The use of porous titanium structures is a great alternative to improve the osteointegration of orthopaedic and dental implants

19/11/20
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This is the main conclusion to be drawn from a review carried out by researchers from UIC Barcelona, the Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya and the AMES group

The use of porous titanium structures is a great alternative to improve the osteointegration of orthopaedic and dental implants
One of the greatest challenges involved in using metal implants to substitute living tissues, such as bone or teeth, is the superior stiffness of metals in comparison to the hard tissue they replace. This clash of mechanical properties causes a loss of bone over time, as well as consequential adverse effects that hinder the adhesion of the prosthesis.  
 
However, as evidenced in the study “Powder metallurgy with space holder for porous titanium implants: A review”, these repercussions can be avoided by adapting the stiffness of the implant material and matching it to the replaced hard tissue. By manipulating the porosity, it is possible to create a metallic material that is biomechanically compatible.  The bone tissues can also grow between the pores, leading to osteointegration (bone growth) that stops the prosthesis from becoming loose over time.  “This revision has shown us that the use of titanium porous structures is a great alternative not only to inhibit this effect, but also to improve the osteointegration of orthopaedic and dental implants”, explained Dr Xavier Gil, researcher at the UIC Barcelona Bioengineering Institute of Technology and one of the paper's authors. 
 
As part of this study, published recently in the Journal of Materials Science & Technology, the researchers included a brief description of the techniques used to manufacture the porous titanium structures and carried out a review of the implants currently available on the market. “As powder metallurgy is a powerful technology used to produce porous titanium structures, in this paper we analyse its potential for the fabrication of medical devices from the perspectives of both design and manufacture”, added Gil. The study also presents several examples of the application of this technology for manufacturing orthopaedic implants.