BioHorizons in the news

CDE World
May 8, 2012

Recent modifications to implant and abutment design have been shown to minimize crestal bone loss. Platform switching and abutment connection design have been reported to reduce crestal bone loss. More significantly, implants designed with microchannels (8 μm to 12 μm) on the implant platform and certain abutments have shown a fibrous connection to the nano-featured collar. This technology results in reduced sulcular depth and blocked epithelial downgrowth along the abutment or implant surface as well as reduced crestal bone loss. Read more.

NASDAQ
March 20, 2012

BioHorizons, which sells dental implants and biologics for the replacement of missing teeth, withdrew its plans for an initial public offering on Tuesday, citing poor market conditions. The Birmingham, AL-based company had planned to raise $90 million early last year but postponed the deal in February. Piper Jaffray and Jefferies were set to be the joint book runners on the deal.

Read more.

Dentistry IQ
March 6, 2012
by Neil Cohen, DMD

This is a case that details the steps involved in converting a full upper denture into a fixed detachable provisional prosthesis. This cost-saving procedure utilizes the patient's existing denture, eliminating the need to create a new implant-supported provisional. This procedure also maintains the patient's vertical dimension of occlusion as well as helps the clinician evaluate comfort, function, and esthetics in order to design the final restoration. Here is a step-by-step protocol for denture conversion.

Read complete article.

Dental Product Shopper
February 25, 2012

Specifically designed for highly esthetic cases, Laser-Lok esthetic abutments create a biological seal that protects and maintains crestal bone. Approved for use with Zimmer implants, BioHorizons Laser-Lok esthetic abutments feature a proven surface technology that establishes a connective tissue attachment, unlike Sharpey fibers. Read more.

GGCommunications
February 16, 2012

BioHorizons UK is delighted to announce that Chris Barrow, the well-known author, consultant, trainer and coach to the dental profession, will be the guest speaker at its 'Marketing Dental Implants in 2012' Business Development Course for implantologists.

At the event, Chris will explain how a partnership between BioHorizons and dental practices can help in successfully developing their businesses.

There are two opportunities to attend the one-day course:

1. In London on 17 March at the Raddison Blu Portman Hotel, 22 Portman Square, W1H 7BG
(http://www.radissonblu.co.uk/hotel-london)

2. In Liverpool on 24 March at the Novotel Liverpool Hotel, 40 Hanover Street, L1 4LN
(http://www.novotel.com/gb/hotel-6495-novotel-liverpool-centre/index.shtml).

For both events, registration will take place from 9.30am and the course itself will run between 10.00am and 4.30pm. Priced at just £195, the cost also includes refreshments and lunch.

For more details and to register, please contact Naomi Davidson by phone on 01344 752560 or 07912 053864, email ndavidson@biohorizons.com, or fax 01344 777023.

For more information about this and other forthcoming BioHorizons UK education events, please visit the website at www.biohorizons.com/education_unitedkingdom.aspx.

GGCommunications
February 9, 2012

BioHorizons is proud to be exhibiting its dental implant products on stand N20 at the first ever Scottish Dental Show, to be held on 24 and 25 May at Hampden Park in Glasgow.

On show will be BioHorizons' four comprehensive implant lines, including Laser-Lok, and three small diameter systems, covering virtually every surgical and prosthetic indication or clinician preference.

Also available to view will be biologic products scientifically proven for a wide range of soft and hard tissue applications, prosthetics not only covering a wide range of indications and patient conditions, but also manufactured to some of the tightest machine tolerances in the dental industry, as well as a broad range of instruments and motors to meet your needs.

For more information, please call +44 (0) 1344 752560, email infouk@biohorizons.com or visit www.biohorizons.com.

GGCommunications
February 9, 2012

BioHorizons is proud to be exhibiting its dental implant products on stand 25 at the Irish Dental Association's annual conference, to be held between 17 and 20 May at the Malton Hotel in Killarney.

On show will be BioHorizons' four comprehensive implant lines, including Laser-Lok, and three small diameter systems, covering virtually every surgical and prosthetic indication or clinician preference.

