Titanium Oxide Blasting for Metallic Implant Surface Roughness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surface roughening methods for metallic implants, such as blasting with alumina particles, often leave contaminants that can impede osseointegration and cause harm, and do not adequately support early or immediate loading of dental implants.
Innovation Solution
A method involving blasting metallic implants with particles of titanium oxides, specifically non-stoichiometric titanium oxides with compact morphology and controlled size, to create a desirable surface roughness that enhances anchoring in bone tissue, allowing for early or immediate loading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If blasting with alumina particles is used to roughen the implant surface, then surface roughness is achieved, but foreign contaminants are introduced that impede osseointegration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by using titanium oxide particles (same material family as the implant) instead of alumina particles (different material). This ensures the blasting medium is homogeneous with the implant material, achieving surface roughness without introducing foreign contaminants that would impede osseointegration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of blasting particles remaining on the surface into a benefit by selecting titanium oxide particles that are biocompatible and promote osseointegration. Instead of harmful foreign contaminants, the blasting particles become beneficial surface features that enhance bone attachment.
2Shape
If conventional blasting methods are used, then surface roughness is achieved, but retention strength for early loading is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing multiple parameters of the blasting process: using titanium oxide particles with specific size ranges (1-300 μm), controlling particle morphology (compact shape), and adjusting blasting parameters to achieve optimal surface roughness. These parameter optimizations result in significantly improved retention strength (up to 3 times higher than conventional methods) enabling early or immediate loading.
3Loss of time
If immediate or early loading is performed, then treatment time is reduced, but sufficient osseointegration may not be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing surface roughening with titanium oxide particles before implantation. This pre-treatment creates an optimal surface topology that promotes immediate bone attachment and accelerates osseointegration, enabling the implant to withstand loading forces during the early healing period when it would otherwise be too weak.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method achieves unexpectedly high retention strength of implants after 4-11 weeks of implantation, as measured by removal torque tests, without introducing foreign contaminants, thereby improving osseointegration and enabling early or immediate loading.
Implementation Method 1
subjecting the metallic implant to blasting with particles of one or more titanium oxides
Implementation Method 2
blasting with alumina particles... blasting with particles of titanium oxide
Data Source
AI summary
A method of processing a surface of a metallic implant, such as a dental implant, to provide a desirable surface roughness, comprising subjecting the metallic implant to blasting with particles of one or more titanium oxides, including at least one non-stoichiometric titanium oxide, the particles having a compact morphology and a particle size in the range of from 1 to 300 μm. The resulting implant surface showed unexpectedly high retention strength after implantation in bone.