Heraeus and Dr. Lee Ann Brady Team Up to Transform a Life

SOUTH BEND, Ind., March 22, 2012  /PRNewswire/ -- There are many reasons Heraeus Kulzer, LLC prides itself on being the worldwide leader in dental esthetics, but none is more important than the opportunity this provides to collaborate with talented, caring dental professionals in transforming the lives of patients suffering from serious problems.  Thanks to Dr. Lee Ann Brady, Heraeus was recently able to play a role in transforming the life of an Arizona man.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120322/DE74833 )

Driving to college to begin his studies in pursuit of a career in medicine, Richard was involved in a car accident that left him with partial paralysis, chronic pain and numerous other complications.  Over the years, the muscle spasm and pharmaceutical therapy to which he has been subjected caused bruxism that severely damaged his teeth. Because it had always been important to his mother that he have a healthy mouth, Richard maintained a steadfast commitment to oral hygiene, but the complications from his accident seriously limited the impact of his efforts.

His growing concern about the deterioration of his teeth led Richard to seek the help of his family dentist, who told him that it might be possible to restore his mouth. However, he cautioned Richard that to do so would be a complex challenge, and he referred him to Lee Ann Brady, DMD.  Dr. Brady's comprehensive exam revealed severe anterior tooth wear, localized recurrent decay and some failing restorations.  Fortunately, Richard displayed healthy hygiene, joints and muscles and was stable periodontally. Dr. Brady embarked upon a treatment plan that began with placing the central incisors in the face. This comprehensive approach focused on the question of tooth position, and then looked at each tooth to develop a plan to manage the structural and biologic considerations.

With a plan in hand, and knowing that this plan would require both special materials and special skills, Dr. Brady asked Heraeus and her dental lab for their support in treating the case on a pro bono basis.  Heraeus agreed to donate the necessary materials, and the lab agreed to donate its services.

The first step was to treat both arches provisionally. This phase allowed Dr. Brady and her team to assess the condition of all the underlying teeth after removal of the old restorations, to test the new vertical dimension of occlusion phonetically and functionally, and to give Richard a chance to see the esthetic improvements immediately.  The teeth were prepared and treated with Heraeus' Gluma® Desensitizer PowerGel to manage bacteria and sensitivity during the provisional phase.

Confident in the predictability of the provisional phase, Dr. Brady's team proceeded to convert out the restorations to permanent crowns and bridges. The provisional was removed in sections. Dr. Brady then took permanent impressions with Heraeus' Flexitime® VPS impression material and had the lab fabricate the final restorations. The all-ceramic restorations were bonded to place utilizing iBOND® Total Etch and Resin cement in the anterior to achieve maximal bond strengths.  The final outcome was exactly what Dr. Brady -- and Richard -- had hoped for.

"It isn't often that I get to cry with my patients, but Richard and I have had that experience twice," said Dr. Brady. "The first time was the day we placed the provisional and he sat up and looked in a mirror for the first time. The second was the day we placed the final restorations. He claims there are no words to express his gratitude and he may be right, but words aren't important. I will never forget the emotions of those two days. I am so grateful that he allowed me to be part of this journey with him."

According to Nicole Turner, Heraeus Director of Marketing, "We are honored that Dr. Brady would select our Gluma, Flexitime and iBOND materials for this very difficult case.  Transforming lives is the mission of our company and all of our employees, and we are thrilled that we were able to partner with Dr. Brady in enhancing her patient's quality of life."

This story is part of Heraeus' on-going "TLC: Transforming Lives Chronicles" series about dental professionals who have partnered with the company to have a profound impact on a patient's life. By chronicling these inspirational stories, the company hopes to create awareness among both the dental community and the public of the truly amazing things that can happen when talented, caring clinicians take advantage of state-of-the-art dental materials and techniques.

Dr. Brady maintains a private restorative practice in Glendale, Arizona. Outside of her private practice, Dr. Brady teaches her own courses and at meetings around the country, as well as providing a resource for dental professionals on the web. Dr. Brady was invited to join the Pankey Institute in 2005 as their first female resident faculty member and was promoted to Clinical Director within a year. She was asked by Dr. Frank Spear in September of 2008 to join him in the formation of Spear Education and the expansion of his curriculum. As the Executive VP of Clinical Education at Spear Education, she managed the development and delivery of all programs in addition to her teaching responsibilities. In 2010 she was recognized by Dental Products Report as one of the "Top 25 Women Dentists in the U.S."

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 Kulzer, LLC