This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times Metrics details dental technicians Lukas Wichnalek (LW) and Arbnor Saraci (AS) (both in Augsburg Germany) report how they treat occlusally unstable patients on a purely virtual working basis with the polychromatic CAD/CAM hybrid ceramic VITA ENAMIC multiColor (VITA Zahnfabrik What is the difference between VITA ENAMIC and other ceramics and composites LW: All-ceramic by itself is more or less brittle a fine-structure ceramic that is already tooth-coloured is sintered porous in block form during the production of the hybrid ceramic and then infiltrated with a transparent polymer under pressure and heat the ceramic clearly dominates the material structure AS: And that is precisely the difference with composite blocks which are also often incorrectly referred to as hybrid ceramics Those consist of a polymer in which finely ground fillers made of glass The whole thing is then polymerised in the form of the blank a dual interlocking ceramic-polymer network is created What are the advantages of the hybrid ceramic with regard to the occlusally unstable patient LW: It is important to use a restoration material that can be ground easily and reliably at any time The hybrid ceramic VITA ENAMIC is very robust when grinding these are stopped by the time they reach the adjacent polymer preventing any major damage from occurring AS: Additions or corrections with composite are also possible at any time The ceramic clearly dominates on the surface which is why the hybrid ceramic can also be conditioned in the same way such restorations can be roughened in the mouth at any time silanised and then adhesively supplemented with filling composite This leeway gives the dentist more security with the occlusally unstable patient How is this purely virtual way of working generated the dental arches are scanned and a vestibular scan is performed to record the habitual occlusion Then the analogue SAM transfer sheet is applied as usual AS: We now use the scannable AxioPrisa bite fork carrier Its special surface structure is recognised by the associated software after the scan so that the virtual upper and lower jaw are arranged in a spatially correct manner relative to the base of the skull This virtual articulation can then be imported into the CAD software The interaction of AxioPrisa and VITA ENAMIC multiColor works with absolute precision In what other cases is polychromatic hybrid ceramic used and what advantages does it offer LW: Our practitioners always like to use the hybrid ceramic VITA ENAMIC when it comes to single-tooth restorations in functionally difficult patients the material can be ground and polished or supplemented without any problems Another advantage is clearly the ability of the material to absorb chewing forces which helps to relieve the masticatory apparatus The enamel-like abrasion is also a major advantage If a material is more resistant to abrasion than enamel the restorations will be too high in the long term and premature contacts will occur VITA ENAMIC wears down in harmony with the hard tooth substance hybrid ceramic is the material of choice if the practitioner wants to proceed in an absolutely minimally invasive manner What advantages does the hybrid ceramic VITA ENAMIC offer for lab processes LW: The shade accuracy of the polychromatic hybrid ceramic VITA ENAMIC multiColor is the key to monolithic aesthetics This means that the shade of the blank simply and reliably matches the specific tooth shade This is a huge advantage when working monolithically Because we buy the right tooth shade with the blank The integrated shade gradient automatically ensures a natural appearance AS: It is amazing how quickly and precisely the restorations are ground out of the blocks and the restorations can be integrated immediately after finishing and polishing All of this saves an incredible amount of time which is why restorations can be manufactured with absolute efficiency We have had the hybrid ceramic in our portfolio for four years now and the feedback has been consistently positive For more information email info@wichnalek.com or visit www.highfield.design Reprints and permissions Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-023-6487-0 Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article the North American VITA clinical specialists traveled to VITA headquarters in Bad Säckingen for hands-on training with VITA's revolutionary new Enamic material VITA Enamic is the first hybrid dental ceramic in the world with a dual-network structure that combines the best properties of ceramic and composite materials Training focused on polishing techniques for the new hybrid material as well as staining and glazing The team also attended lectures from prominent CEREC dentists and laboratories who shared their innovative cases and results Enamic can be processed using the Sirona CEREC and inLab systems where milling can be completed more quickly and with significantly less tool wear A CEREC Master Training Course took place in German at the same time and a translator was brought in so that the team could gain exposure to advanced techniques using Enamic and 3M ESPE have struck a partnership with NASCAR driver Greg Biffle for the third year to spread oral health awareness to young fans of the sport 16 3M Ford Fusion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will help deliver the message to children about healthy habits such as brushing for two minutes twice a day Biffle and 3M ESPE will take the oral health