The potential benefits of ultrafine calcium compounds in powder coatings

摘要

An unusual end use application for powder coatings is described in a new paper by Canadian researchers. Their work is aimed at replacing liquid coatings applied to dental implants and orthopaedic prostheses with a smooth finely divided powder coating. The introduction of nano-sized flow modifiers capable of preventing agglomeration of ultrafine powder has made possible much smoother surfaces at reduced film thicknesses. The implants are usually made from commercially pure titanium and titanium alloys that are covered with an inert titanium dioxide surface layer. However, their immediate and long-term retention and success depends upon optimal integration with the surrounding tissues. This involves intimate interactions between the biomaterial surfaces at the cellular and molecular level, in a process known as implant osseointegration within bone. It is particularly important to many of the patients who receive these prostheses due to the presence of comorbid conditions such as alveolar ridge atrophy and osteoporosis that compromise the quantity and quality of bone at the surgical site.