Heraeus Kulzer and Amann Girrbach agree on patent utilization rights for full digital denture

In a joint development program Amann Girrbach and Heraeus Kulzer have established the technical preconditions for full digital denture. The new license agreement permits the reciprocal use of the patented innovations of the two dental companies.

Heraeus Kulzer, one of the leading global dental companies, has joined forces with Amann Girrbach AG, a leading full-service provider in digital prosthetics, to smooth the path to full digital dentures. Amann Girrbach developed and patented the "Fabrication method for denture teeth" whereas Heraeus Kulzer was responsible for manufacturing the functional models for the tooth blanks. The Hanau-based dental manufacturer is also the proprietor of the European patent "Method and device for producing a dental prosthesis" which protects the whole digital process for the automated production of dentures.

The license agreement, concluded February 23, 2015, permits the reciprocal use of the above patents by the two partners. The contractually protected methods and devices used in the digital production of a full denture are thus exclusively accessible to the two companies up to the expiry of the cooperation. At the same time, the license agreement specifies the exclusive use of the Heraeus Kulzer Pala tooth lines for the launch of the full digital denture.

"The protection of our patents is the basis for our innovative strength and value creation. The exclusive license agreement between Amann Girrbach and Heraeus Kulzer is the result of our close and productive partnership", comments Novica Savic, Head of Division Dental Materials at Heraeus Kulzer. "This allows us to take an important step forward in full digital prosthetics – benefiting both users and patients."

About Heraeus Kulzer

Heraeus Kulzer GmbH is one of the world's leading dental companies with its headquarters in Hanau, Germany. As a trusted partner, the company supplies dentists and dental technicians with an extensive product range, covering cosmetic dentistry, tooth preservation, prosthetics, periodontology and digital dentistry. More than 1,400 employees at 25 locations worldwide are driven by their expertise and passion for the dental market and embody what the name Heraeus Kulzer stands for: service, quality and innovation. In 2013 Heraeus Kulzer's product turnover exceeded 400 million USD.

Heraeus Kulzer has been part of the Japanese Mitsui Chemicals Group since July 2013. Mitsui Chemicals Inc. (MCI) is based in Tokyo, and has 134 affiliates with more than 14,700 employees in 27 countries worldwide. Its innovative, practical chemical products are as much in demand in the automotive, electronics and packaging industries as they are in other fields such as environmental protection and healthcare.

About Amann Girrbach

Amann Girrbach ranks among the leading innovators and full-service full-service provider in digital dental prosthetics. Its CAD/CAM-based in-house solutions enable to carry out all necessary working stages in the own laboratory. The cornerstones of this strategy are the complete, unbroken processes about the products under the Ceramill brand. Amann Girrbach, which was formed in 2004 through the merger of the two medium-sized companies Amann Dental and Girrbach Dental, employs approximately 360 people. At its headquarters in Koblach (Austria) the specialist dental manufacturer mainly carries out research and development, while the subsidiaries in Germany, USA, Brazil, China and Singapore focus on sales and service.