message to 11 NASCAR tracks throughout 2013 with family activities and education about healthy dental habits as part of the 3M display in the track midway areas They expect to reach more than 600,000 people at tracks during the season A Give Kids A Smile paint scheme will be added to Biffle's No 16 3M car during the Father's Day weekend race at Michigan International Speedway Church & Dwight will donate 12,000 toothbrushes to young fans visiting the 3M Give Kids A Smile tent at the 3M display at the track BEGO Türkiye has opened two further sales offices in Ankara and Adana and is also pushing to expand branches in Turkey BEGO Türkiye reported rapid growth last year and is already one of the top eight implant providers in Turkey they are vital in order to ensure that we continue to be close to BEGO customers in Turkey," says Hakan Görgün Biolux Research announced a partnership with MAC International Medical Solutions LLC of Dubai for the distribution of the OsseoPulse bone regeneration system for use in implantology and dental surgery The distribution agreement includes the regional territory of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) The OsseoPulse was formally launched at the UAE International Dental Conference and Arab Dental Exhibition in Dubai in February "MAC International is very pleased to add the OsseoPulse to our dental product offering and we believe it will fit perfectly with our team of dedicated sales professionals in the region," states Dr "We believe that the OsseoPulse can be an important treatment option for patients with complicated implant surgeries or those who desire earlier loading of implants and final restorations." "We are happy to announce this new distribution partnership with MAC for the OsseoPulse," states Kevin Strange "The MENA region represents a growth area for implantology and has shown a very strong interest in new technologies for improving dental implant and surgical outcomes and for reducing treatment timelines We look forward to working with MAC to present new solutions to the dental market." received the Deming Prize for Individuals at the 2012 Deming Prize Award Ceremony The Deming Prize for Individuals "is awarded to those who fully perform leadership in his/her specialty as a leader of quality control activities in Japan," according to GC News "The Deming Prize Committee highly evaluated GC Group's efforts for promotion of total quality management in pursuing the world's top level quality management," said Nakao in a letter to the industry "I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation for your continuing support and guidance to our company activities." Oral Health America (OHA) has received a three-year $500,000 commitment from Ivoclar Vivadent to support its mission of connecting communities with resources to increase access to care Ivoclar Vivadent previously made a three-year commitment to OHA in 2010 helping to support The Wisdom Tooth Project which changes the lives of older adults especially vulnerable to oral disease This included supporting an Oral Medicine Clinic in Buffalo which was run by the University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine to provide dental and medical care to residents using a multidisciplinary approach that treats the entire person "Ivoclar Vivadent is proud to continue its relationship with Oral Health America supporting its programs that bring oral health care to those who need it most," said Robert Ganley "As a company we look to give back to the community while emphasizing the importance of oral health and OHA's programs and campaigns are a perfect fit for those goals." Jensen Dental and 3M ESPE have announced that Jensen has qualified as the latest U.S channel partner for the 3M True Definition Scanner giving Jensen the ability to sell the advanced digital impression system The True Definition scanner is being introduced at the recommended retail price of $11,995 "3M ESPE and Jensen have already established a strong relationship through our Certified Lab Channel Partner agreement," said Mark Gates "We are pleased to have them now handling the True Definition Scanner and are confident that their expertise and outstanding support will continue to serve customers well." "The True Definition Scanner is a natural fit for Jensen's total solution for digital dentistry," said David Stine "We are excited to demonstrate to dentists and their laboratory partners how digital scanning can help them work efficiently and more profitably." Midmark Corporation recently held its annual national sales meeting in Scottsdale for more than 150 sales representatives and sales managers from its medical and an overview of corporate goals and accomplishments "Our sales reps were excited by this annual meeting and the training they received on new dental and imaging products that will benefit our dealers and the dental professional's productivity and efficiency," commented Ted Kehagias "We will continue to work with our distribution partners to deliver these efficiencies and provide solutions that meet our customers' needs We look forward to providing even more new product offerings in the future." The sales meeting also featured an awards banquet to honor Midmark's top performers for 2012 NuSmile Pediatric Crowns announced recently that it has named Villa de Cortes Dental Depot as its exclusive distributor in Mexico "We have the utmost confidence that Villa de Cortes is the right partner to help Mexican dental practitioners appreciate how NuSmile Crowns can benefit their practices