The HA nano Surface Improves Implant-to-Bone Integration for PEEK Implants

Promimic AB has announced the results of an in vivo proof of concept study on Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) implants coated with nano-sized hydroxyapatite published in International Journal of Nanomedicine.
 
The results of the study show a significant improvement of bone-to-implant contact for the Hydroxyapatit (HA) nano coated implants compared to uncoated controls at 3 weeks and 12 weeks follow-up. In addition, a perforating hole in the implant showed significantly more bone area for the HA-coated implants at both healing points.
 
“We are tremendously satisfied with the results. The results does not only show that our surface material significantly improves the osteogenic properties of PEEK implants. It also shows a level of improvement that is clinically relevant and may help overcome the shortcomings of PEEK as a bioinert material with poor bone forming properties. Translating these results to the clinical situation, meaning it does not necessarily have to be a trade-off any more between the mechanical properties of the material and its ability for osseointegration.” comments Ulf Brogren, CEO of Promimic AB.
 
The article: Polyether ether ketone implants achieve increased bone fusion when coated with nano-sized hydroxyapatite: a histomorphometric study in rabbit bone; Authors: Pär Johansson, Ryo Jimbo, Yoshihito Naito, Per Kjellin, Fredrik Currie, Ann Wennerberg
 
The study was conducted in a collaboration between the Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden; Oral Implant Center, Tokushima University Hospital, Tokushima, Japan; and Promimic AB.
 
The Peek Material
To overcome the problems of inferior outcomes of titanium and cobalt-chrome alloys PEEK was introduced to the orthopedic field as an implant material due to its similar elastic properties as that of human bone. For the past 2 decades, PEEK has become a common alternative to metal implants in several orthopedic applications. However, PEEK has shown both in in vivo and in vitro studies to have low bioactive features due to the relatively bioinert surface. Therefore, a lot of effort has been made to improve the biocompatible state of PEEK by incorporating bioactive substances into the substrate or onto the surface as a coating.
 
The HA^nano Surface
This new surface represents a new era of implant surfaces, based on bio-mimicking synthetic bone minerals. The unique HA^nano Surface is only 20 nanometers thin and is proven to improve and accelerate osseointegration in over 20 pre-clinical studies. Through its wet chemical process it can be applied to almost any implant material and shape improving the integration with bone. This is the third published in vivo study showing that the HA^nano Surface improves the integration between bone and PEEK implants. The HA^nano Surface is already in clinical use on dental implants in Brazil.
 
The following video provides a look at the coating process.