The Strength Test of Plastic Teeth Replacements

The world of dental implants is changing. Titanium has long been the go-to material, but it can cause issues like allergic reactions. So, researchers decided to test out a different material: polyetheretherketone, or PEEK for short. This stuff is a type of plastic that's tough and can be used to make implants that look like real tooth roots. First, they scanned two types of teeth, a front tooth and a molar. These scans were used to create eight PEEK implants for each tooth type. Some of these implants were made using a 3D printing method called material extrusion. Others were carved out of different types of PEEK using a milling machine. After giving the implants a bit of artificial aging, they put them through a strength test. They kept adding pressure until the implants broke. This helped them figure out how much force the implants could take before snapping. For the front tooth implants, the strongest was a white, milled PEEK. It could handle 2835. 3 ± 509. 8 Nmm of force. The weakest was an unfilled, 3D printed PEEK. For the molar implants, an unfilled, milled PEEK was the strongest, withstanding 29342. 6 ± 854. 7 Nmm of force. The weakest was a white, 3D printed PEEK, which could only take 19880. 5 ± 7188. 6 Nmm of force. The results showed a clear difference between the 3D printed and milled implants. The milled ones seemed to perform more consistently and reliably. This suggests that one-piece, milled PEEK implants, especially for molars, might be a good fit for the demands of the mouth. They could potentially offer a sturdy, metal-free option for dental implants. However, it's important to note that this is just one study. More research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects and benefits of these PEEK implants. But for now, it's an exciting step forward in dental technology.