Application of digital technologies for manufacturing gerodontal implants with shape memory: а Randomized Controlled Laboratory Study

Abstract

Background. To address the challenges of dental arch reconstruction in geriatric patients, standard titanium implants are often used; however, their placement in bone tissue requires sufficient bone volume. The use of digital technologies and the shape-memory material "Titanide" (Research Institute of Medical Materials and Shape Memory Implants, Siberian Physical-Technical Institute, Tomsk State University, Tomsk) opens up new possibilities for planning and manufacturing dental implants in complex clinical situations associated with age-related changes in the jawbone in geriatric dentistry.

Aim. To develop and test the technological process for manufacturing individual gerodental implants from the shape-memory alloy "Titanide" using additive technologies and 3D modeling.

Methods. The study employed 3D modeling, 3D printing from ash-free plastic, and casting from titanium nickelide. Two casting technologies (standard and gas-atmosphere casting) were compared, with 5 samples per group. The primary outcome was the correspondence of geometric parameters (diameter, length) to the specified values and the presence of the shape-memory effect. In this in vitro laboratory study, 10 implant samples made of the "Titanide" alloy were divided into two groups (n=5): standard casting (Group 1) and gas-atmosphere casting (Group 2). Dimensional accuracy was assessed using a caliper, and the shape-memory effect was evaluated through deformation and heating. Due to the absence of result variability between groups (complete compliance with specified parameters in Group 2 versus complete non-compliance in Group 1), statistical processing was not applied; the analysis was descriptive and comparative in nature.

Results. Precision single-phase gerodental shape-memory implants were developed and manufactured. A total of 10 implant samples were produced and divided into two groups: Group 1 — samples obtained by standard casting; Group 2 (control) — samples obtained by gas-atmosphere casting. It was found that Group 1 samples, cast using the traditional method, did not meet the properties of the TN-10 alloy and were prone to fracture upon deformation, with no shape-memory effect observed; they also did not match the dimensions of the samples modeled and printed on a 3D printer. Group 2 samples, cast in a gas atmosphere, complied with the properties of the TN-10 alloy; the shape-memory elements returned to their original configuration at a temperature of 36°C, and the dimensions of the Group 2 samples exactly matched those of the 3D-modeled and printed samples.

Conclusion. This study presents important information about the new biomechanically and biochemically compatible shape-memory alloy "Titanide." The use of additive technologies, 3D modeling, and modern casting methods makes it possible to create highly accurate models of individual gerodental single-phase implants with bicortical fixation capability. These implants can be used in complex clinical situations associated with a high degree of jawbone atrophy, improving the quality of life and addressing the medical and social challenges of geriatric dentistry.