Camlog Dental Implants
Camlog matters for one reason above all others: it makes a genuine two-piece ceramic implant. If you want a metal-free implant and also want a normal screw-retained crown rather than a cemented one, the list of manufacturers who can do that is very short.
At a glance
- Metal-free option
- Yes, CERALOG, in one-piece and two-piece forms
- Titanium platforms
- Two: CAMLOG and CONELOG, not interchangeable
- Implant surface
- Promote, on the titanium lines
- Ceramic manufacturing
- Ceramic Injection Molding (CIM)
- Price tier
- Upper-mid; ceramic carries a premium
- Best known for
- The two-piece ceramic implant
Who Camlog is
Camlog is a German-Swiss manufacturer with production in Wimsheim, Germany. Its titanium systems are widely used across Europe and have a solid, unremarkable reputation, well-made implants without a headline technology.
Since 2016 Camlog has operated alongside BioHorizons under Henry Schein's Global Oral Reconstruction Group. The two are marketed together and publish through shared channels, though they remain distinct systems whose components do not interchange. If you are comparing a Camlog quote against a BioHorizons quote, you are not comparing two independent companies.
The interesting part of the company arrived by acquisition. In 2006 a Swiss company called AXIS biodental began research into high-performance zirconium dioxide implants manufactured by Ceramic Injection Molding. Clinical studies began in 2007. The one-piece Monobloc implant was marketed first, and the two-piece Hexalobe implant has been in its present configuration since early 2012. Camlog acquired AXIS biodental in 2016 and fully absorbed it in 2019. That research line became CERALOG.
Why a two-piece ceramic implant is a genuinely difficult thing to make
Zirconia is attractive as an implant material for two reasons: it is ivory-coloured rather than grey, so it will not show through thin gum tissue, and it appeals to patients who want no metal in their body. Camlog's literature notes that zirconium dioxide is generally acknowledged to be highly compatible with soft tissue.
The engineering problem is that zirconia is hard and brittle. Cutting a fine screw thread into it, the way every titanium implant does, creates a stress point where the ceramic can crack. The standard workaround is to make the implant one solid piece with no joint at all. That solves the strength problem and creates a clinical one.
With a one-piece implant, the post sticking through your gum is fixed the moment the surgeon places it. The angle cannot be corrected afterwards, so the implant must go in at exactly the right orientation for the crown. The crown must then be cemented on permanently, if it ever needs removing, it generally has to be destroyed and remade. A two-piece implant lets the dentist unscrew the crown, inspect the implant, and refit it. Over a thirty-year lifespan that difference is not cosmetic.
Camlog describes the Hexalobe connection as introducing insertion forces tangentially into the implant, allowing considerably higher torque than a hexagonal connection could transfer, which is the design answer to zirconia's brittleness. The abutments are made from PEKK, a high-performance polymer that Camlog states is ductile, damping force transmission to the implant and reducing stress concentration. CERALOG implants also carry a dual surface: less rough at the neck to encourage soft-tissue adhesion, rougher along the buried portion for osseointegration.
Ceramic implants have a much shorter and thinner evidence base than titanium. Titanium has been followed in patients since 1965; two-piece ceramic implants in their current form date from around 2012. That is not a reason to reject them, but it is a genuine difference in how much we know. Titanium allergy is also rare, far rarer than internet discussion suggests. If you are considering ceramic primarily for aesthetic reasons in a front tooth with thin gums, that is a well-founded rationale. If you are considering it because you believe titanium is unsafe, that deserves a proper conversation with your dentist first. Our implant materials page covers this comparison in detail.
The Camlog system lineup
CERALOG Hexalobe
A two-piece zirconia implant with a screw-retained abutment, genuinely metal-free, and unusual in allowing a removable crown.
CERALOG Monobloc
The one-piece ceramic option, healing through the gum and restored with a cemented crown.
CONELOG
Camlog's conical-connection titanium platform, including the slightly conical self-tapping SCREW-LINE body.
CAMLOG SCREW-LINE
The original Camlog titanium platform. Slightly conical and self-tapping, with a large installed base in Europe.
PROGRESSIVE-LINE
A body design intended for higher initial grip, aimed at soft bone and immediate placement.
Practical considerations for patients in Canada
Availability. Camlog is considerably more common in Europe than in Canada. Its Henry Schein group membership means distribution is backed by a major dental supplier, which helps, but Camlog is still placed far less often here than Straumann or Nobel Biocare, and fewer Canadian dentists will be familiar with the system. Ask about component supply before committing.
Cost. The titanium lines sit in the upper-mid tier. CERALOG, like all ceramic systems, carries a premium over titanium.
Two platforms, recorded carefully. CAMLOG and CONELOG are separate connection systems. Getting this recorded correctly at placement genuinely matters.
Questions worth asking your dentist
- Is this the CAMLOG or the CONELOG platform, and why that one?
- If I am considering ceramic, am I a candidate for the two-piece Hexalobe rather than the one-piece Monobloc?
- What is the cost difference between the ceramic and titanium options in my case?
- How easily can you source Camlog components in Canada if I need work in ten years?
- Given my gum thickness and the position of this tooth, does ceramic offer me a real aesthetic advantage?
- Will you record the platform and reference number in writing for me?
Frequently asked questions
Does Camlog make a metal-free implant?
Yes. CERALOG is made from zirconium dioxide, a ceramic. It is available as a one-piece Monobloc implant and as a two-piece Hexalobe implant, the latter being uncommon among ceramic systems.
What is a PEKK abutment?
PEKK is a high-performance polymer used for CERALOG abutments. Camlog states it is ductile, which damps the transmission of chewing forces to the implant and reduces stress concentration compared with a rigid abutment.
Are CAMLOG and CONELOG parts interchangeable?
No. They are separate connection platforms with different geometry. Components made for one will not fit the other, so the platform must be recorded accurately.
References
- Camlog. CERALOG Implant System Product Catalog, valid from January 2021.
- Camlog. CONELOG Product CatalogueJ8001-0009 Rev 11.
- Camlog. CAMLOG Product CatalogJ8001-0003 Rev 12.
Technical detail on this page was compiled from Camlog's publicly available product catalogues. DentalImplantInfo.ca is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Camlog. Camlog, CONELOG, CERALOG, DEDICAM and Promote are trademarks of their respective owners, used here for identification and educational purposes.