Laser surface modification of metallic implant materials

Abstract

Metallic biomaterials are most commonly used as hard-tissue replacements because of their favorable mechanical features and excellent biocompatibility. The objective of this paper is to present an overview of diverse surface modification techniques, with a special emphasis on the laser surface modification method, as well as diverse characterization techniques used for investigating the impact of the surface modification process on metallic implant materials’ properties. Moreover, the effect of laser radiation on the surface its and mechanical characteristics, as well as on the structure of metallic bioimplants, is presented. The study of influence of high-intensity laser radiation on metallic materials’ surface includes primarily investigations of the surface morphology modifications and specific surface structure formation since their presence enables enhanced osseointegration.

Keywords: metallic implant materials; laser radiation; surface modification; osseointegration