1, PEEK materials for medical implants
Excellent performance is the closest to the bone material
Biocompatibility is the most basic element to measure whether a material is suitable for human implantation, the material must be non-cytotoxic, mutagenic, carcinogenic, and does not cause allergies. Implant-grade PEEK has undergone complete biocompatibility testing in foreign independent testing facilities in strict accordance with ISO 10993. The results show that implant-grade PEEK has excellent biocompatibility without any side effects.
The famous Wolfe's Law states that bone grows where it is needed and resorbs where it is not, meaning that bone growth, resorption, and reconstruction are all related to the state of the bone under stress. Because the modulus of elasticity of metal greatly exceeds that of bone, when metal is implanted in the body it takes on most of the mechanical load, reducing the load on bone and creating a stress masking effect, with the consequence of delayed bone healing and, in the long run, bone becomes lax and even degenerates. In contrast, the modulus of elasticity of PEEK is very close to that of bone, and the stresses on bone are not borne entirely by the implant, making the bone healthier.
2, Repair the skull to avoid the embarrassment of cold winters and hot summers
Researchers have found that PEEK is the closest clinical cranial repair material to human bone in terms of performance. Compared to commonly used titanium alloys, PEEK is physically close to human bone, with a strong texture and no risk of stress depression; it is well insulated and avoids cold in winter and heat in summer. Although titanium materials have good heat transfer, this is a disadvantage for patients. When patients are affected by the temperature difference between hot and cold outside, there is a change in the cranial cavity environment, which can affect comfort. For example, the excellent thermal conductivity of titanium cranial plates can cause pain and discomfort for patients when they come from a warm room to a cold outdoor area during the winter. PEEK, however, is well insulated and avoids the embarrassing situation of titanium mesh being cold in the winter and hot in the summer.
PEEK discards the defects of conventional cranial repair materials such as plexiglass, bone cement, and titanium alloy such as strong rejection, poor shaping, poor thermal insulation, poor comfort, and poor postoperative x-ray permeability, avoiding the discomfort caused by temperature differences; using 3D printing technology to form, it is tightly embedded and perfectly shaped with good histocompatibility; its mechanical properties are close to those of human bone. It is foreseeable that this new material will be the material of choice for skull repair.
3, Repair of spine Reduce complications
In recent years, the incidence of lumbar and cervical spine diseases in China has increased year by year and tends to be younger. The number of patients with lumbar spine disease in China has exceeded 200 million, and the number of people suffering from cervical spine is also 200 million. If a patient has degenerative spine disease, the doctor will recommend removing the diseased disc and then implanting a prosthesis called an "intervertebral fusion" to replace it.
Currently, the most common intervertebral fusion devices are titanium fusion and PEEK fusion. PEEK fusions are compatible with radiographs and MRIs and have a low modulus of elasticity, avoiding the complications of autografts and the defects of allografts.
Modified PEEK is more powerful, utilizing type I collagen adsorption cross-linking to improve the hydrophobicity of the PEEK material surface and cell adhesion and proliferation, and the modified material has better biocompatibility and osseointegration capabilities than unmodified materials.
4, Dental implant accessories for greater patient comfort
PEEK is increasingly being used in dentistry because of its excellent chemical stability and resistance to most chemical reagents.PEEK materials are primarily used in dental implant accessories, such as temporary abutments, healing caps, and healing abutments. Compared to commonly used materials such as metal, zirconia and alumina, PEEK requires no sintering and is more precise; it is low density and lightweight, making it comfortable for patients to wear; and its soft texture provides shock absorption for occlusion.
In addition to medical implants, PEEK is widely used in medical devices.
In short, PEEK has the advantages of wear resistance, corrosion resistance, high temperature resistance, high strength, X-ray transmission \ good biocompatibility and other characteristics. Compared to typical medical materials such as titanium and cobalt-chromium alloys, PEEK offers many additional advantages: (1) lower modulus of elasticity (2) X-ray permeable (3) excellent sterilization properties (4) better biocompatibility (5) adjustable mechanical properties (6) greater design freedom.