The 5 most reliable dental implant companies and brands

Dental implant systems are designed for different clinical situations.

Each manufacturer produces different dental implants that best suit different clinical cases. For example, some types of implants are intended for immediate loading, while others take time to integrate with the bone.

Some implants have a narrower diameter, for where bone and space is limited, while others are smaller and wider and are ideal for insertion near sinus cavities where bone is usually thinner.

In general, all dental implants provided by the 5 specific companies are of high quality and conform to basic manufacturing requirements, but some will work better than others in specific situations. Any differences in implant success and implant survival rates are usually statistically insignificant when it comes to these companies. Learn more in our article on Best Dental Implants.

The success of the implant depends on the surgical skill

The brand of the dental implant alone does not guarantee its success. Much of the success of the implant depends on the surgical skills of the implantologist, as well as the skills of the dentist or prosthodontist who will design the prosthetic work.

Provided you choose a surgeon skilled in implant dentistry, the majority of these major brands offer an excellent result. In contrast, choosing an inexperienced dentist using a high-quality implant brand does not necessarily guarantee success.

Choosing the dental implant brand

It is very difficult for a patient to determine which brand of implant is best for their case from those available on the market. As a rule, consider how long the company has been on the market and the research conducted on their systems. It is important to know that if a part of the implant system (mainly implant, prosthetic abutment, prosthetic screws and special connectors) happens to fail or need replacement say 10 years from now, that your dentist will be able to source a replacement.

Reputable companies are backed by extensive research and come with a guarantee on their products. In contrast, cheaper implants produced by smaller companies often use lower quality materials and have not been extensively tested. There are implants with a 10-year lifetime guarantee and others with a lifetime guarantee.

Implant parts, like the prosthetic crown, must meet certain strict manufacturing requirements. This means that the implant has extremely high quality material, has undergone years of multiple clinical trials and comes with a quality and lifetime guarantee certificate. It is therefore important to make sure that your dentist chooses the right implant for your needs. Your dentist should also be able to use all the technology available today to design and place the dental implant, for example using computer-guided surgery to locate the best position at the nearest millimeter.

Global market size by brand

In 2015, in the global dental implants market, the leading companies were Straumann, which supplied 22% of implants globally, and Nobel Biocare (Danaher Group), which had a 19% market share. Today it is estimated that Biocare has more revenue than Straumann in this sector, which shows that for years these two companies have been sharing a large market share almost equally. Read our article on the best dental implants to see why Straumann and Nobel Biocare have for decades continued to be leaders in the global market. They are followed by Dentsply with a 12% share, Zimmer Biomet with 11%, while Henry Schein, which makes Biohorizon implants, had a 5% share.

The remaining 31% was shared among the other manufacturers as listed alphabetically as 3M, AlignTechnology, Alpha Bio, Angelalign, Bredent, Carestream Dental, Coltene, Fujian Meisheng, GC Corporation, Ivoclar Vivadent, J Morita Corporation, Kangda Medical, Kulzer, MIS, Planmeca, Septodont, Shandong Huge, ShofuDental, Sinol Dental, Ultradent, Vatech, Dental Lord, Karachi Dental, A&z Cnc and hundreds of others.

Of the above dental implants some are American, German, Swiss, French, but there are also Israeli, Japanese, Chinese, Pakistani, etc. Globally there is a plethora of companies trying to take a share of the market with little or no scientific publications, with very cheap implants that allow the dentist to lower his prices. Read our related article on the Cost of Dental Implants to know what to look out for with your dentist’s prices and offer.

At the beginning of 2016 the global market was valued at US$3.22 billion per year. This includes implants, as well as the components, instruments and tools used during surgery in a market that is growing rapidly. A closer look at the leading dental implant companies will help us identify why they are so successful in this highly competitive market.

1. Nobel Biocare (Envista – Danaher Group)

Nobel Biocare was founded in 1981 (originally as Nobelpharma) and in 2013 its revenues were $735 million, of which today most of the revenues are derived from the dental implant business. The company manufactures high-quality implants and customized prostheses using state-of-the-art CAD CAM technology. Like Straumann, Nobel Biocare collaborates with many research centers, universities and leading clinics and is an innovator in its field.

Nobel Biocare’s headquarters are located in Kloten, Switzerland, close to Zurich airport. Its history goes back 65 years to 1952, when the father of modern implantology, Per-Ingvar Brånemark, began his career. The company was originally a partnership formed between the Swedish company Bofors and Professor Per-Ingvar Brånemark, the famous Swedish medical researcher who had discovered osseointegration, the process where a titanium implant is integrated with the surrounding jawbone. Nobel Biocare was created to industrialize this discovery and is the pioneer in the implant field.

In the 1990s it collaborated with Portuguese researcher Dr. Paulo Malo, revolutionizing the implant field by manufacturing special implants for patients who have lost or will soon lose all their teeth. In 1998, after extensive research and development, Dr. Malo treated his first patient with this new treatment modality called All-on-4®. Any other company that has manufactured such implants are simply imitations or copies of those made by Biocare and are abusively called All On 4®. Today it is a well-established treatment method that allows patients to have teeth in one day, with immediate improvements in function, aesthetics and speech with only 4 implants, while increasing the chances of successful treatment and reducing costs. At Advanced Implant Clinics we are proud that the creator of Malo Dental International Dr Paulo Malo chose our Clinic to work with in Greece, the only Clinic in our country. About the collaboration of our clinic with Dr Paulo Malo learn more in our article How To Get Teeth In A Day.

