W&H Headquarters - EN
Oral surgery made even simpler and more flexible
Replacing missing teeth perfectly...
...and achieving results that thrill patients from both a functional and an aesthetic perspective is a challenge faced daily by dental surgeons. Alongside evaluation of the bone quality and targeted bone augmentation, an implant also needs to be positioned in such a way that it merges perfectly into the jaw. In addition, the patient’s comfort and quality of life remain a top priority throughout the entire course of treatment.
Specially designed for the demanding requirements encountered in surgical applications, the new Implantmed by W&H offers even more comprehensive support during treatment. Thanks to the W&H Osstell ISQ module*, which is used to measure implant stability, users benefit from even more reliable assessment of osseointegration.
In a recent interview, Dipl.-Ing. Stefan Unterkircher, Product Manager Oral Surgery & Implantology, spoke about W&H’s expertise in oral and maxillofacial surgery. In addition to the particular development focus, the new functions of the Implantmed were also one of the main topics.
Mr Unterkircher, please give us a brief history of W&H’s activities in the field of oral implantology:
Unterkircher: W&H can look back on a very long tradition in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery & implantology, beginning more than 30 years ago with the launch of its first surgical motor, Elcomed. Elcomed 100 set new standards in surgery back in 1992.
With the first Implantmed generation, W&H introduced a benchmark product to the field of implantology in 2000. This latest upgrade is now the 4th Implantmed generation to be launched on the global market. It stands for safety, ease of use and flexibility.
How does W&H satisfy these three aspects of safety, ease of use and flexibility?
Unterkircher: In terms of safety, we had already integrated the automatic thread cutter function and automatic torque control in the previous generation. This promotes stress-free osseointegration and secure positioning during insertion of the implants. Thanks to the world-first, exclusive integration of the Osstell ISQ functionality, W&H is now offering surgeons, for the very first time, the option of monitoring the status of the osseointegration continuously. Even after insertion of the implant and documenting it along with the torque with the new generation of Implantmed. Users can now make decisions with more security and knowledge plus the patients benefit from an optimised treatment procedure.
Around the world Implantmed stands for the ease of operation. The guiding principle behind the user interface of the newest generation was to integrate innovative functions in such a way that they can be used intuitively and with ease. The clear objective was to make day-to-day work considerably simpler for both the surgeon and the dental nurse. We have also redesigned the coolant pump to facilitate simple loading. The high-quality glass surface of the touch screen also allows a simple wipe disinfection.
W&H offers high flexibility with the new wireless foot control: It is now the first provider in the world to allow wireless control of multiple surgical devices with just one foot control. In addition to extra freedom, this also translates to increased safety for the surgical team in the treatment room, as there are no more troublesome cables running over the floor. The future-proof portfolio from W&H also offers additional flexibility. Surgeons can select from three options to adapt their Implantmed to suit their personal requirements: W&H Osstell ISQ module, wireless or connected foot control and motor with or without light contacts. All three options can be retrofitted at any time.
Who is the Implantmed aimed at?
Unterkircher: Thanks to its modular structure, we offer a solution tailored to your personal requirements whether you’re an Implantmed beginner or an experienced oral and maxillofacial surgeon. The wireless foot control allows specialists to utilise the highlights of Implantmed and Piezomed, our piezo surgical range, with just one foot control. The risk of overloading the instrument is significantly reduced, meaning that the user can concentrate fully on the patient and the surgical procedure.
Has the motor changed at all?
Unterkircher: The new Implantmed motor EM-19 LC is by far the shortest implantology motor available on the market. We also offer the proportionately highest motor torque at 6.2 Ncm, which oral surgeons value particularly highly when performing osteotomies. LC is the acronym for “light contacts” – that means that the LED in the head of our new straight and contra-angle surgical handpieces is directly supplied with power. This offers the user perfect illumination in all treatment situations.
You mentioned the new straight and contra-angle handpieces. What applications do they support?
Unterkircher: The new L range includes five of the most important straight and contra-angle surgical handpieces. Alongside the WS-75 L, which was specially designed for implant bed preparation and implant insertion, we also offer a straight handpiece, the S-11 L, for bone modelling and osteotomies.
In addition, we also have the WS-91 L, a contra-angle handpiece, which was specially developed for the extraction of wisdom teeth.
The WS-56 L and WS-92 L contra-angle handpieces – designed specially for osteotomies and hemisections – round off the range of applications. All these straight and contra-angle handpieces are compatible with the new LC interface. However, it is also possible to continue using all earlier W&H models.
Thank you for that enlightening discussion!
*The availability of the accessory W&H Osstell ISQ module varies from country to country and region to region. Further information is available from your local W&H representative and at wh.com.
Dipl.-Ing. Stefan Unterkircher
Product Manager Oral Surgery & Implantology
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