LASER-ENGINEERED NET SHAPE TI/HA COMPOSITE IMPLANTS

DESCRIPTION: Endosseous Dental implants are in common use today throughout the world to treat single tooth loss and well as to support dentures. Tissue response to a Dental implant correlates with the composition, surface chemistry, and surface microgeometry of the implant material. The bioactivity of titanium alloy is to be improved through the addition of hydroxyapatite (HA) powder utilizing Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) technology. CP titanium and 6Al-4V-Ti alloy have good biocompatibility but low bioactivity resulting in variable bone response to the implant surface. It is believed that a calcium rich surface potentiates platelet activation and improves fibrin binding to the implant surface. Surface modification through laser microgrooving and chemistry modification through LENS should result is more rapid bone growth and apposition up to the implant surface. The LENS process offers the opportunity to manufacture a unique HA impregnated Ti alloy Dental implant with a cost and ease similar to current manufacturing modalities incorporating optimum surface microgeometry, mechanical design, base material composition and surface chemistry. Such an implant could be implanted and loaded at the time of tooth extraction providing the patient with a cost effective new tooth after just one or two sittings, instead of the usual 3 to 6 months.