After a Lifetime of Edentulism, Patient Receives a Full Set of Implant-Supported Mondial® Teeth

SOUTH BEND, Ind., Jan. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Imagine what it must be like to be a 17-year-old with a hereditary condition that has caused you to live your entire life without teeth, distorted your physical appearance and forced you to chew your food with your tongue and lips.  Then imagine how it must feel to suddenly and almost magically have a full set of strong and beautiful teeth.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120124/DE41008 )

This is the type of situation Heraeus Kulzer, LLC, the worldwide leader in dental esthetics, will chronicle in an on-going series of news releases about dental professionals who have partnered with the company to help transform lives.  The first story featured in Heraeus' "Transforming Lives Chronicles" (TLC) series was discussed in a recent article in a prominent dental journal.  The author, George E. Kirtley, DDS, discusses an exceptional case in which a 17-year-old man who had been edentulous from birth was successfully given an implant-supported prosthesis created with Mondial denture teeth. The Mondial teeth were chosen for their life-like opalescence and for having the strength required of implant-supported dentures.

As described in an article published in the July/August issue of Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry, the patient presented with a rare, multifactoral hereditary disorder called ectodermal dysplasia, or ED.   The mid-portion of the lower third of the patient's face was considerably underdeveloped, and the width of his mouth was diminished and exhibited severe lip constriction. The patient also presented with macroglossia due to diminished alveolar growth and dental development, and to using his tongue as the primary means of mastication by pressing food against the palate.  Use of his lips in mastication added to their profound constricture.

According to Dr. Kirtley, the unique challenges presented by this extreme ED case eliminated the possibility of taking a traditional denture design and retention approach due to the underdeveloped maxillary and mandibular alveolar processes.  While achieving predictable retention necessitated an implant-supported prosthesis, no appreciable osseous tissue was available to engage an implant.  Complex augmentation procedures were thus required.

The Mondial denture teeth molds selected for this case are based on the Magister/ Orthognath molds that have been used successfully for 40 years.  Using CAD/CAM technology, the Mondial teeth were created with the identical shape for all tooth sizes.  Because there are no frictional surfaces that resist function, accuracy was ensured.

Despite the numerous unique and significant challenges, all parameters for treating the case successfully were addressed.  Central to that success was achieving proper harmony and balance between the patient's smile and facial design.  This involved tooth size, shape, shade and position, as well as the visual impact their inter-relationship has on the patient's appearance.  The nanofillers in the selected Mondial denture teeth created life-like optical characteristics, such as depth, vital color and natural light dynamics.  The labial, buccal and occlusal surfaces enhanced the esthetics, and the tooth layers matched the Vitapan Classical shade system and improve opalescence.

According to Dr. Kirtley, "This case has really opened my eyes to the power of dentistry to improve a patient's quality of life.  To be able to give a young man the ability to chew and the self-confidence to smile for the first time in his life has been a deeply gratifying and humbling experience.  We as dentists are truly blessed to be in a position to help our patients in such a life-changing way."

Dr. Kirtley is quick to share credit with Craig Nelson, Technical Manager for Heraeus' Dental Lab Division, who created the denture teeth as well as the denture base.  "It's exciting to be able to work with a denture tooth that's designed to go far beyond what a normal denture tooth delivers," said Mr. Nelson.  "The Mondial teeth have contours, forms and line angles that look amazingly realistic."  What Mr. Nelson found even more exciting was the life-altering impact this procedure had on the patient.  "When he opens his mouth and smiles," he said, "you don't see teeth and gums; you see a person.   And, perhaps even more important, you can see a happiness and a confidence in his eyes that wasn't there before."

Dr. Kirtley recently announced that he will soon be performing a similar procedure on the patient's two younger siblings, both of whom are afflicted with the same ectodermal dysplasia condition.  "Fortunately, we will be able to treat the siblings at a younger age than we were able to treat their big brother," said Dr. Kirtley, "so they won't have to endure as many years of physical and emotional discomfort as he did."

Mondial denture teeth are made with NanoPearls®, a combination of unique micro fillers and nano particles that far exceeds the standard material requirements. Independent abrasion studies conducted at the University of Heidelberg and the Charite hospital in Berlin revealed a 50% higher abrasion resistance for this new dental material compared with conventional PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) acrylic materials.  A three-dimensional multilayering technique developed by Heraeus elevates Mondial teeth beyond the distinct layering transitions of conventional denture teeth. This advanced process interlocks layers to produce a blended, translucent enamel normally found only in natural teeth.

For more information on Heraeus or its products, call (800) 431-1785 or visit www.heraeusdentalusa.com.

About Heraeus

Heraeus, the precious metals and technology group headquartered in Hanau, Germany, is a global, private company with 160 years of tradition. Our fields of competence include precious metals, materials, and technologies, sensors, biomaterials, and medical products, as well as dental products, quartz glass, and specialty light sources. With product revenues of euro 4.1 billion and precious metal trading revenues of euro 17.9 billion, as well as more than 12,900 employees in over 120 subsidiaries worldwide, Heraeus holds a leading position in its global markets.  

SOURCE Heraeus