The company also focuses on the manufacturing of implants and related products, such as abutments and implant-related prosthetic work, including crowns and bridges. It also sells software and printers used to design prosthetic work for patients. He specialises in the development of software used for diagnosis and implant treatment planning, as well as the production of personalised surgical guides used for the accurate and safe surgical placement of implants.  Nobel Biocare conducts education and training programs for dental professionals in various countries to meet the specific legal training requirements for clinicians in their respective countries.

2. Straumann

Straumann was founded in 1954. In 2015 its revenues were $818 million. Today about half of its revenue comes from the dental implant business. The company collaborates with many research centres, universities and leading clinics. This is a key factor in ongoing research into implants and the tools and equipment required during surgery, as well as tissue regeneration products used during procedures or to prevent tooth loss.

Oral tissue regeneration products are used either to support implantation procedures or to preserve natural teeth after treatment for advanced periodontal disease. The components of implant systems are manufactured in the USA and Switzerland, while dental tissue regeneration products are manufactured in Sweden.

Straumann offers a full range of solutions including surgical, prosthetic and regenerative products. Its product range allows clinicians to provide a complete regenerative solution, starting from the bone surrounding the implants to the actual replacement tooth.

Its product range includes surgical implants and prosthetic abutments (abutments) that connect the dental implant to the prosthetic work. The company also manufactures a range of precision instruments and handling components designed for use in its implant systems. Straumann components and products are known for their high quality, offering long-term reliability and safety.

3. Dentsply Sirona (formerly Astra Tech)

Astra Tech was founded in 1991 and in 2010 its revenues were $535 million. In 2011, the company was acquired by Dentsply Sirona for $1.8 billion. It operates as a subsidiary of Dentsply and is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Dentsply is an American manufacturer of dental equipment and dental consumables and its products are sold in more than 120 countries. It has factories in 21 countries and is a leader in the dental consumables market. Dentsply designs and manufactures specialty products and this includes laboratory products related to dental supplies. It produces anesthetics, prophylaxis used in gum prevention and tooth polishes. Dentsply also designs and manufactures artificial teeth.

4. Zimmer Biomet

Zimmer Dental was originally founded in 1927 and its dental revenue in 2015 was $336 million. They merged with Biomet 3i to become Zimmer Biomet Dental. They have been manufacturing dental implants for more than two decades and also produce regenerative materials including bone graft substitutes, collagen membranes and wound care, as well as dental instruments and tools.

Zimmer Biomet is responsible for the design and development and the manufacturing and marketing of orthopedic products. These include artificial joints and dental prosthetic products. Zimmer Biomet operates in more than 25 countries worldwide and its products are sold in more than 100 countries.

5. BioHorizons

BioHorizons was founded in 1994 as a result of research conducted at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In 2013, Henry Schein, one of the world’s largest providers of healthcare products and services, made a strategic investment in the company. In 2015, the company’s revenue was estimated at approximately $115 million. BioHorizons is known for producing high quality and innovative products following in-depth scientific research. These include implant solutions as well as regenerative materials for bone grafting.

What to look for when choosing a dental implant brand

The five dental implant manufacturers mentioned above are some of the most well-known and most trusted manufacturers available today. In addition to the aforementioned brands, there are many other companies that manufacture implant parts, but very few have conducted significant scientific research on the reliability or longevity of their components. The majority of them do not provide a warranty certificate for lifetime implant durability.

When choosing your dentist for dental implants, it’s worth asking which manufacturer they prefer to use, the country of origin of the implant and the extent of research and clinical studies that company has conducted on its use, as well as whether they will provide you with the implant’s certificate with its serial number and the warranty that comes with it. The answer you get is very likely to disappoint you. But it is better to know beforehand what the implications of the choice of brand are in order to avoid problems with your implants. More than a few patients visit our clinic to have us correct (if corrected) damage caused by cheap, low-quality implants.

Another thing to remember is that it is much easier to replace a component when it has been manufactured by one of the leading implant manufacturers that channels its implants globally. Wherever you are in the world, you are much more likely to find a dentist who is familiar with that particular brand of implant and who has the necessary tools and expertise to replace the component. In our clinic, we have treated cases of patients with serious problems that resulted after the placement of Asian or other low-quality implants.

We offer the best brands of dental implants at affordable prices.

If you are still unsure about which brand to use, we can help you. One brand may offer a better solution to your case than another. At your first appointment at Advanced Implant Clinics, we will inform you of the pros and cons of each option in terms of each brand and its cost. As far as the financial aspect is concerned, see what factors determine the cost and prices of implants.

Wanting the best brand of dental implants is natural and deserved. If you are concerned about cost, at our clinic we have been offering top quality dental implant materials and top-quality services at affordable prices for years, with a quality and lifetime warranty certificate. Our consistency in providing high quality materials and services at reasonable cost has led to our Clinic’s high market recognition.

On your first visit, you will be informed of the financing options we offer to make affordable payments, with credit and interest-free installments or other solutions.

Contact us to schedule an appointment at our Glyfada Clinic in Athens to discuss the options that fit your budget and needs.