Also available to view will be biologic products scientifically proven for a wide range of soft and hard tissue applications, prosthetics not only covering a wide range of indications and patient conditions, but also manufactured to some of the tightest machine tolerances in the dental industry, as well as a broad range of instruments and motors to meet your needs.

For more information, please call +44 (0) 1344 752560, email infouk@biohorizons.com or visit www.biohorizons.com.

Dentistry iQ
January 26, 2012

ALSIP, Illinois - GC Advanced Technologies has announced that the company will accept cases and milling implant abutments in titanium for the Straumann Bone Level, NobelBiocare Active, and Biohorizons dental implant systems starting February 2012.

The new additions to the compatibility portfolio of GCAT's Aadva line of custom abutments, allow dental professionals the flexibility to outsource a wider array of implant platforms.

GCAT offers a line of custom abutments in zirconia and titanium, as well as zirconia copings, Ti copings (new in February 2012) and coping bridges. For more information, call (866) 925-4228 or visit www.gc-at.com.

Dentistry.co.uk

Stuart Nicholson is the new territory manager for the South West and brings marketing and sales experience. He has worked with implant dental practices and helped dental practitioners develop their own businesses.

Ted Johnson is the new territory manager for Scotland and has a BA (Hons) in business information technology gained at the University of Paisley. He worked in sales for healthcare companies CIGNA and Norwich Union Healthcare (now Aviva Health Insurance) before a six-year spell at Nobel Biocare in sales and sales management. Roisin Shields is the new territory manager for Ireland and comes with a strong scientific background as well as dental sales experience.

Ken O'Brien, national sales director UK and Ireland, said: "With their considerable experience, they will add to the excellent customer service for which Biohorizons is well known."

Dental Economics
January 1, 2012

Interview Questions

1. I understand that you were trained as a biomedical engineer. What insight does this training give you to the development of products in the implant market?

Having an MS in biomedical engineering is a significant advantage in terms of identifying product trends and opportunities in the industry. Recognizing the need for adjunctive hard- and soft-tissue grafting, we were the first implant company to offer a broad range of biologics products for tissue regeneration. We also brought a number of innovations to implant dentistry including resorbable, blast-textured implant surfaces, implant threads that load bone in compression, drills with integrated stops, and an implant mount that serves as an impression coping and esthetic abutment. That said, our most significant advancement was recognizing the potential benefits of laser microchannels to address the most common complications of implant dentistry - bone loss and soft tissue recession.
Read the complete interview.

Implant Tribune U.S. Edition
January 2012

Laser-Lok microchannels is a proprietary dental implant surface treatment developed from more than 20 years of research initiated to create the optimal implant surface.

Through this research, the unique Laser-Lok surface has been shown to elicit a biologic response that includes the inhibition of epithelial downgrowth and the attachment of connective tissue (unlike Sharpey fibers).^2,3

This physical attachment produces a biologic seal around the implant that protects and maintains crestal bone health. The Laser-Lok phenomenon has been shown in post-market studies to be more effective than other implant designs in reducing bone loss.^4,5,6,7

Unique surface characteristics
Laser-Lok microchannels is a series of cell-sized circumferential channels that are precisely created using laser ablation technology.

This technology produces extremely consistent microchannels that are optimally sized to attach and organize both osteoblasts and fibroblasts.^8,9 The Laser-Lok microstructure also includes a repeating nanostructure that maximizes surface area and enables cell pseudopodia and collagen microfibrils to interdigitate with the Laser-Lok surface.

Different than other surface treatments
Virtually all dental implant surfaces on the market are grit-blasted and/or acid etched. These manufacturing methods create random surfaces that vary from point to point on the implant and alter cell reaction depending on where each cell comes in contact with the surface.¹⁰ While random surfaces have shown higher osseointegration than machined surfaces,¹¹ only the Laser-Lok surface has been shown using light microscopy, polarized light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy to also be effective for soft-tissue attachment.^2,12

The clinical advantage
The Laser-Lok surface has been shown in several studies to offer a clinical advantage over other implant designs.

