The International Dental Medicine Fair, commonly known as Dentex, once again brought the dental industry to the forefront from June 6-8, 2024. Organized by Zagreb Fair and the Croatian Chamber of Dental Medicine, the biennial event presented cutting-edge innovations, including Lumoral, to its visitors from Croatia and abroad.

One of the highlights of this year's event was Lumoral – a cutting-edge antibacterial therapy device developed by Finnish scientists designed to significantly improve oral hygiene when used as an adjunct therapy to regular brushing and flossing. The themes of the Dentex fair covered key areas of dentistry and dental technology.

Lumoral attracts attention

Lumoral has garnered attention for its innovative approach to maintaining oral hygiene. The device employs a dual-light photodynamic therapy that targets and eliminates harmful bacteria in the mouth, promoting healthier gums and teeth. Its user-friendly design and proven effectiveness make it an attractive option for both dental professionals and patients seeking to improve their oral health.

Lumoral's participation in Dentex reflects Croatian distribution partner Med-Faktor’s commitment to advancing dental care through innovation. Attendees at the event had the chance to experience firsthand how the Lumoral device can be integrated into their practice to enhance patient outcomes.

"The Dentex fair was a resounding success for our team. We had a spacious 50-square-meter area to showcase our products, with Lumoral drawing the most interest among visitors," said Med-Faktor Key Account Manager Marko Sever Cuglin.

With over 250 exhibitors presenting similar products like 3D printers, intraoral scanners, and implants, Lumoral stood out as a unique innovation.

"Our 'Wheel of Fortune' prize game, featuring a Lumoral starter set as the main prize, was a hit. It served as an excellent opportunity to introduce Lumoral to doctors, who were curious about its purpose, usage, and the time frame for seeing positive results in patients' oral health."

Sever Cuglin noted that dental professionals were impressed by Lumoral’s capabilities, recognizing its potential to improve treatment outcomes and serve as a preventive measure. "We gathered about 100 contacts interested in Lumoral, whom we plan to follow up with. Orthodontists were particularly excited about how Lumoral can help with braces maintenance, and periodontologists saw its potential to enhance standard dental treatments significantly."

Lumoral as a preoperative treatment

Experts in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy highlighted Lumoral’s utility as a preoperative treatment, emphasizing its effectiveness in eliminating harmful bacteria before implant placements or other surgical procedures.

"Overall, the response from the dental community was overwhelmingly positive. We look forward to continuing our engagements and expanding Lumoral's reach in dental practices," Sever Cuglin added.

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Med-Faktor d.o.o. (www.medfaktor.hr), is a Croatia-based importing company established in 2010 by parent company Naturaldent Dental Group. The company is currently an exclusive distributor of products such as Medentis ICX implants, Belgian SMI sutures, NEXA3D printers and various other products for the countries of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania.

Tartar is mineralised plaque that forms on the surface of the teeth, usually as a result of poor oral hygiene. Plaque is made up of bacteria, food debris and saliva proteins. If plaque is not regularly removed by brushing and cleaning between teeth, it can harden and become tartar. Tartar is rough and can cause gum irritation, lead to gingivitis and contribute to the development of other oral health problems, such as periodontitis.

How common is tartar buildup?

Tartar is a very common oral health problem. Almost all adults have tartar buildup at some point in their lives, and the incidence increases with age. Here are some important facts to help you understand how common tartar is:

Adults: Most adults will get tartar at some point. The risk increases with age as plaque builds up over time, and possibly oral hygiene can also deteriorate, for example as fine motor skills in the hands deteriorate.

Adolescents and children: Although tartar is more common in adults, it can also occur in adolescents and children, especially if oral hygiene is poor.

Risk groups: Certain groups of people are more prone to developing tartar. These include smokers, diabetics, people with dry mouth, and people with certain types of eating habits (e.g. high consumption of sugary and starchy foods).

Tooth location: Plaque is usually more likely to form on the mandibular incisors and maxillary molars, as the salivary glands are located close to these teeth and saliva can contribute to plaque mineralisation.

How can I prevent the formation of tartar?

Regular and careful oral hygiene is the best way to prevent tartar. Tartar cannot be completely prevented, but the amount and effects can be significantly reduced through good daily oral hygiene and professional cleanings.

Regular brushing: brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes at a time with a fluoride toothpaste. Use a soft toothbrush and brush thoroughly on all tooth surfaces, including the gum line.

Use a floss, brush or other interdental cleaning tool daily to remove plaque between teeth where the toothbrush cannot reach.

