The customized dental implant system enables optimized implant procedures for various people with different oral structures by scanning them and making their 3D images in the computer. (image: safoocat/flickr)
SEOUL, July 29 (Korea Bizwire) — Dental implants became simple and accurate thanks to customized implant system grafting state-of-the-art IT to dental clinics.
The customized dental implant system enables optimized implant procedures for various people with different oral structures by scanning them and making their 3D images in the computer. Dentists, as they practice operating virtually through the 3D images of patients’ oral structures, can prepare the optimized implant procedures for each patient. By scanning only the part to be implanted, the system reduces burden of dentists and pains of patients.
As it gains popularity among dentists and patients, its application to patents is mounting. According to the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the patent applications related to the system have been skyrocketing since 2009, recording more than 30 annually. For the past 10 years (2003-2012), a total of 149 cases had been applied for the patents, 98 local and 51 foreign applications.
Meanwhile, other patents are applying the customized dental implant system into general prosthetic considerations like crown, bridge and dentures. Also, at the center of attention are technologies integrating CT images into scanners’ images to show the jawbone and dental structures. When the two different images are processed into one, the oral structure is reenacted more precisely and it helps more precise procedures.
An official at the KIPO said, “For high-quality medical services , it is urgently needed to develop a ‘medical-IT convergence technology’ by adding IT technologies into medical devices. As Korea is highly competitive in not only IT but also semiconductor, telecommunications and precise processing technology, it is ready to jump into the world medical device market, bearing competitive patents in mind.”
By John Choi (johnchoi@koreabizwire.com)
