Dentivia™
Commitment to Natural, Renewable, and Patient-Centric Dental Care

In the world of dentistry, the pursuit of optimal oral health and sustainable solutions are converging, materially reshaping the landscape of dental prosthetics. Not long ago, restorative materials like mercury-amalgam were the norm when treating dental cavities. The malleable substance was composed of a blend of silver, tin, copper alloy, and elemental mercury. While effective mechanically as a restoration material, the mercury content in amalgam raised health and environmental concerns. Mercury exposure has been linked to a range of symptoms, from fatigue and moodiness to more severe conditions like autoimmune disorders.

To address an unprecedented consumer interest and awareness about materials used in dental care, dental practices are experiencing a paradigm shift. Patients are increasingly seeking more biobased natural material alternatives to highly processed synthetic elements still found in many dental materials. At the forefront of this movement is Dentivia™, a pioneering entity that’s on a mission to introduce what it calls a “whole new dental solution”—starting with the Vegetable Ivory Crown.

“Vegetable ivory,” derived from minimally processed dehydrated seeds of select palm trees flourishing in equatorial regions, was traditionally used for making buttons until the 1940s and is currently used for making hand carved artistic figurines because of its natural ivory like qualities. In the 1990s, when entrepreneur and innovator Rick Guy became aware of the probable adverse effects of the mercury amalgam in his own fillings, he embarked on a quest for a better alternative. He delved into an extensive investigation, exploring materials that aligned with the principles of what he calls “whole dentistry”. The breakthrough came in the form of vegetable ivory, which emerged as a biobased, sustainable, biodegradable material suitable for dental composites and crowns, combining ecological sustainability with practical application.

Guy and his team of experts developed prototypes using standard digital dentistry techniques and created a range of prosthetics including adult and pediatric crowns that are aesthetically appealing, functional, durable, and environmentally sustainable.

“Our mission is to deliver whole dental solutions that embody greenness, renewability, and superior biocompatibility, in addition to biomimetic performance qualities. In contrast to other superfluously hard permanent synthetic materials like zirconium crowns and implants that literally last for many lifetimes, our innovation revolves around creating more biocompatible biodegradable materials, embodying the natural appearance and performance qualities of a human tooth. In fact, we like to say we’ve worked closely with nature to fashion the first biomimetic tooth in both form and function. The hardness and compressibility of our crowns compare directly to those of natural teeth” says Guy.

The start-up company is preparing to debut its first market-ready products at the upcoming April Holistic Dental Association show in Herndon, Virginia. The initial product launch will feature temporary crowns for both adults and pediatric patients. Following this introduction, it has ambitious plans for the summer, including the announcement of permanent implant-supported crowns and the introduction of dentures. The strategic focus will extend to targeting government agencies like the Veterans Administration of the United States, pediatric dentists, and “consumers who are mindful of the whole human environment, biologically for their own health and ecologically for the whole world,” Guy says.

Over two decades of research and development has resulted in the creation of another of Dentivia’s products, NOVOSSA™, a minimally processed proprietary bone replacement material composite of vegetable ivory, hydroxyapatite, and other carefully guarded natural trade-secret ingredients. NOVOSSA™ is set to undergo clinical testing at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse and is scheduled for a debut in the latter half of 2024 and Q1 of 2025.

Based upon previous studies conducted on animals, NOVOSSA™ is expected to outperform existing alternatives and will revolutionize bone replacement procedures, starting with applications like ridge preservation following tooth extraction,” says Dr. Pasquale Scutari, Dentivia’s Chief Dental Officer and a seasoned oral surgeon with three decades of experience. “With promising prospects, this naturally derived and highly effective material is poised to elevate the standard in bone replacement within the medical market,” he adds.

In a significant achievement, Dentivia has secured a 100 percent certification as a Bio Preferred Provider for its temporary crown material under the United States Department of Agriculture’s Bio Preferred program. This notable designation aligns seamlessly with its mission of providing a truly natural, green, and renewable biomaterial in the dental industry. With plans to rapidly penetrate the market, the company is gearing up for an impactful marketing campaign, aiming to inform consumers that, for the first time, a biobased biocompatible and eco-friendly alternative is available. As Dentivia stands at the forefront of innovation, this certification reinforces its commitment to providing a revolutionary solution in the dental space, setting a new standard for sustainability and natural compatibility for the whole dental world.