In a prospective, controlled multi-center study, Laser-Lok implants, when placed alongside identical implants with a traditional surface, were shown at 37 months post-op to reduce bone loss by 70 percent (or 1.35 mm).⁴ In a retrospective, private practice study, Laser-Lok implants placed in a variety of site conditions and followed up to three years minimized bone loss to 0.46 mm.⁵ In a prospective, university based overdenture study, Laser-Lok implants reduced bone loss by 63 percent versus NobelReplace™ Select.⁶

Latest discoveries
The establishment of a physical, connective tissue attachment (unlike Sharpey fibers) to the Laser-Lok surface has generated an entirely new area of research and development: Laser-Lok applied to abutments.

This could provide an opportunity to use Laser-Lok abutments to create a biologic seal and Laser-Lok implants to establish superior osseointegration⁹ - a solution that offers the best of both worlds. Alternatively, Laser-Lok abutments could support peri-implant health around implants without Laser-Lok. In a recent study, Laser-Lok abutments and standard abutments were randomly placed on implants with a grit-blasted surface to evaluate the differences. In this proof-of-principle study, a small band of Laser-Lok microchannels was shown to inhibit epithelial downgrowth and establish a connective tissue attachment (unlike Sharpey fibers) similar to Laser-Lok implants.¹²

This time, however, the attachment was established above the dental implant abutment connection and even on implants with a machined collar.¹² The resulting crestal bone levels were higher than what was seen with standard abutments and provides some insight into the role soft-tissue stability may play in maintaining crestal bone health.

For the complete list of references, see ML0115 Rev F.

Bloomberg Businessweek
BioHorizons, Inc. Presents at Piper Jaffray 23rd Annual Healthcare Conference, Nov-29-2011 11:10 AM

BioHorizons, Inc. Presents at Piper Jaffray 23rd Annual Healthcare Conference, Nov-29-2011 11:10 AM. Venue: The New York Palace, 455 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022, United States. Speakers: R. Steve Boggan, Chief Executive Officer, President, Director, Chief Executive Officer of Bis and President of BIS.

Inside Dentistry
September 2011, Volume 7, Issue 8
Published by AEGIS Communications

BioHorizons Laser-Lok Microchannels
Scientific research to clinical reality for crestal bone and soft tissue stability.

By Cary A. Shapoff, DDS

Dental implant placement and restoration have become commonplace to treat compromised teeth and edentulous sites in the partially edentulous patient. The goals of dental implant procedures have evolved from replacement of missing or damaged teeth to esthetic replicas of natural teeth with long-term stability. Stability of the dental implant restoration is defined by long-term retention of the implant fixture in the alveolar bone as well as stability of the crestal bone supporting the marginal gingiva and interproximal papillae. Previous articles have reported on the average tissue heights and soft tissue dimensions associated with teeth, dental implants, and pontic sites adjacent to teeth or implants. The significance of these dimensions requires long-term stability of the bone-soft tissue complex to maintain esthetic results.
Read more.

Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry
September 2011, Volume 32, Issue 7
Published by AEGIS Communications

BioHorizons: Fostering Enhanced Esthetic Outcomes

Founded in 1994, BioHorizons^® is a dental implant company whose product line is based on research conducted at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Over the past 17 years, BioHorizons has become one of the largest and fastest-growing dental implant and tissue regeneration companies in the world, with sales in over 85 different markets.
Read more.

Birmingham Business Journal
Premium content from Birmingham Business Journal by Evan Belanger, Staff

BioHorizons Inc.'s plan to begin trading on the Nasdaq stock exchange has not been scrubbed, company executives said this week.

Six months after the company was expected to move forward with an initial public offering to become Birmingham's 14th public company, BioHorizons CEO Steve Boggan and Chief Financial Officer David Wall said the IPO has not been cancelled, but they declined to give details citing a quiet period imposed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Read more.

