Is Titanium safe for the body?
Titanium is a metal that is used for many different applications and by many different industries. As Titanium Suppliers, Ti-Tek provides a wide range of Titanium, including the Titanium Rod and Titanium Bar, as well as the Titanium Exhaust and Titanium Tube.
The metal is considered not to be poisonous which makes it safe to use for medical procedures. What’s more, the human body can tolerate Titanium in large doses, which suggests that Titanium is safe for the body.
Properties of Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element that can be found on the periodic table with the transition metals. It has the atomic symbol “Ti” and the atomic number 22. Our Titanium has similar properties to Silica and Zirconium but is renowned for its high strength to low weight.
The transition metal is designed to be strong and lustrous, which makes it so useful for an array of industrial applications. In addition to this, its resistance to corrosion is another advantageous property of the metal, allowing you to sustain its quality appearance.
Applications of Titanium
Regardless of whether it’s a Titanium Bar, Titanium Sheet or a Titanium Plate, it can form a protective Oxide coating which offers resistance against tarnishing, however, Titanium Dioxide is used for the white pigment that’s found in paints.
There are countless reasons why a Titanium Rod is used for so many applications, one of the main reasons being because Titanium is chemically inert and has great coating power. As well as this, it offers an opaque nature to UV light and is used for bleaching. It can also be used to add brightness and hardness.
Did you know that Titanium can be found in some cosmetics? Some lipsticks contain 10% of the metal!
Some other applications that you’re likely to be more familiar with include the following:
- Bone plates and screws
- Cranial plates for fractured skulls
- Dental implants
- Inner body devices
- Instrumentation
- Knee, hip and shoulder replacements
- Neurosurgery
- Pacemakers
- Prosthetics
Health effects of Titanium
There is a detectable amount of Titanium found in the human body, most of which passes through without being absorbed. Titanium Bars are used in the medical field because they offer a low level of toxicity, meaning that they provide less detrimental effects on human health.
If you’re wondering what happens when you’re overexposed to Titanium, Ti-Tek can help you! Although it’s believed that the body can stand large amounts of the metal, there are several consequences of being exposed to too much; including tightness of the chest, chest pains, coughing, breathing difficulty and skin and eye irritation.
Biocompatibility of Titanium
Titanium Suppliers, like us at Ti-Tek, provide a complete range of Titanium Bars, Titanium Bolts and Titanium Wire, each of which is ideal for the medical industry. Titanium is a metal of choice because it offers resistance to corrosion from bodily fluids.
Titanium Rods can also be used for medical procedures because it has the capacity for osseointegration, which simply means that it has the ability to bond to bone physically and provides a high level of fatigue. We provide the Titanium Rods and Bars in a range of sizes to meet the demands of all customers, but most importantly, our supplies are designed to withstand harsh environments.
So, on the whole, Titanium is safe for the body, hence why it’s used for joint replacements and other medical applications. If you need to know more about our Titanium products, don’t hesitate to contact us on 0121 382 4121 today!
Is Titanium safe for the body? FAQs
Titanium is biocompatible. Being biocompatible means a material is compatible with living tissue. Essentially, a biocompatible material can exist in harmony with any surrounding tissues with little to no adverse reaction.
Titanium also allows for osseointegration, which is the process of permanently fixing a titanium implant to the skeleton.
This type of procedure is particularly good for joint replacements or amputees because it helps to create a fixed anchor point, which a new limb could be attached – for example.
To find out more about how titanium can be used within the medical industry, get in touch with our experts today. Simply call us on 0121 382 4121 or email us at info@titek.co.uk.
Titanium doesn’t usually negatively affect the human body.
In the very rare case that someone experiences side effects from titanium in their body, the side effects include:
• Tightness of the chest
• Chest pains
• Coughing
• Breathing difficulty
• Skin irritation
• Eye irritation
One example of a situation which may incur a problem is during dental work.
Titanium plates are commonly used during dental procedures as fixation devices, to fix crowns in place for example. Very occasionally – the area around these plates can become infected. This infection usually shows up in the form of redness and tender gum tissue. People who smoke are more prone to this infection. Antibiotics are usually prescribed in this case and, once the infection clears up, dentists can decide whether the plate needs to be removed or replaced.
From the aerospace, automotive and marine industries to sporting equipment and chemical processing, titanium is a popular material in a variety of industries.
Titanium is a lightweight, high strength material which is why many of these industries prefer it over other metals. For example, it’s commonly used to manufacture sports car parts as its lightweight nature means the car won’t be weighed down, plus its durability means it will stay secure and rigid.
Titanium is a great choice when it comes to chemical processing because it offers exceptional resistance to corrosion and has an extremely high melting point - 1,668°C.
This corrosion resistance, along with the fact titanium is a non-magnetic metal makes it a popular choice for medical equipment.
Because it’s such a versatile material, titanium is even used within everyday items including cookware, makeup and jewellery. Even some toothpastes are produced using titanium as it increases the bright white colour.
That’s simple – the TiTek team is made up of knowledgeable experts.
All our products are made to order, reducing wastage during manufacturing and saving money, as you won’t be paying for excess materials.
We understand every project is different. That’s why we speak to you first to gain an understanding of your individual requirements.
We can then discuss your options, providing our expert advice before supplying the perfect titanium product.
Our products are trusted by our customers - we’ve supplied titanium to a range of high profile projects, including a structure featured on the London Olympic grounds.
To find out more about the range of titanium products available at TiTek, visit our product pages.
To speak to our specialists about your requirements, or to find out how TiTek can help you, get in touch.