Effect of Processing Parameters on the Properties of Metal Injection Moulded Titanium Dental Implants

Abstract

Metal injection moulding (MIM) is a well-established, cost-effective method of fabricating small-to-moderate size near net-shape metal components. MIM is increasingly being employed as a process for fabricating orthopaedic and dental products with complicated shapes. In this study, commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti) powder has been used to fabricate dental implants via MIM. The CP-Ti powder was mixed with binders containing Polyethylene glycol (PEG), High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and stearic acid (SA) to form the MIM feedstock. Commercially available feedstock was also used to fabricate MIM implants. The MIM compacts were then subjected to debinding and sintering, and then the mechanical and chemical properties of the compacts were investigated for their suitability for dental implantology. The effect of the MIM processing variables on the surface roughness of CP-Ti was also investigated and studies for biocompatibility were carried out using in-vitro cell culture. The results showed that the mechanical and chemical properties of the sintered components were within ASTM Grade MIM 2 and Grade MIM 3 (ASTM F2989 − 13) specifications for titanium. The results also showed that the implants produced by MIM appeared to meet basic biocompatibility requirements. It was concluded that dental implant prototypes may be fabricated successfully using MIM and this approach offers greater opportunities for future manufacturing.