Fort Wayne Metals, Fort Wayne, Ind., introduces 4TiTude, the first medical implant wire to combine the benefits of pure titanium with the strength of Ti-6Al-4V ELI. Minimum tensile strength is 1172 MPa (170 ksi) in diameters up to 4 mm, and 1103 MPa (160 ksi) in diameters from 4 to 6 mm. This compares with 950 MPa or 138 ksi typical of cold worked CP Grade 4 titanium.
“Until now, implant designers working with titanium had to decide what was more important for their device: the strength of alloyed titanium or beneficial properties of commercially pure materials,” explains Ric Snyder, Product Manager for orthopaedic and dental implant applications. “With 4TiTude, Fort Wayne Metals gives implant designers the best of both worlds. It’s one material with no compromises.”
4TiTude meets all requirements of ASTM F67 – it is commercially pure and will not release toxic aluminum or vanadium ions as Ti 6Al-4V ELI may. It is also expected to promote osseointegration and accept osseointegrative coatings such as hydroxyapatite or calcium phosphate. And it shows fatigue resistance equivalent to cold worked CP Grade 4 titanium.
“This will certainly help our customers push the boundaries of implant design – for example by developing smaller dental implants with thinner walls and creating less invasive solutions for patients with narrow bone ridges and limited space between teeth,” says Mr. Snyder.
