Titanium has a low density of 4.5 g/cm3, which is about 60% of steel. It’s lightweight and can increase patient comfort and mobility. It has high strength and high specific strength. In surgery, the strength level of implants should be higher than that of natural bones. The yield strength of titanium and titanium alloys is 207-1379 MPa, while that of natural bones is 83-117 MPa, so it can meet performance requirements. It is non-magnetic; the thermal conductivity is small, only 1/5 of steel, 1/3 of aluminum, and 1/2 of copper; the linear expansion coefficient is small, 1/5 of carbon steel and half of stainless steel; the coordination of the elastic modulus between implants and natural bones is crucial to prolonging service life, and natural bones must bend without breaking. The low elastic modulus of bone is about 16.5×103MPa, while titanium is half of cobalt and stainless steel, that is, 102.7-113.3×103MPa. The low elastic modulus of titanium is very important for the human body to accept implants while reducing the additional stress on the bonding interface and prolonging the service life of the system. Low damping resistance; good heat resistance, can still maintain good mechanical properties at around 500℃; good corrosion resistance.
Based on the above characteristics, this provides conditions and foundation for the application of titanium in dentistry, human transplantation, and human orthopedics, as well as in pharmaceutical equipment, medical devices, etc., and has good prospects. At present, the main titanium alloys used are: pure titanium, Ti-6Al-4V, Ti-6Al-4VELI, Ti-6Al-7Nb, new β-type titanium alloy, Ti-Ni alloy, etc. This article discusses the application of titanium in these aspects.
Dental Application of Titanium and Titanium Alloys
Because titanium has excellent corrosion resistance and human affinity, and considering metal allergy and specific strength, it is suitable for application in the field of dentistry.
The metals used in dental surgery began with amalgam and metal crowns in the 1920s. In the 1960s, gold, silver, and palladium alloys were mainly used. After the 1970s, stainless steel became the most commonly used material for permanent and removable devices for orthodontics. In the 1990s, titanium casting technology was promoted and applied. Dental titanium casting has the characteristics of high dimensional accuracy, no bubbles, and shrinkage holes.
Among the metal materials used for human hard tissue repair, the elastic modulus of titanium is closest to that of human tissue, which can reduce the mechanical incompatibility between metal implants and bone tissue. The thermal conductivity of titanium is the lowest among all metal materials used for dental restoration. Low thermal conductivity can reduce the thermal stimulation to the pulp of teeth with crowns, which is very important for tooth restoration. Titanium inlays, full crowns, etc. have the function of protecting the pulp and avoiding hot and cold stimulation.
In terms of material, most of the titanium used in dentistry was pure titanium, but its strength was insufficient, it was difficult to grind, it had poor wear resistance, it was easy to produce casting defects and unstable quality. Titanium alloy has high strength, and the most commonly used one is Ti-6Al -4V alloy. However, since metal V is harmful to the human body, Nb is used instead of V, and Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy is successfully developed. It has excellent corrosion resistance and is harmless to the human body. It also has other advantages such as strong plasticity and excellent grindability, and has been recognized by ASTM standards. At present, superelastic Ti-Ni alloy is being promoted for tooth straightening.
First used for dental implants, and then used for denture brackets, crown bridges, and dental wires. At present, titanium can be used for crowns, crown nails, fixed bridges, porcelain bridges, bonding bridges, denture clasps, bases, connecting devices, and reinforcement devices. Almost all metal parts of dentures can be made of titanium. The research on titanium and titanium alloys has become a hot spot in the research of dental application alloys.
Titanium alloy porcelain teeth can well restore the shape and function of teeth and have high strength, beautiful appearance, stable color, smooth surface, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance. It is a permanent restoration suitable for all fixed teeth, especially its good biocompatibility, which is more suitable for people who are sensitive to nickel ions. It has been widely promoted and applied to tooth repair.
Non-Ferrous Crucible Inc. provide a variety of commercial pure Titanium and Titanium alloys in wire, sheet, bar, tube, and other forms. We also provide Titanium expanded/stamped mesh, Titanium wire mesh.