Customized Titanium Anodizing for Medical & Dental Implants
Himed’s MATRIX Color® is a customizable color anodizing process for titanium implants, screws, fasteners, and other medical implements. Working with alloyed and commercially pure (CP) titanium, our automated, proprietary process employs Type III anodization to create a biocompatible and vibrant finish in a full range of colors for use in dental and orthopedic applications.
Type III anodizing combined with other post-processing
While many companies can perform color anodizing, Himed’s range of proprietary processes allow us to offer clients customized results. And because we handle nearly all processes in-house, we institute a shorter supply chain and reliable timelines.
Depending on client specifications, we can apply custom masks, treating different zones of a single component for a fully customized end product. In addition to color anodization, we can apply an osseointegrative surface texture using our biocompatible MATRIX MCD® and MATRIX Dual® treatments. Our MATRIX HA® process adds further biocompatibility with a plasma-applied hydroxyapatite coating.
As an example of multi-stage processing, we can initially color anodize the entire body of a given component. We can then texture and/or coat the exterior with another bioactive MATRIX® finish, leaving the anodized color only remaining in the internal diameter. The color within the diameter will allow for easy identification, while the exterior finish improves implant success.
At Himed, every finishing treatment we offer enhances the end product, improving characteristics like biocompatibility, aesthetics, and osseointegration. All of which lead to a better patient outcome.
BENEFITS OF TITANIUM COLOR ANODIZING
Our clients work with Himed engineers to design distinct and innovative implant systems. Of all our MATRIX® surface treatment offerings, MATRIX Color® is certainly the most eye-catching. It also imparts many additional advantages.
Part Identification
Thanks to the vibrant color results of Type III anodization, orthopedic and dental implant components are given an easy-to-discern hue. This allows surgeons and other medical professionals to quickly and accurately identify the correct components. Anodized color coding can also help surgeons quickly identify different part diameters and differentiate between left and right components.
Aesthetic Considerations
In dental implants, abutments and cover screws are sometimes minutely visible. Color anodizing components for dental implants in specific hues can help them to blend with the color of the patient’s gingiva.
Biocompatibility
The process of Type III anodization is an ISO 13485:2016 validated process. Using an electrochemical process, anodization interacts with the oxide layer of titanium to create the desired color. Since it does not utilize dyes or pigments, the results are virtually residue-free. At Himed, we ensure purity with a cleaning validation that complies with cytotoxicity and bioburden requirements. Studies have also demonstrated that the resultant titanium oxide layer can provide enhanced biocompatibility over a non-anodized surface.
Customizable
MATRIX Color® is offered in a variety of colors, as well as tints and tones of those colors. In conjunction with other MATRIX® treatments, Himed provides clients with a fully customizable and integrated solution for their critical components.
A variety of distinctive anodized colors help improve part identification for dental and orthopedic materials
Dental implant demonstrates mixture of MATRIX™ treatments with anodized interior and MATRIX MCD™ abrasive grit-blasting on exterior
What is Type III titanium anodizing?
There are three types of titanium anodization. Type I is a process used for specialized, high-temperature applications such as in the aerospace industry. Type II anodization protects components against wear. Type III anodizing is the process we offer here at Himed and here’s an overview of how that process works.
Type III titanium anodizing is an electrochemical process that interacts with the outer oxide layer of alloyed or CP titanium. The titanium part is introduced to an anodizing solution and an electrical current is applied. Variables such as the strength of the voltage, time, and chemistry of the solution determine the thickness of the oxide layer. Different thicknesses produce different colors, with the oxide layer acting like a prism, reflecting and refracting different wavelengths of light, thereby producing different colors.
Because anodizing uses no dyes or colorants, the surface is virtually residue free after cleaning. The chemical structure of the surface is relatively unchanged, retaining titanium’s native biocompatibility. The colors produced by anodizing will not fade or change over time.