The biological aging of titanium implants.

Abstract

Despite the substantial contribution of titanium implants in the field of dental and orthopedic reconstructive therapy, there is a crucial unaddressed question of why bone-implant contact does not reach the ideal 100%. This review article introduces the recently reported time-dependent reduction in osteoconductivity and other biological capabilities of titanium since processing. This phenomenon is defined as the biological aging of titanium and provides insight to significantly advance the understanding of osseointegration and to further improve implant surfaces in the future.