set new standards in packaging, handling, surface purity, sterilization procedures, precision and stability. Of course, these implants will be 100% compatible to 1.1 and 2.0 and to every tools and drills.
As CE approval for these products is still in progress and all production capacities are currently required for the American market, the SDS 1.2 and 2.2 cannot be sold to the European market until mid-year / autumn 2020. Of course, the current SDS 1.1 and 2.0 implants will be available.
A whole series of educational highlights are prepared for you in our SBE SWISS BIOHEALTH EDUCATION CENTER. After the one-day seminar with Dr. Lechner, the pioneer and specialist in the field of NICO/FDOK (fatty degenerative osteolysis/osteonecrosis of the jawbone) and Prof. Spitz, Europe’s leading expert in the field of vitamin D3 on March 18, 2020, Prof. Dr. Dr. Dr. Ghanaati will present his blood concentrate concepts, the LSCC (see above) and his Open Healing GBR Concept on March 19, 2020. The next day, Dr. Levy, famous from the film “Root Cause”, cardiologist and one of the most renowned opponents of root canal treatments will lecture for one day. Simultaneous translation in both languages German and English is provided.
Do not miss these three days or the sequence from April 15 to 19, 2020:
15 April Hospitation in the clinic with our oral surgeon and SWISS BIOHEALTH ACADEMY member Dr. Rebekka Hueber
16/17 April Two-day user course with Dr. Volz
18/19 April Course with Dr. Lair Ribeiro from São Paulo, probably the best known cardiologist and biological doctor in Latin America with millions of followers and the official post-graduate assignment for Biological Medicine of the Ministry of Education of the Brazilian government. In two days, he will talk about the 12 most important medical topics for dentists in 12 one-hour blocks, such as vitamin D3, vitamin K2/mk7, hormones in general and testosterone in particular, low-dose naltrexone therapy for optimal deep sleep and much more.
18 April One of our legendary SBE parties will take place – besides DJ Naue from Berlin, Austria’s best saxophonist Tom X will perform. Our in-house Detox-Gin and our 100% healthy “energy- and hangover-drink” ALLINONE will ensure that you will be able to listen to Dr. Ribeiro’s lecture the next morning…
Last but not least I would like to mention another new and unique hands-on course: the human cadaver course at the University of Hamburg-Eppendorf, accompanied by some SBH Academy members as well as Dr. Carolin Stolzer, Prof. Dr. Dr. Ralf Smeets and others. The number of participants is limited to 20 and the course fee will be limited to 2.000 €. Comparable courses are twice as expensive. We close the gap by sponsoring of SDS and other companies (provisional programme see below).
This unique course, which can take place only once in 2020 for organizational reasons, is particularly suitable for colleagues who already inserted implants (or at least have attended our phantom course) and who are interested in increasing their treatment spectrum. Free pre-registrations are already accepted by Ayla.Tavit@swissdentalsolutions.com.
Now, I am looking forward to many warm and friendly, interesting and inspiring conversations with you in 2020 and guarantee with my name that you will only receive exciting and reliable technologies and products from us!
With best regards,
Karl Ulrich Volz
The provisional programme:
Day 1
9:00 Welcome
9:00 – 9:45 Basics and perioperative management in implantology, THE SWISS BIOHEALTH CONCEPT, “biologization” of implantology, anatomical aspects, incisions, flap and suture techniques with emphasis on vascularization, scar reduction and swelling prophylaxis. Apical mattress technique, brushing, suture materials.
9:45 – 10:30 High-risk patients in implantology – perioperative concepts (for example antibiotics, pain killers, TSBHC, diabetes, osteoporosis, statins, bisphosphonate) – an update
10:30 – 10:45 Coffee break
10:45 – 11:30 Diagnosis, planning, navigation in implantology with 2INGIS, molded parts, Simonpieri Parallel System. Implant insertion after tooth extraction: When immediately, when late? When one-piece, when two-piece?
11:30 – 12:15 Hard Tissue Management in Implantology Part 1: e.g. biological bone grafting materials, retromolar bone blocks, sinus floor augmentation, bone spreading, bone splitting, gaining a bone block using the piezotome technique, vertical / horizontal bone augmentation – tips and tricks – an update. Required materials and instruments. The Ghanaati-Volz BISS and Tenting-System, the new metal-free PRF-Box
12:15 – 13:00 Lunch
13:00 – 17:00 Hard Tissue Management in Implantology Part 2: e.g. biological bone grafting materials, retromolar bone blocks, sinus floor augmentation, bone spreading, bone splitting, gaining a bone block with the piezotome-technique, vertical / horizontal bone augmentation – tips and tricks – an update
Human cadaver
– Intraoral bone transplantation, bone spreading, bone splitting, bone block removal with the piezotome-technique, vertical / horizontal bone augmentation
– Implant insertion in the maxillary anterior region – Soft tissue management
-Application of the Ghanaati-Volz BISS and Tenting-System and the new PRF-Box.
20:00 Dinner
Day 2
9:00 – 9:45 Soft Tissue Management in Implantology:e.g. blood concentrates, PRF-membranes, LSCC according to Ghanaati, coverage of recessions, connective tissue transplants, tunnel technique etc.
9:45 – 10:00 Coffee break
10:00 – 12:15 Human cadaver – Implant insertion in posterior regions with external sinus floor elevation
12:15 – 13:30 Lunch
13:30 – 14:15 Implant insertion in the maxillary anterior region (aesthetic zone): guidelines for aesthetic success (surgical and prosthetic aspects)
14:15 – 17:00 Human cadaver
– External / internal sinus floor elevation
– Atraumatic tooth extraction with infracture and densotomy, immediate implantation
Techniques:
• modified Khoury shell technique n. Wilck
• internal sinus lift (principles and limitations)
• external sinus lift (without grafting material, Sinus implantat, autologous bone, allogeneic bone), perforation coverage of Schneider’s membrane, solutions for compromised membranes
• BISS Bilateral Implant Stabilization System, Umbrella-screw, titanium cages and Open Healing GBR according to Prof. Ghanaati
• Immediate implants in all tooth locations, selection of the different implant types and accompanying techniques, such as PRF and internal lift
• Brushing, apical mattress suture
• tunnel technique
• piezotome technique
• NICO/FDOK-Operation protocol in the mandible and maxilla wisdom tooth area according to THE SWISS BIOHEALTH CONCEPT
• Bone blocks: vertical/horizontal GBR
• Bone spreading, Bone splitting
• retromolar bone block removal, splitting the block, application of the safescraper
