Eluted micro ingredients from titanium and titanium alloy embedded in the thighbone of rabbits

Abstract

Titanium and/or titanium alloys are useful materials for dental implant. To investigate the effect of these materials on the living body, specimens made of titanium or titanium alloy were embedded to the thingbone of rabbits for long terms (27 weeks) and following results were oblained:

• 1. In general interim observation, apperance, behavior and increasing rate of weight of rabbits and also chemical analysis of blood gave no abnormal finding.

• 2. In tissue structure findings, the embedded specimens were nearly surrounded by bone and partially by a thin layer of connective tissue but no other changes were observed, particularly on soft tissue.

• 3. From the results of ICP analysis, any material which seemed to be eluted from the specimen was not detected in the blood and the spleen, but very small amount of titanium were detected in the bone and muscles just around the embedded specimen.

• 4. Judging from EPMA analysis, eluted metals from titanium alloy were titanium and aluminum. Considering the circumstances mentioned above, implantation of titanium or titanium alloy implant into the living body are not injurious and because eluted metals are in very small amount and localized to the applied part, they would not have toxicity to the living body.