Kim Crabtree, Account Manager, Titanium Processing Center12.04.20
Strength and durability are essential in the medical industry. One needs to look no further than the men and women on the front lines of the current pandemic crisis for proof of that. Patients count on the people who treat them to be unwavering in the face of adversity, and those professionals must be able to rely upon their tools and utensils to provide the same peace of mind.
Given how critical it is that medical devices deliver the highest levels of performance every time they are used, it’s no wonder manufacturers look for the strongest and most reliable material to develop them. This is why titanium holds an important place in the healthcare marketplace. Obviously, its status as one of the most resilient metals on earth means it is a good choice for use in medical applications. However, resilience is not the only quality that makes titanium so valuable to doctors, nurses, surgeons, dentists, and their suppliers.
Understanding titanium’s value in the medical industry involves knowing its properties, how it benefits providers and patients, and its numerous applications.
Titanium’s Life-Saving Qualities
There is far more to titanium than its strength, although that certainly is one of its most crucial features. Following is an overview of its qualities and how they can make a difference to medical providers:
Use in the Medical Field
Thanks to these qualities, titanium is the metal of choice when it comes to manufacturing a wide range of tools, implants, and devices used by healthcare professionals. For example, it can be found in external prostheses and internal joint replacements; it can replace damaged bone in the face and jaw, along with common dental implants; and it is often utilized in the batteries inside pacemakers, as well as in surgical tools such as retractors and tweezers.
In short, there are few areas in the medical sector that do not take advantage of titanium and the benefits it provides. For more information on titanium, its many applications, and its prominence in the medical industry, check out the following infographic.
Given how critical it is that medical devices deliver the highest levels of performance every time they are used, it’s no wonder manufacturers look for the strongest and most reliable material to develop them. This is why titanium holds an important place in the healthcare marketplace. Obviously, its status as one of the most resilient metals on earth means it is a good choice for use in medical applications. However, resilience is not the only quality that makes titanium so valuable to doctors, nurses, surgeons, dentists, and their suppliers.
Understanding titanium’s value in the medical industry involves knowing its properties, how it benefits providers and patients, and its numerous applications.
Titanium’s Life-Saving Qualities
There is far more to titanium than its strength, although that certainly is one of its most crucial features. Following is an overview of its qualities and how they can make a difference to medical providers:
- Strength: Few materials can compare to titanium’s durability. This is extremely important when it is used for implants, such as hip joints or knee replacements. These inserts must be able to support a person’s weight without bending or otherwise deforming. Titanium has proven to be just as strong as stainless steel, but with additional benefits the latter cannot provide.
- Biocompatibility: Whenever a device is implanted into the body, the body’s acceptance of the foreign object is of the highest importance. Materials that do not interact well with the immune system or those that leech toxic substances put patients at severe risk. Fortunately, titanium is exceptionally biocompatible, which means it should not have a negative impact on human tissue.
- Weight: Compared to stainless steel and other metals, titanium weighs much less while providing many of the same advantages. This leads to implants that feel more natural to the patient and don’t contribute excessive weight that could lead to strain or fatigue.
- Flexibility: Although its primary quality is strength, titanium does bring a significant amount of flexibility and elasticity to the table that make it a useful substitute for natural bone. This means replacement titanium components should behave more or less the same as the original bones inside the body.
- Osseointegration: Unlike many other materials, no adhesives are required to bond titanium to bones. Its unique ability to bind with the skeletal system helps create a stronger connection. With titanium, patients don’t have to worry as much about breakage, and the implants tend to last longer.
- MRI-Safe: Because it is non-magnetic, titanium is safe to use around MRI equipment. The powerful magnetic fields that these machines generate could pull stainless steel or other types of implants out of patients’ bodies, causing serious injuries. Not so with titanium.
- Durability: Naturally resistant to corrosion and regular wear and tear, titanium can last 20 years or longer inside the human body. This means patients should undergo fewer surgeries related to their implants over the course of their lives.
Use in the Medical Field
Thanks to these qualities, titanium is the metal of choice when it comes to manufacturing a wide range of tools, implants, and devices used by healthcare professionals. For example, it can be found in external prostheses and internal joint replacements; it can replace damaged bone in the face and jaw, along with common dental implants; and it is often utilized in the batteries inside pacemakers, as well as in surgical tools such as retractors and tweezers.
In short, there are few areas in the medical sector that do not take advantage of titanium and the benefits it provides. For more information on titanium, its many applications, and its prominence in the medical industry, check out the following infographic.
Titanium In The Medical Industry from Titanium Processing Center
Kim Crabtree is Account Manager for Titanium Processing Center, a woman-owned, global distributor of titanium bar, sheet, plate, pipe, and tube. She has eight years of experience in the metal industry and focuses on cultivating and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships between customers and the Titanium Processing Center.
Kim Crabtree is Account Manager for Titanium Processing Center, a woman-owned, global distributor of titanium bar, sheet, plate, pipe, and tube. She has eight years of experience in the metal industry and focuses on cultivating and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships between customers and the Titanium Processing Center.