and their patients," said Diane Johnson Krueger "We are very excited to introduce our pediatric crowns to this vital market." general manager of Villa de Cortes Dental Depot "We are honored to have been selected by NuSmile to be their exclusive distributor in Mexico Our customers and their patients will be thrilled with the natural attractive appearance of NuSmile's esthetic crowns compared to conventional stainless steel crowns and they will be especially pleased with their proven durability." Oragenics recently announced a three-year contract agreement with Organic Wave Organic Wave will be the exclusive distributor of Oragenics' oral care probiotics for pets in Japan under the Evora name as well as a private label brand Organic Wave operates as a subsidiary of Orthomolecular Nutrition Laboratory which was established in 1985 to practice orthomolecular medical nutrition and to spread the knowledge gained to the general public throughout Japan It provides updated scientific news and information for members and offers courses for medical doctors who are implementing a nutritional approach in their medical field "The completion of the agreement with Organic Wave gives Oragenics a gateway to the pet market in Japan for the oral care probiotic product EvoraPet the Japanese not only value their companion dogs and cats but they understand the importance of good oral health to the overall health of humans and pets," stated John N Patterson Dental is preparing to hold the 45th Annual Clifford R Guggenheim Memorial Golf Tournament on April 9 Participants can sign up for a day of golf or they can simply sign up for dinner for a lower price The tournament will be held at the Braemar Country Club in Tarzana Whip Mix attended the AEEDC meeting in Dubai in February and participated with Piro Trading Whip Mix Conducted a two-day sales and hands-on training event for 30 people in eight different countries around the region along with dealer sales representatives and key opinion leaders from universities and hospitals in the region The annual NDC Dental Forum was held January 23-24 at the Green Valley Ranch Resort & Spa in Las Vegas The meeting had 41 independent dealers and 51 vendor companies in attendance A recap of the past year showed business was strong for the independents in 2012 Sunstar Americas was awarded the Warehouse Vendor of the Year and Sultan Healthcare was the NDC Brands Vendor (Quala/Pro Advantage) Progeny was recognized as the Manufacturer of the Year for 2012 Dealer recognition went to Northeast Dental & Medical Supply for the Warehouse Member Award and Healthcare Supply Service for the NDC Brands Award The Dental Member of the Year Award went to Midco Dental (Tuttle Okla.) for the second year in a row for their performance in exceeding goals in all categories – sales Southern California territory sales manager. Hopkins has over 15 years of industry sales experience for other dental companies. Hopkins can be reached via e-mail at [email protected] Florida territory sales manager. Prior to joining DentalEZ, Grubbs gained over a decade of industry sales experience at several other dental companies. Grubbs can be reached via e-mail at [email protected] Eason will be responsible for all sales activity in Ohio She comes to EDS with a background in the medical device industry Turner previously served as the company's president for three years He joined 1-800-DENTIST in 2010 with an extensive background in building successful Internet businesses in multiple high-profile companies Abrahams will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in northern Virginia She was previously employed as a sales professional Albassleh will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Orange County He was previously employed as a sales manager Barry will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Chicago He was previously employed as a commodities trader Becerra will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in San Francisco She was previously employed in the hospitality industry Benuzzi will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Orange County He was previously employed as a sales professional Bianco will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Seattle He was previously employed as a physician sales consultant Bose will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in West Palm Beach Brown will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Oklahoma City She has five years of experience in the dental industry and was previously a regional operations manager for Henry Schein Bullock will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in northern Los Angeles He was previously employed as an account manager Burke will represent Henry Schein Dental at its metro New York center He was previously a sales representative for Henry Schein Medical Copeland will represent Henry Schein dental at its center in Pittsburgh She was previously employed as a sales representative Davis will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Little Rock He has 17 years of experience in the dental industry and was previously employed as a dental sales manager Dunwoody will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in northern Virginia He has seven years of experience in the dental industry and was previously employed as a dental project coordinator Farrell will represent Henry Schein dental at its center in Raleigh Graeff will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Philadelphia He previously worked in patient