Which country are Anthogyr implants from, and who owns the brand?

Anthogyr's roots go back much further than implants, to the precision mechanics tradition of Haute-Savoie. According to the company's own history page, the family started out in watchmaking in 1800, and in 1917 Émile Anthoine founded the company called 'Anthoine Émile et Fils'. In 1943 dental instruments began to be produced; the brand name comes from here too: 'Antho' from Anthoine, and 'gyr' from the meaning of turning. The Anthogyr company, focused on dentistry, was founded in 1947 by René Anthoine and for many years produced handpieces and surgical motors.

The move into implants happened step by step. The same history page writes that in 1984 they took on the contract manufacture of another designer's disc implant, and that in 1997 they launched the first implant under their own name (Anthofit). Straumann's 2019 press release, however, says that Anthogyr began manufacturing dental implants in 1980. The same release also writes that the company has a history of about 30 years in implantology; in other words, the sources do not agree on a single starting year. What is certain is the move in 2007 to a new and larger production plant in Sallanches and the arrival in 2009 of Axiom, today's main line.

The relationship with Straumann has two stages. At the beginning of 2016 the Straumann Group bought 30 per cent of Anthogyr and took over the company's business in China. On 12 March 2019 the parties signed the agreement that raised Straumann's share to 100 per cent. According to Straumann's presentation for the first quarter of 2019, the company was fully incorporated into the group on 1 June 2019. The press release writes that at that date Anthogyr had 400 employees, generated revenue of about 57 million Swiss francs and developed and manufactured its products in France and Luxembourg.

This is why there are two correct answers to the question of which country. The product's origin, design and main production are in France; its owner is a Swiss group with its head office in Basel. In its release Straumann describes Anthogyr as 'an affordable, high-quality European brand' and states that in its own market, France, the company is the largest provider of non-premium implant solutions. Where a single implant that reaches you was made, though, is told most definitely by the label on its box.

Axiom is the name of a family. The brand's website lists the Axiom Bone Level line (which sits at bone level) and the Axiom Tissue Level line (whose collar extends to gum level), different body profiles called REG, PX and X3 for Bone Level, Axiom 2.8 for narrow gaps and, in addition, a mini implant system. According to an independent product register, BL REG is the general-purpose profile, is designed to be placed about 0.5 mm below the bone level and shares the same prosthetic connection as the X3 and PX profiles. In studies carried out on the system, this connection is described as a one-size internal conical connection.

The company also has a prosthetic side. In 2012 Anthogyr acquired Simeda, which designs and produces patient-specific prosthetic parts; today it produces digital (CAD/CAM) top parts and bridge frameworks under the Simeda name. What this means in practice is this: parts from the manufacturer's own line or compatible parts can be placed on an Anthogyr implant. Which one was used is information that will be of direct use to you in a future repair.

The strongest piece of the published data comes from Italy. At six centres, in 60 patients each needing two single-tooth implants, one implant in the same mouth was placed 0.5 mm and the other 1.5 mm below the bone level, at random. By year 10, 8 patients had dropped out of follow-up; no statistical difference was found between the two depths in terms of implant loss (7 versus 3), complications and mean bone loss (0.38 mm versus 0.17 mm). The study's implants were from Anthogyr and the manufacturer partly funded the study; the authors state that the data belong to them and that the sponsor did not interfere in the analysis.

Even so, the brand is the smaller half of the question. Whether an implant stays in the mouth over the years is determined more strongly by planning, how the load is spread, factors such as smoking and uncontrolled diabetes, and regular maintenance. Axiom is a conventional two-piece system: it sits in the inner part of the bone and needs sufficient volume there. The implant we use in the protocol of fixed teeth in 72 hours with the Ihde method, on the other hand, belongs to a different class: a one-piece corticobasal implant that anchors in the hard outer layer of the jaw. This is not a judgement on Axiom; it is two separate answers given to two separate questions.

The points below look less at the brand name than at the two-piece implant design that sits inside the bone and needs healing time. Points specific to Axiom are indicated separately.

If the answers are short and clear, there is a considered choice behind the plan. Every answer that stays vague is a gap you will have to fill in later.

1. 1

   Which Axiom line and profile?

   Bone Level or Tissue Level; if Bone Level, REG, PX or X3; if it is a narrow gap, 2.8? This information should be written on the implant card. 'Anthogyr' on its own is not enough for a repair.

2. 2

   Which diameter and length, and why?

   It should be possible to explain the choice in terms of the width, height and density of your bone. If a narrow or short implant is planned in the molar region, ask separately for the reason.

3. 3

   Is the top part original or compatible?

   A part from the manufacturer's line and a compatible part produced by another firm are not the same thing. Which one is used affects finding a replacement part years later and how the part seats on the implant.

4. 4

   Can I see the barcode on the label?

   Medical devices put on the market in Turkey must be registered in the Product Tracking System (ÜTS). The number on the label shows the product's manufacturer and its registration; this is a more concrete check than anything you hear said about the brand.

5. 5

   What happens if a part breaks?

   Asking at the outset how a broken top part or screw would be removed, how long the replacement would take to arrive and what the procedure would involve is a normal request. The laboratory study below shows why this question matters.

If the points below are in place, the difference between brands narrows; if they are not, no brand makes up for the gap.

A few misleading shortcuts circulate around a brand that has changed hands and sits under the roof of a large group.

Nobody asks for these documents today; but years from now, in another dentist's chair, they will be the first thing you are asked for.

1. A detailed implant card

   The card should say more than just 'Anthogyr': it should give the Axiom line (BL or TL), the profile (REG, PX, X3 or 2.8), the diameter, the length, the lot number and the area where it was placed. If anything is missing, ask the clinic that carried out the treatment to complete it.

2. The type of top part

   Is the top part from the manufacturer's line, a Simeda product, or another firm's compatible part? When there is a fracture or a renewal is needed, this information speeds up finding the right replacement.

3. A copy of the barcode

   The barcode on the product label carries the number that identifies the implant in ÜTS. Keep it together with your card; keep a photograph of it on your phone as well.

4. The X-ray from the first day

   The X-ray that shows where your bone level was at the start. With an implant placed below the bone level, how the bone edge has changed over the years can only be read by comparing against this X-ray.

The name of the implant does not determine the difference in a quote on its own. The total is made up of these items:

The unit cost of the system

Straumann positions Anthogyr in the group's more affordable segment. But in a multi-unit plan, the item that determines the total is usually not the implant body.

Choice of top part

The choice between a ready-made part, patient-specific CAD/CAM production or a compatible part can move the quote more than the implant does. Check which one is written in the quote.

Preparatory procedures

If a graft, a sinus procedure or extractions are needed, these are separate items and are common in conventional plans. They also lengthen the treatment.

Repairs over the years

With a system whose parts are easy to find, changing a screw or a top part stays a small job. This is the item that does not appear on the invoice but may turn out to be the most expensive in the long run.