Development of titanium alloys and surface treatments to increase the implants lifetime

Abstract

The population aging together with increase of life expectancy forces the development of new prosthesis which may present a higher useful life. The clinical success of implants is based on the osseointegration achievement. Therefore, metal implants must have a mechanical compatibility with the substituted bone, which is achieved through a combination of low elastic modulus, high flexural and fatigue strength. The improvement, in the short and long term, of the osseointegration depends on several factors, where the macroscopic design and dimensional, material and implant surface topography are of great importance. This article is focused on summarizing the advantages that present the titanium and its alloys to be used as biomaterials, and the development that they have suffered in recent decades to improve their biocompatibility. Consequently, the implants evolution has been recapitulated and summarized through three generations. In the recent years the interest on the surface treatments for metallic prostheses has been increased, the main objective is achieve a lasting integration between implant and bone tissue, in the shortest time possible. On this article various surface treatments currently used to modify the surface roughness or to obtain coatings are described it; it is worthy to mention the electrochemical oxidation with post-heat treated to modify the titanium oxide crystalline structure. After the literature review conducted for prepare this article, the β titanium alloys, with a nanotubes surface of obtained by electrochemical oxidation and a subsequent step of heat treatment to obtain a crystalline structure are the future option to improve long term biocompatibility of titanium prostheses.