EXAMINATION OF TITANIUM COATED WITH (TI,N B)ON AND (TI,ZR)O IN AN ANIMAL-EXPERIMENT

Titanium is considered to be biocompatible as long as the passive laye r of TiO2 which is formed within the body, is not destroyed mechanical ly by the shearing forces acting on implants during function. Mechanic ally stable hard coatings on the basis of the so-called refractory met als render titanium wear-and-tear-resistant, with the added advantage for its biocompatibility of keeping its the physical and electrochemic al properties constant, even in the event of relative movement against hard or soft tissue. Biological testing of coated and uncoated titani um in experimental animals shows that the deposition of new bone on (T i,Zr)O or (Ti,Nb)ON surfaces takes place in the same way as on the sur face of titanium.