Healthy diet: avoid sugary and starchy foods and drinks that contribute to plaque formation. Eat healthy foods, such as fruit and vegetables, that promote saliva production and help keep your mouth clean.

Regular dental visits: go to your dentist regularly for check-ups and cleanings. A dental hygienist can remove tartar that you cannot remove yourself at home.

Complementary treatment: regular use of the Lumoral antibacterial treatment reduces the amount of bacteria in your mouth and helps prevent plaque and tartar build-up.

Why do you need to remove tartar?

‘When the tooth surface is rough due to tartar, it is easy for new bacteria to accumulate on the surfaces of the teeth. These bacteria, together with tartar, irritate the gums and cause gingivitis. You cannot remove tartar yourself at home, but dentists and dental hygienists give patients an anti-infective treatment to remove tartar and reduce the amount of bacteria in the gum pocket.’ Viivi Soikkeli, dental hygienist at Hampaasi Dental Clinic in Helsinki, Finland, explains.

Lumoral antibacterial treatment is used as a complement to mechanical tooth cleaning.

‘Lumoral treatment is based on the fact that it effectively reduces the amount of plaque in the mouth, while also reducing the build-up of plaque and tartar,’ says Soikkeli.

Studies have shown that regular antibacterial treatment as an adjunct to conventional non-surgical standard treatment reduces gum inflammation and improves oral hygiene and the healing of deep pockets in chronic periodontitis compared to conventional treatment.

Antibacterial treatment has also been shown to prevent and help reduce inflammation in the tissues surrounding implants. It is suitable for everyone, but light-activated antibacterial treatment is considered most effective for patients who need to improve their oral hygiene.

Unlike conventional antibacterial mouthwashes, which affect the whole mouth and also remove the good bacteria that we need, Lumoral treatment targets only plaque, reducing bacterial and tartar build-up.

‘I recommend Lumoral especially to customers who have a lot of tartar,’ says Soikkeli.

The 17th MegaGen International Symposium in Rome, Italy, will be held from May 30 to June 1, 2024. Organized by MegaGen, a leading dental implant company, the event gathers dental experts worldwide to discuss the latest technologies in implantology. Lumoral will be spotlighted at the event for its contribution to enhancing oral health for patients undergoing or considering implant treatments.

With the theme "All Roads Lead to Rome - Revolutionary Advances; The Journey to Full Mouth Restorations with Immediate Implants", the MegaGen symposium serves as a platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and professional development.  

At the event, attendees can participate in lectures, workshops, and hands-on training sessions led by renowned speakers and key opinion leaders in the oral health field. Topics covered during the symposium will include digital dentistry, immediate implant placement, surgical techniques, prosthetic dentistry, and more.

– For our Lumoral team, the event offers an invaluable opportunity to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the field of implantology. It also provides professionals in the implant industry with a great chance to introduce themselves with antibacterial Lumoral treatment and the benefits it offers to patients, says Tero Pasanen, Chief Commercial Officer of Koite Health Ltd.

Expanding Implant Market Spurs Demand for Lumoral Antibacterial Treatment

The global dental implants market is flourishing because of a growing prevalence of dental diseases and tooth loss, an aging population, and the rapid adoption of technological advancements and digital technologies, such as computer-aided design and 3D printing, in dental implant materials and design. 

Pasanen notes that with the implant industry expanding, the need for advanced oral hygiene methods, including Lumoral, is also growing. 

Finnish health technology company Koite Health Ltd. has been in a Lumoral distribution agreement with MegaGen Italia since May of last year. Pasanen notes that the event in Rome is a natural progression of the collaboration, helping to raise awareness of antibacterial light-activated Lumoral treatment among the participants.

Oral home care is very important for the health of dental implants. Because 95 percent of dental diseases are caused by bacteria in the plaque, regularly eliminating dental plaque improves dental hygiene as well as prevents and treats dental and gum disease. Proper oral hygiene combined with regular use of Lumoral could be decisive in preventing periodontitis and peri-implantitis.

Lumoral brings many benefits to implant patients: it helps sustain oral bacterial diversity while reducing plaque bacteria, it reduces gingivitis and plaque and tartar formation, and treats and prevents periodontitis and peri-implantitis efficiently.

– We believe that it is an excellent idea that dentists would offer a Lumoral device to all their implant patients to help prevent peri-implantitis and help keep the implants healthy, Mr. Federico Annoni from Megagen Italia said in an earlier interview.