Peek Polymer-Based Dental Prosthetics Outperform Metal Prosthetics in Study

The Malo Clinic in Lisbon, Portugal has provided evidence that compared to metal prosthetics, high-performance polymer-based solutions made using the Juvora dental disc from Invibio Biomaterial Solutions, indicate improved patient outcomes, including 3x-less bone loss. The Juvora disc is constructed from Peek-Optima, from Invibio. The Malo Clinic presented these findings at the Congress of the European Association for Osseointegration (EAO) in Lisbon on September 26, 2019. This latest study follows earlier findings presented by the Malo Clinic in 2018.
 
The Malo Clinic’s presentation incorporated the results of a three-year follow-up study of the use of the CAD/CAM-millable Juvora disc as a substructure for the clinic’s signature All-on-4 procedure, where prostheses supported full-arch implant-supported restorations for edentulous patients.
 
“Our conclusion, after three years of follow-up, is that it must be the Peek-Optima biomaterial that is helping to enhance patient results, and we think this is really exciting,” commented Miguel Nobre, director of oral hygiene and R&D, Malo Clinic. “What Juvora offers us is confidence that patients are receiving the best possible treatment, and not experiencing unnecessary bone loss.” 
 
Specifically, the evidence presented at the EAO in September showed that compared to metal, use of the JUVORA-based prostheses had positive results¹:
 

• 3X lower marginal bone loss
• Peri-implant disease avoided in most patient cases
• Patients reported an improved quality of life 
• Absence of correlation between plaque and bleeding 
• High implant survival – close to 100%        

 
Peek-Optima biomaterial offers several mechanical benefits over metal frameworks, namely, a more favorable strength-to-weight ratio and the potential for shock absorption. Metal prosthetics are naturally stronger, but they are less resilient and can be less comfortable for the patient³.  If left untreated, bone loss can lead to pain, infection, and loss of lower facial structure as the infection eats away at the jaw bone.
 
“The All-on-4 technique has not changed; our experienced surgeons have not changed—the only change is the material substructure,” added Nobre. “Therefore, when the Juvora disc is used as the substructure for All-on-4, the Peek-Optima material mimics the behavior of natural periodontal ligament by providing a cushioning and shock-absorbing effect in the mouth, under extreme force.”
 
The shock-absorbing properties of the Peek-Optima material are explained by its modulus of elasticity, which is very similar to that of cortical bone. When stress transfer is measured against conventional dental materials, Peek exhibits the most shock absorption³.  
 
 
The Malo Clinic did not discriminate in its patient selection and included a number of cases with complex histories, including heavy bruxers. This means that even in complex cases, Juvora exhibits better performance than conventional dental materials such as titanium.
 
References
¹ Nobre, M; Guedes, M; Silva, A European Association for Osseointegration (EAO) Congress Symposium: “What if dental prosthetic could influence quality of life?”, September 2019
² Kurtz, S (2012) “PEEK Biomaterials Handbook” Edition1, Oxford, Elsevier Inc.
³ Based on the tendency of a material to deform when opposing forces are applied as expressed by the average elastic (Young’s) modulus values of the two materials (Titanium 110 GPa or PEEK 4GPa).