Corporate Profiles: Q&A with Doxa

As a company new to the U.S. market, what advantages do you bring based on your European roots?
Doxa Dental AB is the parent company of Doxa Dental Inc., the U.S. subsidiary. Doxa Dental Inc. is fortunate to have the 24 years of experience that Doxa Dental AB has amassed. The parent company has a long history of excellence in research and development in the development of bioceramics for use within orthopedics and odontology. Its proprietary technology has been reviewed in more than 70 publications, and its robust patent portfolio incorporates more than 25 foundational patents and more than 100 national patents and patent applications. It’s a great benefit to have such a long history of excellence in the field of bioceramics to support the U.S. launch of Ceramir® Crown and Bridge. In 2009, Doxa Dental AB made the strategic decision to transition to an international dental sales and marketing organization. With the patient as our key focus, Doxa Dental Inc. aims to continue this effort to develop and deliver dental materials that are user-friendly, biocompatible and environmentally friendly.

Your first product to market is Ceramir Crown & Bridge Dental Cement. What was missing in this particular materials category?
While there have been many new cements launched recently in the U.S., they all seem to be an improvement or change to a previously used technology, most commonly resin or glass ionomer.  No manufacturer has taken a step outside of those materials to develop something completely unique based on biology that is as biocompatible as Ceramir Crown & Bridge. Post-operative sensitivity is also a long-standing problem in the field of cements. Ceramir Crown & Bridge has such unique, friendly-to-the-mouth chemistry that Doxa has received no reports of post-operative sensitivity due to the material since its launch nearly three years ago.

How did you think Ceramir could stand out?
All cements on the market today tend to degrade over time, and do not have a permanent seal at the interface.  Conversely, Ceramir Crown & Bridge has been shown to increase in strength and physical properties over time, and its unique method of bonding to the tooth structure-Nanostructurally Integrating Bioceramics-is unlike any of the chemical (cross-linking) bonding or resin bonding on the market today. This results in a permanent seal that minimizes micro-leakage and is incredibly friendly to the pulp and other tooth tissues. Additionally, the material is alkaline, which naturally resists acid and acid-producing bacteria. No other cement uses the principles that are the same as natural remineralization (integrating with the dentin and/or enamel on a molecular level), which is how Ceramir Crown & Bridge acts in the mouth.  The overall biocompatibility of the material is kinder to the pulp than other dental materials, and the chemistry does not cause post-operative sensitivity.

In regards to handling, Ceramir Crown & Bridge is hydrophilic, wets and flows well, and is extremely easy to clean up. It also is radiopaque. With retention strengths equal or superior to resin cements, exceptional handling, and unmatched biocompatibility, Ceramir Crown & Bridge stands out from all the cements on the market today.

It is very exciting that Henry Schein will be offering Ceramir as a “global exclusive.” What does this mean for you as a company looking to make an impact?
Doxa Dental Inc. is thrilled to be on board with such a market leader as Henry Schein Inc. They have built a company that has excellent sales, marketing and logistics expertise, and by working closely with all aspects of their team, we are confident that as many doctors as possible will be able to reap the benefits of using a unique, natural and amazingly effective product as Ceramir Crown & Bridge.
 

When it comes to the science behind materials, what are certain things that you think dental professionals should look for?
Clinical data and time-tested results are key. Oftentimes when a product is launched in the U.S., the manufacturer has its 510(k) and not much else to assure the doctor.  Because Ceramir Crown & Bridge has been sold successfully in Europe for more than 2 years, Doxa Dental Inc. has peer-reviewed, published clinical data for a 2-year study that was published in July 2011 in the Journal of Prosthodontics, which reinforced the excellent clinical performance of the product.  Additionally, Doxa has 3-year data that has been collected and is being analyzed. The Ceramir bioceramic technology has been incredibly well-researched over the last two decades, and 70 papers have been published attesting to its effectiveness for use. There is a wealth of information on the technology that is available for the doctor to research more fully.