Magazine PIP • Practical implantology and implant prosthetics • August 2018
Italian passion for German precision
When visiting the impressive manufacturing facility, with 25 CNC machines alone, you will also come across the “Mercedes” of manufacturing technology such as the Swiss Tornos, a five-axis machine, which at C-Tech is purely tasked with the manufacture of mini-implants. Currently they are the largest manufacturer in Europe for this specific type of implant. Mini-implants are popular as a minimally-invasive option for creating an immediate restoration, which is currently a highly sought-after alternative for fast and good functional care of older patients. An impressive neighbour is the Willemin Macodell (the Rolls-Royce of CNC machines), which can be fitted with 48 different CNC cutters. It can change tools in 1.4 seconds and can be used in any conceivable axis, including for the manufacture of angled mini-abutments. C-Tech was one of the first companies to move over to cooling all computer-controlled machine tools using water-miscible bio-lubricants. The plant-based oil is odour-free, improves machining and even has a wider range of applications than mineral oil products. “And even though of course we run extensive cleaning processes for the finished parts, it’s still one risk factor less”, comments Lütfü Agic with respect to the recently published independent surface study by the University of Cologne, where the C-Tech implant surfaces were tested as an example, in testing applied to very few dental implant surfaces on the dental market.
