Application of Medical Titanium Alloy

With the development of titanium alloy, the increase of titanium varieties and the reduction of titanium prices, the applications of titanium alloy in the civil industry have multiplied incresed. Sub-industries with a market share of more than 5% include in vitro diagnostics, cardiac, imaging diagnosis, orthopedics, ophthalmology, plastic surgery and six sub-sectors. The new β titanium alloy can take into account the advanced materials for a variety of uses, such as orthopedics, dental and vascular intervention. Titanium alloy production technology should be in the direction of low modulus, high strength, good biocompatibility and mechanical compatibility. From the development trend point of view, β titanium alloy will become the direction of future development and the mainstream of the medical titanium alloy market.

Compared with the traditional biomedical stainless steel and cobalt-chromium alloy, titanium and titanium alloy material due to its low elastic modulus, high specific strength, excellent biocompatibility, corrosion resistance and other characteristics, with more suitable biomedical properties, is widely used in artificial joints (hip, knee, shoulder, ankle, elbow, wrist, knuckles, etc.), bone trauma products (intramedullary nails, fixing plates, screws, etc.), spinal orthopedic internal fixation system, dental implants, dental trays, dental orthopedic wire, artificial heart valves, interventional cardiovascular stents and other medical materials.

(1) Dentistry

Titanium associated with the human body tissue, bone epithelial tissue have a good affinity, excellent mechanical properties also reflect its advantages in medical alloys, and small density, light weight, good corrosion resistance, comfortable to wear, therefore, titanium as a denture (implant) material is widely favored. In addition, titanium dentures through the surface treatment, aesthetic performance increases, can meet the needs of the public beauty, giving people a visual enjoyment.

(2) Limb Correction

According to reports, every year about 100 million patients in the world suffer from knee and arm joints and other related inflammation, replacement surgery is imperative, thus titanium alloy has excellent replacement function for patients to bring the gospel. Compared with ceramics, stainless steel and other materials, the elastic modulus of titanium alloy is closer to human bones, and has more advantages in the modulus size. Therefore, titanium alloy can be widely used in ankle, elbow and other correction. In addition, the porous titanium alloy material can make the prosthesis has biological activity, contribute to the healing of the femoral head; titanium alloy surface biocompatibility is good, can induce bone cell growth, and therefore is respected by clinicians, experts in the field of orthopedics.

(3) Implant Repair and Replacement

The main advantages of titanium and titanium alloy as implantable restorations are:

① High strength, good chemical stability and biocompatibility;

② Non-toxic, will not cause harm to the human body;

③ Low modulus of elasticity, more match with human bones;

④ Memory alloy has the elastic ability and shape recovery function. The application of titanium in skull repair is mainly reflected in: the use of titanium mesh can repair the defective skull. In human cardiovascular applications are reflected in: the preparation of artificial heart valves, blood filters, pacemakers and artificial heart pumps.