IRVINE, CA--(Marketwire - January 20, 2011) - BIOLASE Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLTI), the world’s leading dental laser manufacturer and distributor, today announced the launch of the Waterlase® iPlus™ System dual-wavelength all-tissue laser, the first major breakthrough in all-tissue laser technology since the Waterlase MD™ was introduced in 2005.
The iPlus’ Intuitive Power not only addresses the key needs for the next generation of laser dentists, but it also delivers more power, control and versatility for experienced laser dentists. Cutting of all tissue types with the new iPlus can be performed twice as fast as current laser systems, with no pain or discomfort, no risk of cross-contamination associated with conventional drills, and resulting in surface quality much smoother than ever.
Chief Technology Officer Dmitri Boutoussov, PhD, said, “The iPlus represents a major leap in the development of all-tissue dental lasers. Cutting teeth at the speed of the mechanical drill without sacrificing patient comfort has always been our goal at BIOLASE. It was a tremendous challenge for us which took several years to develop. Now, our patent-pending technology (named ‘2R Powered’ technology) allows us to build an Er;Cr:YSGG laser with the highest pulse energy at short pulses among all Erbium-based, 3-micron lasers in the industry, as well as the highest pulse repetition rates. The result is very fast removal of hard tooth tissue with no discomfort to the patient, in combination with a smooth surface finish. Our new technology also opens a great opportunity to explore non-dental applications in medicine, which require fast and smooth cutting of both soft tissue and bone, coverage of larger surface areas (like skin or wounds), and where the delivery of laser radiation to treatment site through a flexible fiber is a must-have.”
After using the system, Southern California dentist Dr. Christina Do stated, “It is amazingly fast, as fast or faster than my high-speed drill and the patient never flinched.”
Unlike dental lasers of the last decade, the iPlus also features a revolutionary and intuitive applications-based user interface with a large high resolution touch screen programmed with over 50 factory-loaded procedure presets. Dentists will simply choose which procedure to perform -- from “bread and butter” restorative cases to specialty cases like periodontal or endodontic -- and the iPlus will program everything for the dentist.
The iPlus is available in a system configuration and features the proprietary 2780 nm YSGG technology together with an integrated iLase 940 nm diode laser or as a standalone unit. The YSGG technology has been the industry standard for all tissue dental lasers since its introduction in 1997. The iLase will enhance the capabilities of the YSGG by providing a diode laser that can be utilized for unexpected soft-tissue cases in an adjacent treatment room, better control of bleeding, and the potential for temporary pain relief and teeth whitening.
Chairman and CEO Federico Pignatelli said, “The iPlus is our new flagship laser product and will have a substantial impact on our sales in 2011 and beyond. It is the most advanced -- yet most intuitive -- dental laser ever conceived. With the Intuitive Power of the iPlus, dentists will be able to completely focus on dentistry, while the iPlus handles the technical laser details. I’m extremely proud of the job done by our R&D team under the leadership of Dr. Boutoussov, to deliver the perfect product for the rapidly growing worldwide dental laser market. We have received full FDA clearance and will begin taking orders next week for delivery this quarter.”
Other innovations include a new fiber delivery system with little to no “pull-back” on the dentist’s hand and a new 3X brighter illumination source. This allows for complete freedom of movement of the handpiece and greatly reduces hand fatigue throughout the day in combination with excellent site visibility.
“I have been using lasers from BIOLASE and other manufacturers for twenty years in my practice, and also taught hundreds of other dentists how to use lasers,” commented Dr. Phil Hudson from Spokane. “Whenever I have asked what took them so long to buy a laser, two of the most common concerns were that it would slow them down, and it would be too difficult to learn. The iPlus solves all of that. It is blazingly fast in all classes of cavity preparation and is my first choice when I am confronted by soft tissue surgical challenges. Any dentist with a smart phone will feel right at home with the iPlus, as its intuitive nature eliminates both the mystery and the fear factor of lasers.”
Pignatelli added, “With the iPlus, any dentist can quickly integrate an all-tissue laser into his or her practice. The intuitive nature of the interface is very much like the personal electronic devices we already use in our daily lives, so dentists will easily learn how to operate the iPlus. With our higher powered laser, dentists will be able to perform hard tissue procedures with as much speed as conventional drills, but without the discomfort and risk of cross contamination as often occurs with drills in conventional dental procedures as per recent astonishing published research. Finally, the iLase diode laser completes the set of services that dentists can provide for their patients. Our new Waterlase iPlus makes all of this possible.”
The formal introduction of the iPlus, with a retail price depending on a system configuration expected to be at a price point of $54,900, will be in booth #1640 at the Yankee Dental Congress on January 27th in Boston. A preview video of the iPlus can also be viewed at www.waterlaseiplus.com
About BIOLASE Technology, Inc.
BIOLASE Technology, Inc., the World’s leading dental laser company, is a medical technology company that develops, manufactures and markets lasers and related products focused on technologies that advance the practice of dentistry and medicine. The Company’s products incorporate patented and patent pending technologies designed to provide clinically superior performance with less pain and faster recovery times. BIOLASE’s principal products are dental laser systems that perform a broad range of dental procedures, including cosmetic and complex surgical applications. Other products under development address ophthalmology and other medical and consumer markets.
For updates and information on laser and Waterlase dentistry, find BIOLASE at http://www.biolase.com, Twitter at http://twitter.com/GoWaterlase, and YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/Rossca08.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of safe harbor provided by the Securities Reform Act of 1995 that are based on the current expectations and estimates by our management. These forward-looking statements can be identified through the use of words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “may,” “will,” and variations of these words or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current, preliminary expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from the statements contained herein, and are described in the Company’s reports it files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual and quarterly reports. No undue reliance should be placed on forward-looking statements. Such information is subject to change, and we undertake no obligation to update such statements.
For further information, please contact:
Jill Bertotti
Allen & Caron
+1-949-474-4300
