TITANIUM BONE AND DENTAL IMPLANTS

The project has been taken up by INMAS, DMRL and NFTDC. Titanium Bone Plates and Screws have been developed and clinically assessed in 205 cases (335 titanium plates, 1310 screws) at 7 centres including Services & civilian institutions. 

Facial injuries sustained by Defence personnel during “OPVIJAY” have been rehabilitated by these devices at Srinagar, Udhampur & Delhi.  So far 80 kits of bone plates and screws @ 11,000/- per kit have been marketed by NFTDC, Hyderabad, at 1/5^th of the imported cost.  Further, ARMY is considering to procure the plates and Screws developed by SBMT through Armed Force Medical Stores Depot to manage casualties among serving soldiers. 

Similarly, titanium dental implants have been developed.  Multicentric clinical trials of indigenous titanium endosteal dental implants have been completed.   Cases are being followed up for over 4 years.  The suitable surgical kit comprising of twist drill, depth gauge, bone tap, implant inserter, implant analogue, screw inserter and titanium tweezer have been developed for implant surgical procedures. 

Besides, 12 cases of titanium wire mesh have also been clinically tried in rehabilitation surgeries conducted at 3 centres.  This wire mesh is ready for transfer of technology either through NFTDC or any other agencies. 

Source: Society for Biomedical Technology, Affordable Health Care Technology

Date: 17^th May 1998