With the acceleration of population aging, bone-related diseases are increasingly common. In the field of biomedicine, titanium and its alloys are widely used for the repair and replacement of human bone tissue due to their advantages such as good biocompatibility, high specific strength, favorable elastic modulus, toughness, non-rejection by human bone, and excellent corrosion resistance. However, the surface of titanium alloys easily oxidizes in the air to form a biologically inert oxide layer, which reduces the adhesion rate of bone cells on the coating surface, prolongs the bone tissue repair cycle, and can even lead to implant failure. The most effective way to address this problem is to perform surface treatment on titanium alloys to prepare surface composite coatings with good biocompatibility.
Oral aspect.
Titanium and titanium alloys are currently important material choices for dental implant restorations. However, due to their poor friction performance and low surface bioactivity, directly implanting them into the human body may have potential adverse effects. Surface modification to form a coating on titanium alloys to promote bone growth, osseointegration, and infection resistance is of great research value and can significantly improve this situation. Currently, some progress has been made in micro-arc oxidation on titanium alloy surfaces and coating with antibacterial macromolecules. According to long-term systematic clinical studies, the survival and success rates of dental implants over 10 years exceed 95%. Orthodontic braces made of titanium alloys exhibit excellent performance, allowing high-precision tooth movement, thereby correcting teeth.
In terms of the skeletal system.
The properties of titanium can meet the complex demands of the musculoskeletal system, making it possible to develop implants that integrate seamlessly with bones, thereby improving mobility and quality of life. Titanium can be used for various joint implants, such as the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle joints. Although titanium exhibits excellent biocompatibility, strength, and corrosion resistance, its performance in wear and frictional corrosion is limited. Due to the direct contact and friction between joints during movement, a unique aspect of using titanium in these implants is that it has never been used as a 'joint component.' However, titanium can be chosen as a material for 'load-bearing components' within orthopedic joint implants. The purpose of load-bearing components is to provide stability and support, transferring mechanical loads from the implant to the surrounding bone, thereby reducing the load on the implant. Titanium's flexibility, strength, and lightweight properties are particularly advantageous for use as load-bearing parts.