Zacks Investment Research
Aug 01, 2011 (M2 Banking & Credit News via COMTEX)

Piper Jaffray & Company (NYSE:PJC) has acted as exclusive private placement agent for a USD50m (EUR34.7m) financing to BioHorizons Inc, the US dental implants maker said Friday.

The company secured the subordinated secured credit facility from funds affiliated with Deerfield Management and Piper Jaffray. The facility has a five-year maturity.

The fresh capital will be funneled into general corporate operations and the full repayment of a convertible note held by HealthpointCapital Partners II, BioHorizons said.

University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Dentistry
BIRMINGHAM, AL, June 4, 2009

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Dentistry has opened a state-of-the-art clinic offering the latest in restorative, implant and cosmetic dentistry.

The new BioHorizons Clinical Research Facility is located in the school's main building at 1919 Seventh Ave. South. Project funds and equipment installation came from BioHorizons Inc., a Birmingham-based oral reconstructive device company, and from various donors.

"We are thankful that BioHorizons has generously provided a significant gift for the infrastructure costs for the new clinical research area," said John Burgess, D.D.S., UAB's assistant dean for dental clinical research. "The clinic has been designed as a multi-use facility housing research projects to evaluate implants, crowns, new ceramic materials, digital impression devices and the latest dental materials."

The clinic helps the dental faculty treat patients requiring specialized care, and it enables UAB to extend its outreach and professional training programs to community dentists and other professionals. Digital cameras in the clinic will stream video to distance learning sites and select rural dental offices. UAB dental students assigned to the clinic are gaining experience with an array of equipment and implants not yet available in many dental offices, Burgess said.

BioHorizons was founded in 1994 as a spin-off enterprise from UAB. The company has since become one of the nation's largest implant manufacturers. It benefits from various research arrangements with the university, including a license with the UAB Research Foundation, and by drawing on the expertise of UAB faculty to research and develop new materials and implant designs, said BioHorizons CEO Steve Boggan.

"We are thrilled to be opening the BioHorizons Clinical Research Facility and continuing our long-standing relationship with UAB and the School of Dentistry," said Boggan, who earned a master's degree in biomedical engineering from UAB. "It is an honor to be able to give something back to this remarkable institution."

About the UAB School of Dentistry
The UAB School of Dentistry maintains a national reputation for excellence. In addition to its professional degree program leading to the doctorate of dentistry, the school offers accredited postdoctoral programs in eight areas of study. To learn more about applying, click here. To learn more about supporting the school, click here.

About BioHorizons Implant Systems, Inc.
BioHorizons is a leading oral reconstructive device company at the forefront of digital dentistry. The company has a broad product offering, including surgical planning software, regenerative products, dental implants, CAD/CAM and traditional dental restorations. BioHorizons has a direct sales force in the U.S., Canada, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico, and Chile. Products are distributed in the rest of the world via a network of independent distributors.
www.biohorizons.com

Media Contact:
Troy Goodman
(205) 934-8938

BIRMINGHAM, AL, May 15, 2009 / free-press-release.com / --

Misty J. Brown, D.D.S. chooses BioHorizons Implant System for her patients. After completing an intense surgical residency at the Misch International Implant Institute and a preceptorship under Dr. Arun Garg, Dr. Misty J. Brown made her decision based on the scientific evidence of this particular implant system. Dr. Brown, a General Dentist and Oral Implantologist, stated, "I chose BioHorizons Implants because my patients will benefit the most from this impeccable implant system. I have researched the available products and chosen the best of the best for them. The research behind this particular implant supersedes all others." Specifically in regard to her patients, Dr. Brown says "I have had phenomenal results placing these implants in my patients. The grafting materials have produced beautiful results, especially in the high esthetic zones of the mouth." For more information about Dr. Brown, visit her website at www.drmisty.com.

BioHorizons is a fast growing oral reconstructive device company in North America as a result of their commitment to providing the most comprehensive line of evidence-based, scientifically proven dental implants and tissue regeneration solutions. Founded in 1994 as an incubator company at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, BioHorizons has grown into one of the largest dental implant companies in the world, with over 1,000 employees.

