Advanced surface functionalizations aiming at corrosion and wear resistance and cell differentiation in Ti6Al4V ELI alloy customized mandibular prosthesis made by additive manufacturing

Abstract

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is one of the most complex and solicited joints in human's body. It is involved in essential activities such as mastication, orality, breathing and facial expressions. When non-treatable by simple methods dysfunctions occur, the use of an implant is necessary. There are no TMJ prosthesis manufacturers in Brazil. Additive manufacturing is a technique capable of manufacturing complex geometries and patient-customized implants from medical images. In addition to geometry, an implant surface is responsible for the human's body interface. For achieving required surface properties and improve implants performance, surface finishes may be adopted. The implants surface finishes aim at improving biological response, accelerating osseointegration process, and, consequently, patient's recovery. This project will develop a jaw prosthesis with unprecedented properties in tissue regeneration area. A Ti6Al4V ELI alloy prosthesis developed by finite element analysis will be produced by additive manufacturing. Its surface will be functionalized through the processes of anodization, plasma assisted anodization and 3D bioprinting. In order to evaluate the prosthesis as an implant, microstructural, mechanical, physicochemical, morphological, electrochemical, tribological and biological (using mesenchymal stem cells) characterizations will be performed. Thus, a corrosion and wear-resistance customized prosthesis, with excellent biological properties, is intended. Furthermore, this research will feed cooperation between UFRGS and UNICAMP, developing Brazilian research. (AU)