Dental implants are another biomedical application where ceramics are making significant inroads. Silicon nitride shows great promise for use in dental implants due to its ability to turn on bone-forming cells (osteoblasts) and suppress bone resorbing cells. Even more exciting is its bacterial resistance.
Dental Implants
Why is silicon nitride an ideal material for dental implants?
Bacterial Resistance
Biomaterials that resist bacterial colonization may offer a competitive solution in the dental implant market. 3 Silicon nitride has been demonstrated in in-vitro experiments and animal studies to be effective against a wide variety of bacteria4, 5 including P. Gingivalis6, the bacteria implicated in gingivitis.
Biocompatibility
A study showed a near-200% increase in bone formation by cells exposed to silicon nitride8, which indicates that, when used as a dental implant, the material may speed up bone healing, bone fusion, and implant integration into the skeleton9. Several other studies have demonstrated enhanced bone formation in in-vitro and in animal models10-15.
Hypoallergenic/Metal-Ion Free
While titanium is the “gold standard” for the fabrication of dental implants, ceramics are making inroads. Ceramic implants are metal-free, eliminating allergy concerns for patients. Silicon nitride has been thoroughly tested to ISO 10993-01 standards. It is metal free and has no corrosion, no galvanism effect, no metallic taste, and no electronic disturbances.
Bone Healing
The mechanical integration of a dental implant into the jaw bone (osseointegration) is a relatively new concept, but is now understood as a critically important component to the success of a dental implant procedure. Biomaterials that accelerate this process are therefore highly desired for dental implants. Silicon nitride has demonstrated superior osseointegration capabilities when compared to titanium and PEEK4 implant materials.
