IMPLANT ELEMENT

摘要

The invention relates to an implant element or other medical component made of a material consisting of a core and a surface layer applied thereon, which has a high degree of strength and a favourable biological response to surrounding tissue. The thickness of the surface layer is chosen such that it is less than c in the equation KIC = Y sigma c1/2 where KIC is the fracture toughness, Y a position and shape factor, c the critical defect size, and sigma the permitted stress for the actual material and the chosen design stress. The surface layer has a thickness preferably less than 30 or even less than 2 micrometres. The layer contains preferably Ca phosphate apatite or an oxide of titanium, zirconium or tantalum.