Implant Location System (ILS): A Future Leader in Computer-Guided Implant Surgery?

Implant Location SystemRecently, Tactile Technologies Ltd. obtained US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its second-generation Implant Location System (ILS) for dentistry. The FDA approved the first-generation product two years ago, but the company did not launch sales until it developed the second-generation product.

According to the company:

“The ILS is constructed as a combination of the following tools: An intuitive and simple pre and in-operative planning software, Tactile sensors that determine the bone contour for navigation and registration, and Intra-oral, computer-adjusted guiding sheaths to direct drilling. “

In addition, as explained by Tactile:

“The use of the ILS enables implant placement without the need for flap surgery. Flap surgery is often accompanied by potential marginal bone loss and soft tissue recession, which reduces success rate and may result in problematic aesthetics.”

More information about this fascinating new technology can be found at Tactile’s Website , but we’d be interested in your comments on this system. Will the ILS allow clinicians to overcome the limitations of conventional implantation surgery and, as claimed by the company: “enable the newcomer practitioner to perform implantations with the accuracy, speed, and success rate of experienced oral-surgeons?”

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Filed Under Computer Guided Implant Surgery, Dental Implants 

Comments

7 Responses to “Implant Location System (ILS): A Future Leader in Computer-Guided Implant Surgery?”

  1. Rand on June 13th, 2007 9:44 pm

    Let me know when the 3rd or 4th generation is out.

  2. domis on June 14th, 2007 2:49 am

    Tried their website, but their news and events stopped being updated since 2005. I wonder what is happening with this company.

  3. Implantologue on June 14th, 2007 8:06 am

    Visited the website, too much to read, at this point and in my view it appears very engineer oriented therefore not necessarily the most practical solution for an implant surgeon.
    The inventors/designers should remember that we are dealing with live people’s mouths and tongues!!!!

  4. dr.E.M.F. Muradin on June 14th, 2007 3:44 pm

    You will loose the marketing batle of you not change your presentation. You website is missing the “dental point”. Furthermore, as I agree with one of my previous colleagues; keep your methods simple, so we can use or buy your product.
    Nevertheless, great new idea.

  5. Gerald Niznick on June 15th, 2007 8:20 am

    From Dr. Gerald Niznick, President and CEO of Tactile Technologies Inc. and Implant Direct LLC.
    Tactile Technologies was established 3.5 years ago to create a simplified image guided implant system. We anticipate lauch in the US by the end of this year. Information on the system can be found on www.implantdirect.com web site under “image guided surgery” link. Tactile’s R&D geam of soft ware and mechanical engineers has develop the only image guided system that allows the dentist to fabricate the guidance mechanism in his office. Version 1 used bone-sounding needles to correlate the device in the mouth with treatment planning and implant positioning software. Version 2 simplified this process by using templates made on virtual teeth generated on CT scans of impressions sent to us. We are adding “virtual teeth” to the software to bring it up to speed with Version 11 of Materialize’s software before releasing it for sale. Tactile, like Implant Direct, is committed to bringing high quality, innovative technology to the dental profession at what Merrill Lynch referred to in a Report as being “unprecidented low dental implant prices”. The software alone, which will format the CT (cut it into slices) and allow selection, positioning and paralleling of implants, will sell for about 10% of what Materialize charges for its software with similar capabilities. The system has been widely tested in Israel and awaits only mass production of the manipulator before launch of the product in the US. Educational courses will be widely available when the product is launched and it will be distributed and supported by Implant Direct, the company that has already creating a price point shift in the dental implant industry with up to 70% savings on dental implants and related prosthetic components.

  6. Dr. N on July 26th, 2007 7:37 pm

    Dr. Niznick, is one of the purposes of this technology suppost to be able to replace the need for cone beam imaging in some cases?

  7. Bruce Bay area OMFS on April 24th, 2008 5:42 pm

    you’ll still need a ct or conebeam ct

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