Local accumulation of titanium released from a titanium implant in the absence of wear

Abstract

Titanium and its alloys, like the majority of metallic implant materials, release passive metal dissolution products. This raises the issues of amount and fate, i.e. transport, storage, and/or excretion of these metal dissolution products. In this paper we document titanium levels in tissues local to a commercially pure titanium implant in the absence of wear; compare these values to control tissues; and determine the relative contribution of the local accumulation to total release. Titanium fiber felts were implanted into the tibia of rabbits for periods up to 1 year. Bone and muscle tissue samples near the implant were collected. Using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometry the samples were analyzed for titanium content.Compared to controls, titanium levels in the bone near the implant were elevated at 1-, 4-, and 12-month postoperative time points. The 12-month time point had higher periprosthetic bone titanium levels than both the 1-and the 4-month implant groups. Titanium levels in muscle tissue near the felt also indicated release was occurring. The data support the hypothesis that metal species released from titanium implants in the absence of wear have a limited solubility. As a result, they tend to remain in an area local to the implant.

Influence of surface roughness of dental zirconia implants on their mechanical stability, cell behavior and osseointegration

“…However, titanium implants revealed a number of disadvantageous features over the past decades that may be overcome with yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia ceramics (Y-TZP) for dental implantology. While titanium dental implants were frequently reported to result in an enrichment of toxic ions in the host tissue and the development of allergic reactions, Y-TZP implants do not show any toxic degradation products [4][5][6]. Y-TZP dental implants show a good mechanical stability and an excellent biocompatibility due to their minimal thermal and electrical conductivity, negligible biodegradation, and minimal reaction with the surrounding biological environments.…”

The surface characterization and bioactivity of NANOZR in vitro

“…Zirconia is more compatible with esthetic requirements than titanium 4) . 2) Elevated titanium concentration in tissue have been reported in the vicinity of titanium oral implants 5) and in regional lymph nodes 6) , which suggest that titanium may be a sensitinogen to some people 7) . A review by Tschernitschek et al 8) concluded that products of titanium particle corrosion may provoke host reactions, and could be a potential health hazard.…”

Cyclic fatigue resistance of yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals with hot isostatic press processing

“…Moreover, they offer an advantage over titanium (Ti) implants, in that there is no risk of discoloration or hypersensitive reaction 4,5) . The osseointegration capability and durability of TZP implants has been reported to be similar to that of Ti implants in a number of animal experiments, indicating its suitability as an implant material 6,7) .…”