Heraeus Kulzer and Dental Wings announce long-term development partnership at IDS

The Hanau, Germany-based dental manufacturer Heraeus Kulzer and the Canadian digital specialist Dental Wings are breaking new ground in CAD/CAM manufacturing.

At the 2015 International Dental Show (IDS) in Cologne, Germany, the two companies will announce their partnership on a new innovative milling technology developed by Dental Wings: Laser Milling. Together, Dental Wings and Heraeus Kulzer will distribute the new CAM technology with specialized Heraeus Kulzer materials, reportedly revolutionizing the digital production of dental restorations.

The partnership is said to bring together Heraeus Kulzer's decades of materials expertise and Dental Wings’ digital know-how. Heraeus Kulzer supports dental technicians and dentists around the world with materials and services for digital and traditional techniques. Dental Wings' core expertise lies in digital dental technology, with a portfolio including solutions such as software for computer-aided prosthetics as well as 3D scanners.

The new technology brings the digital production of crowns and bridges to a new level. The underlying process is laser ablation: Within a closed loop 3D process and integrated quality control, the laser “mills” the materials. That is why it is named “Laser Milling.” Materials including modern composite, glass ceramic and zirconia blocks can be used.

Video: Heraeus Kulzer offers new digital denture solution

"Users want to produce durable restorations flexibly and efficiently. This requires that we closely integrate high-quality materials and modern technologies,” explains Dr. Martin Haase, managing director of Heraeus Kulzer. “With Dental Wings, we have a talented, proven partner for this novel laser milling technology who shares our commitment to always being a step ahead."

Novica Savic, head of Division Dental Materials at Heraeus Kulzer, adds, "Laser milling offers interesting opportunities to efficiently and reliably provide patients with digitally-produced dental restorations. But even in modern digital prosthetics, the basis for high-quality restorations is still aligning  materials to the needs of the dental technology. Our job is to provide these solutions."

“The phrase ‘paradigm shift’ is truly appropriate for Dental Wings’ Laser Milling. This technology has the potential to re-write the rulebook for producing dental restorations,” explains Mike Rynerson, CEO of Dental Wings. “With Heraeus Kulzer, we have an experienced materials specialist at our side that has for decades been driving dental and technical restoration with innovative, reliable materials. It is only with properly matched materials that we can exploit the full potential of the laser milling technology for dental applications.”

Heraeus Kulzer and Dental Wings will present the capabilities of this revolutionary technology at IDS. In the “Future Corner” at Heraeus Kulzer's booth, the developers will discuss fields of application and requirements with users. The partners are currently working together to optimize the technology and materials. The laser milling machine and related materials should be available in the first half of 2016.