Application and Innovation of Titanium Alloy in Orthopedic Medicine

1、 History and Current Status of Titanium Metal Application in Orthopedics
         Since 1972, China has been using domestically produced titanium and titanium alloy artificial bones and joints for clinical treatment. Beijing Nonferrous Metals Research Institute is one of the earliest institutions in China to study titanium artificial joints, and in 1973, it produced industrial pure titanium artificial femoral and hip joints for clinical use. As of now, although the amount of titanium used in China's pharmaceutical industry is relatively low, the growth rate is rapid, exceeding 30%, demonstrating enormous market potential.
         Titanium metal has shown excellent performance in assisting the treatment of orthopedic diseases. For example, in the treatment of patellar fractures, the patellar concentrator made of titanium nickel alloy plate is easy to operate, time-saving and labor-saving, and convenient for promotion and application. In addition, titanium products such as waveform bent leg saddle stitch nails and compression plates are widely used in fracture treatment, achieving good therapeutic effects.

2、 Titanium alloy grades and applications
     Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-6Al-4VELI alloys are relatively mature titanium alloys that have been widely used in implant materials. However, due to the presence of toxic element vanadium, its long-term use in the human body may pose potential hazards, so its usage has gradually decreased.
In order to address this issue, several vanadium free medical titanium alloys have been developed internationally, such as Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy from Switzerland, vanadium free medical titanium alloy from China, Ti-5Al-2.5Fe alloy from Germany, Ti-5Al-1.5B alloy and Ti-15Mo-5Zr-3Al alloy from India, etc. These new alloys not only ensure biological safety but also improve mechanical properties, meeting the needs of orthopedic surgery.
3、 Innovative Application of 3D Printing and Titanium Metal
      With the rapid development of 3D printing technology, medical additive manufacturing of pure titanium has shown great potential in areas such as skull defects, dental defects, and hip replacement. Research has found that the stiffness of 3D printed pure titanium mesh is superior to other membranes, which is beneficial for the formation of bone graft materials. In addition, customized titanium mesh has the advantages of shorter surgical time and lower risk of postoperative infection compared to commercial titanium mesh.
        Although titanium metal or titanium alloy still has certain mechanical and biological limitations as bone substitute materials in clinical applications, these problems are expected to be solved with the development of new material technologies such as nanotechnology. For example, the biocompatibility and mechanical properties of titanium alloys can be improved by coating with nanomaterials.

         In summary, titanium alloys have broad prospects for application in orthopedic medicine. With the continuous advancement and innovation of technology, titanium alloys will play a more important role in orthopedic surgery, bringing better treatment outcomes and quality of life to patients. At the same time, the titanium industry should seize this opportunity, promote its own development, and make greater contributions to society.

Baoji Dingding Titanium Products Co., Ltd., with its excellent quality and innovative spirit, has established a good reputation in the field of medical titanium rods. The company focuses on technology research and development and continuously launches new types of medical titanium rod products to meet different clinical needs.