Superelastic nickel-free titanium alloys as materials for dental implants (experimental study)

Abstract

Superelastic alloys of titanium (titanium-niobium-zirconium and titanium-niobium-tantalum) are more favorable in comparison with titanium for dental implants due to their physico-mechanical properties closer to those of bone tissue. Animal morphological studies of the biocompatibility of these alloys in comparison with titanium have been carried out. The control of the titanium alloy samples interaction with bone tissue was performed at the time points of 30 and 90 days; scanning electron microscopy and microprobe element analysis of tissue along the boundary with titanium alloys were used as the methods of investigation. The proximity of the morphological pattern and elemental composition of bone tissue along the border with titanium and superelastic alloys of titanium is shown, both at the control period of 30 days (in contact with alloys, a poorly mineralized connective tissue is found) and at 90 days (the border with titanium alloys is covered with mineralized bone tissue, similar in its composition to the surrounding bone tissue).

Keywords

• implant
• titanium
• titanium-niobium-zirconium
• titanium-niobium-tantalum
• bone tissue
• morphology
• osseointegration
• elemental composition