#youngsmodulus

Stress shielding is a phenomenon observed when metal implants, such as bone plates and screws, are employed in the treatment of fractures or during joint replacement surgery.

These metal implants exhibit greater stiffness compared to the surrounding bone, thus reducing the stress experienced by the bone.

Consequently, this alteration in stress distribution can trigger bone resorption, a process wherein bone is broken down and absorbed by the body, resulting in a loss of bone mass around the implant.

To prevent stress shielding, it's best if the implant material's elasticity is as close as that of the bone.

Among the metallic materials used in implants, Ti6Al4V ELI (Grade 5 ELI) possesses the closest elasticity to that of bone.

Metal implants play a crucial role in biomedical engineering, offering durability and reliability for bone reconstruction.

With superior mechanical properties compared to ceramics and polymers, metals like Titanium Ti-6Al-4V (Gr.5) ELI are preferred for handling heavy loads. In fact, 80% of implants are made from metal, with Titanium Ti-6Al-4V (Gr.5) ELI being the major choice, especially due to its higher fatigue strength and fracture toughness.

The value of the Elastic Modulus / Young's Modulus, should closely match that of the bone to minimize the stress-shielding effect between the bone and the implant. We will delve into more details about the stress-shielding effect in our next post.

Ti-6Al-4V ELI closely matches bone's Young's modulus as compared to other metallic implantable materials, making it a top choice for bone replacements.

Young’s modulus is one of the most important concepts in strength of materials, describing the uniaxial stiffness of materials.