financial services at a health center Graham will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Dallas He was previously employed as a sales representative Hagan will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Philadelphia He was previously employed as a business development specialist Heiber will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Portland She has three years of experience in the dental industry and was previously a dental equipment sales specialist for Henry Schein Hickman will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Dallas Jackson will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Louisville He has 13 years of experience in the dental industry and was previously a digital dental technology specialist for Henry Schein Jedlicka will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Anchorage He was previously employed as a product manager Johel will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Charlotte Johnson will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Birmingham He has three years of experience in the dental industry and was previously employed as a dental sales professional Lane will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Minneapolis He was previously employed as a medical sales representative Lipsey will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Seattle Macomb will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Portland He has four years of experience in the dental industry and was previously employed as an office manager for a dental practice Madonia will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Chicago She has more than two years of experience in the dental industry and was previously employed as a dental administrative assistant Medford will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Minneapolis He was previously employed as a unit sales manager Mitchell will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Knoxville Newton will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Philadelphia He has 10 years of experience in the dental industry and was previously employed as a dental implant specialist Nimety will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in northern Los Angeles He was previously employed as an insurance agent Peterson will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Salt Lake City She has six years of experience in the dental industry and was employed as a dental assistant Pingle will represent Henry Schein Dental in San Francisco He has two years of experience in the dental industry as a dental sales manager Sihksnel will represent Henry Schein Dental in Long Island Reynolds will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Houston He was previously employed as a sales and service representative Stern will represent Henry Schein Dental in Cleveland She has 17 years of experience in the dental industry and was previously employed as dental office manager Rosas will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Houston Stromdahl will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Seattle Saari will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Philadelphia Taylor will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Charlotte He was currently employed as a territory service representative Bayer CropScience solved the challenging knowledge transfer with the AI-powered module Smart Search The module is part of the Plant Process Management (PPM) solution Shiftconnector by the global software provider Eschbach “Knowledge transfer is a big issue in shift operations,” explains Matthias Heskamp former Head of Site Operations and Excellence at Bayer CropScience in Muttenz responsible for coordinating problem solving but need to access information that is generated 24/7.” The responsibility of keeping all manufacturing processes up and running depends on the collaboration of many stakeholders in various departments Bayer CropScience implemented Shiftconnector as a PPM solution to improve communication and information transfer across shifts The PPM solution gathers data generated by users as well as automated data retrieved from sensors which serves as crucial background information shows the full picture of specific plant operations and is important for decision-making when process upsets occur Bayer CropScience is further optimizing its production with a new AI-based module Important best practices and experiences that go beyond the knowledge documented in writing explicitly in training documents or standard operating procedures (SOPs) often remain hidden in the minds of employees As soon as those workers leave the company Day operations teams need exactly this implicit know-how to evaluate the production processes and make the right decisions in cases of events and process upsets manufacturing teams generate vast volumes of information in every single shift and all these inputs have become a huge repository of historical knowledge Mining this big and valuable source of expertise can help shift teams discover opportunities for continuous improvement AI-infused Smart Search enables to tap the valuable implicit knowledge of experienced manufacturing teams Process-relevant information that is processed with a smart application offers an opportunity for greater efficiency and safety in manufacturing AI also makes it possible to collect implicit knowledge to make employees’ experiences available for future generations Capturing and managing knowledge is domain-specific which is why Smart Search is