WALTHAM, Mass, March 25, 2008 / BUSINESS WIRE / --

Astra Tech, leader and innovator in the dental implant industry, is pleased to announce the availability of the Atlantis™ abutment for BioHorizons internal connection implants. The Atlantis abutment designed for the BioHorizons internal connection implant ensures a secure, stable, and strong connection via an internal hex and lead-in bevel and is available in zirconia, titanium, or the Atlantis GoldHue™ (gold-shaded titanium). Astra Tech now offers the broadest range of patient-specific zirconia abutments available today with this addition to the Atlantis product line.

Atlantis abutments are also available for Astra Tech OsseoSpeed™ implants, Biomet 3i internal connection implants, Nobel Biocare internal connection implants, Zimmer Dental^® internal hex implants and most standard external hex implants. As with every Atlantis abutment, an abutment screw specifically designed for the abutment and the implant to which it will be connected is included.

Atlantis abutments are designed and fabricated using Atlantis VAD™ system and integrated manufacturing process. This patented, proprietary process combines state-of-the-art 3D optical scanning, advanced software-based expert systems, and sophisticated manufacturing methods to deliver patient-specific abutments requiring no hand-modification. Atlantis abutments are available in more material options and for more implant systems than any other patient-specific abutments. This allows all dental professional to provide highly esthetic solutions for more implant restorations.

Learn more about the unmatched esthetics, strength, precision, and reliability of Atlantis abutments by visiting www.atlantiscomp.com or contacting Customer Service at (877) 828-5268.

About Astra Tech
Astra Tech, a subsidiary of the AstraZeneca Group, develops, manufactures, and markets dental implants and advanced disposable medical equipment for the healthcare sector. The company develops products that lead to improved treatment results and simplified work for dental and health care providers.

Astra Tech's headquarters and production facilities are located in Mölndal, Sweden. The company is represented globally by 16 subsidiaries and selected local partners. Astra Tech has a total of over 2000 employees worldwide. The company puts 5 percent of its revenues annually into research. Astra Tech's revenues in 2007 totaled SEK 3.0 billion.

Astra Tech's North American subsidiary and dental operations are headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, and urology operations are centered in Torrance, California. Since 2004, the North American subsidiary has grown from 60 to over 200 employees.

Contacts
Astra Tech Inc.
Janie Shen, 781-810-6605
Director, Corporate Communications
janie.shen@astratech.com

American Academy of Periodontology Foundation
CHICAGO, December 1, 2004

The American Academy of Periodontology Foundation announced a substantial donation from BioHorizons to its Gerald M. Bowers Endowment Fund for the American Board of Periodontology. The announcement was made at the Foundation's annual meeting in Orlando last month.

The Gerald M. Bowers Endowment Fund for the ABP was created to ensure financial stability and growth for the specialty's certifying board.

"The BioHorizons donation helped push us over our $1.5 million goal for the Bowers Fund," said S. Jerome Zackin, DMD, president of the Foundation. "Their gift, and the generosity of our members, friends, and other corporate supporters, helped us to reach our goal two years ahead of schedule. We are very pleased."

Steve Boggan, president and CEO of BioHorizons commented, "We were impressed by the leadership and goals of the Foundation and we felt that it would be worthwhile to help the Foundation meet its goal ahead of schedule."

BioHorizons, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, is an oral reconstructive device company with technology platforms in implant dentistry and tissue regeneration. Products in the implant dentistry market include the Prodigy^™ System, Maestro^® System and Maximus^™ System. Products for tissue regeneration include AlloDerm^® Regenerative Tissue Matrix and Grafton^® Demineralized Bone Matrix.

About AAP Foundation
The mission of the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation is to improve the periodontal and general health of the public through increasing public and professional knowledge of periodontal diseases and their therapies, stimulating basic and clinical research to generate new knowledge, and enhancing educational programs at all levels to create opportunities in periodontal education and practice. Periodontics is one of nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association.