Peek: Prosthetic implant rehabilitation with materials alternative to titanium: A case report

Abstract

For several decades, titanium and its alloys has been the preferred and elective material for the manufacturing of the implants. However in recent years, because of some potential disadvantages of titanium, many researches have been done for fi nding a material which is even more powerful. PEEK is a semicrystalline thermoplastic with excellent mechanical and chemical resistance properties that are retained to high temperatures. The chemical structure of these polyaromatic ketones confers a stability at elevated temperatures(above 300 °C), resistance to chemical and radiation damage, high compatibility with many reinforcing agentssuch as glass fi bers and carbon, and higher resistance compared to many other metals. Already in the late 90s, this material was considered as the leading replacement metal, especially in orthopedics. This case report describes the placement of an implant in the position of the tooth number 26 in the maxillary area which is atrophic as a result of the pneumatization of the left maxillary sinus, that has signifi cantly reduced the amount and the height of the residual bone.