Is there a difference between titanium and medical-grade titanium?
"Your dental implant failed because they used industrial titanium." This real patient complaint from last month shows why the distinction matters. As a biomaterials engineer with 15 years in the field, I've seen how medical-grade titanium saves lives while regular titanium can cause disasters.
Key Differences:
| Property | Regular Titanium | Medical Grade Titanium |
|---|---|---|
| Purity | 99% | 99.9%+ |
| Oxygen Content | ≤0.25% | ≤0.13% |
| Surface Finish | Mill finish | Electropolished |
| Certification | None | ISO 5832/ ASTM F136 |
Case Study: A knee replacement using non-medical titanium developed corrosion after 3 years; we found iron inclusions at 0.3% (10 times the medical limit).
What is titanium wire used for?
From my lab notebook last week:
Medical Uses:
Orthopedic cables (Grade 2, 1.0mm diameter)
Surgical sutures (Grade 1, 0.25mm ultra-fine)
Dental archwires (NiTi shape memory alloy)
Industrial Uses:
Aerospace fasteners
Chemical processing mesh
Jewelry findings
Pro Tip: Our medical clients require 0.005mm diameter tolerance - that's 1/10th of a human hair!
What is titanium used for in medicine?
During my hospital rounds last month:
Life-Saving Applications:
✔ Hip/Knee Implants (Porous coatings help bone grow into them)
✔ Spinal Fusion Rods (Our Grade 23 ELI prevents stress shielding)
✔ Cranial Plates (CT/MRI compatible)
✔ Pacemaker Cases (Blocks EMI interference)
"Your titanium mesh saved my patient's skull - it's now fused perfectly." - Neurosurgeon, Mass General
What is medical titanium made of?
The implant in your body contains:
Base Material:
99.9% pure titanium (Grade 1-4)
Or Ti-6Al-4V ELI (Grade 23)
Special Treatments:
Plasma spray for bone attachment
Anodization for color-coding sizes
Passivation to prevent corrosion
Manufacturing Secret: We add 0.05% palladium in Grade 7 for extra corrosion resistance in aggressive body chemistries.
Why Surgeons Specify Our Medical Titanium
✅ FDA/CE/MDR certified
✅ Full traceability (Know which furnace your implant came from)
✅ Custom forms (Wire, sheet, porous structures)
Need implant-grade material?
Request certification documents → Includes:
Material test reports
Biocompatibility data
Sterilization guidelines
Contact our medical team for ISO 13485-certified titanium solutions.
Tel: +86-29-89506568
WA/Mob: +86-17778976690
Email: linhui@lhtitanium.com