designed with customers in mind The software provider worked closely with Bayer CropScience and the University of Göttingen to develop the AI-driven module applications such as chatbots already work very well for common conversations such as the chemical and pharmaceutical process industries need solutions tailored to their exact needs,” explains Bela Gipp “Key to the success of this project was the close collaboration with the customer from the very beginning to understand their specific use cases Smart Search can comprehend the meaning and context of a query to surface the most relevant results In addition to filtering stored information the module can process communications by cataloging and indexing topics This far surpasses what we know from internet search engines The tool provides exclusive plant insights delivers solutions that have already been proven to work Smart Search at Bayer CropScience was taken from ideation to implementation within only two years and long before AI consumer apps like ChatGPT went viral It was built using industry- and plant-specific terminology data formats and information provided by process engineers board operators and shift leaders during workshops and onsite investigations The result is an AI-infused system that is highly customized to the client’s workflows Workers can now quickly uncover the information they need to perform their jobs more effectively if a problem develops at a particular point in a process they can simply submit a query such as ‘Dark color of product?’ to easily identify any previous instances of the problem and what was done to resolve it “Smart Search has reduced the amount of time our employees spend searching for relevant information often from several hours to mere minutes,” Heskamp adds “AI helps our employees to work as efficiently as possible.” This enables faster troubleshooting Smart Search has transformed Bayer’s Shiftconnector installation from an information repository and standard shift communication system to a future-proof Workers at Bayer can quickly scan a decade of information to find what they need at any moment This means that the wisdom and lessons of the past are stored and readily available for workers today and tomorrow It can be integrated into any Shiftconnector installation based on Eschbach’s cloud and adapted to the precise needs on-site Next-Generation Knowledge Management Platform knowledge management will be essential to helping process manufacturers adapt to new workforce realities the German Institute for Employment Research (Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung) predicted that around 15% of people in employment will disappear from the German labor market by 2030 A knowledge management platform with AI can help companies retain valuable tacit knowledge from experienced operators technicians and engineers and make it accessible for the coming generation Shiftconnector will provide increasingly diversified AI-based applications including features that may help users understand search results faster by providing a meaningful classification of results and offering complete text-based instructions for troubleshooting less experienced shift teams using Smart Search will help companies address the skill gap and get more done with a smaller workforce Eschbach’s aim is to increase efficiency in the process industry and ultimately ensure a seamless transfer of knowledge CHEManager Innovation Pitch supports innovation in the chemistry and life sciences start-up scene and start-ups to present their companies to the industry Are you ready to elevate your pharmaceutical operations Download our exclusive whitepaper and discover how compliance with Good Distribution Practice (GDP) is essential for the safety and integrity of pharmaceuticals Metrics details Professor Dubravka Knezović Zlatarić (University of Zagreb Croatia) has made it her mission to continually improve the shade effect predictability of aesthetic restorations That's because she knows that the right shade is one of the most important parameters for patients when judging the quality of their dental treatment It's also why digital shade determination is one of her focus areas the tooth shade can be analysed and documented for dental technicians so that they can choose the right blanks and carry out individualisation for each patient Tooth shade determination with VITA Easyshade LITE dental practices and laboratories can now benefit from a basic version that is user-friendly and also offers excellent value for the money The spectrophotometer transmits defined light to the dentine core at the touch of a button the reflected light is recorded by the probe analysed in the device and the tooth shade is shown on the display in both VITA shade standards Dr Knezović Zlatarić explains the new device and the process What are the overall benefits of digital tooth shade determination using VITA Easyshade technology A VITA spectrophotometer generally makes the work of dentists and dental technicians easier These devices are an incredible asset when it comes to quickly easily and precisely determining the tooth shade in a variety of clinical situations Particularly when it comes to single-tooth ceramic restorations such as veneers or crowns in the aesthetic zone It is now scientifically proven that VITA Easyshade spectrophotometers determine the tooth shade with greater accuracy than the human eye because this technology isn't dependent on external factors a subjective or distorted perception of shade tired eyes or the general susceptibility of user error What is so special about the new VITA Easyshade LITE the adjective 'lite' describes things that are easy to understand and enjoy VITA Easyshade LITE is sure to make tooth shade determination easier the term 'lite' is often used in the food industry to describe low-calorie products This version of the spectrophotometer has been slimmed down to the most essential functions for tooth shade determination Yet it still offers the same precision as VITA Easyshade V Both products determine the basic tooth shade of natural dentition and show the measurement results in the VITA SYSTEM 3D-MASTER and VITA classical A1-D4 shade standards on the display The degree to which the determined shade deviates from or precisely matches these two VITA shade standards Additional tools for exact numerical shade analysis are not available with VITA Easyshade LITE the essential shade information is much more clearly displayed here it's not just the numerical result that matters VITA Easyshade LITE displays the measurement using a very transparent traffic light system that indicates the degree of shade equivalence at a glance A perfect match with the VITA shade standards is shown as green if there is a significant discrepancy compared with the two VITA shade standards additional information is provided only for targeted modification of the lightness and hue VITA Easyshade LITE is for the day-to-day work of all dentists and dental technicians who wish to precisely determine the basic tooth shade of natural dentition so as to fabricate ceramic restorations that offer a perfect shade match If it is necessary in more complicated cases to determine an averaged tooth shade and to break this down numerically according to lightness chroma and hue in order to choose the right ceramic blank I would additionally recommend VITA Easyshade V This is also particularly true if the shade effect of ceramic restorations is to be verified or if changes in the shade of natural dentition are to be monitored during bleaching treatment How is tooth shade determination carried out using VITA Easyshade It is incredibly simple with both versions of VITA Easyshade The probe must simply be placed as flat as possible against the enamel surface with underlying dentine and the tooth shade information is immediately shown on the display It's important that the tooth shade is determined by the person who later also fabricates the restoration everybody involved in the restoration workflow should know about the process of tooth shade determination and how it is documented That's why dentists and dental nurses should certainly be trained too This is extremely easy to do with the VITA Easyshade LITE Reprints and permissions Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-023-5923-5 Please enable JavaScript to view this page correctly The mountainous and land-locked country wanted to keep its stance intact even during the tensest years of the Cold War — and even if it meant destroying crucial pieces of its own infrastructure to stop an invading army As The Financial Times explains many of the crossings linking the German town of Bad Säckingen with its Swiss neighbors were once fitted with incendiary explosives that would be detonated in the event of a Soviet ground incursion In November, a TNT payload was removed from Switzerland's iconic Säckinger Bridge "by a quirk of fate the conclusion of the process comes just as east-west relations are at their lowest ebb since the fall of the Berlin Wall." Switzerland intensified its bomb-planting efforts in 1975 though it had installed some explosives as early as the 19th century and during World War II roads and airstrips wired for self-destruction — infrastructure that could be scuttled if the country were ever under attack or under occupation A Swiss army spokesman who spoke with The Financial Times said the system's dismantling was not out of a concern for safety Switzerland has a modern military and can assure its defense by "mobile defense resources," with no apparent need to collapse bridges on an advancing army Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account Switzerland has finally removed explosives from a bridge on its border with Germany that was last remnant of its Cold War defensive policy Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience which connects the German city of Bad Sackingen with the Swiss village of Stein across the Rhine is the longest roofed wooden bridge in Europe but for decades Switzerland’s own army kept it permanently rigged with enough TNT to blow it to pieces Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. It was all part of Switzerland’s policy of ferociously armed neutrality The country has not fought a war since 1815 Swiss military doctrine is to withdraw from the cities and fight a guerrilla war from the Alps It is a strategy that saw the country avoid attack in the Second World War as even the Nazis hesitated before the prospect of guerrilla warfare in its inhospitable terrain bridges and tunnels across Switzerland were heavily rigged with explosives ready to be detonated in case of a Soviet invasion and halt enemy tanks The bridges along the German border were kept heavily mined as it was thought likely a Soviet attack would begin through East Germany But in recent years the Swiss have been removing the explosives from the bridges according to Germany’s SWR television and Sonntag The Swiss military refuses to comment on such matters transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account