Biomechanical properties of polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) and its application in dental clinic: a literature review

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: to review the literature on the polyether etherketone biomaterial (PEEK) emphasizing the mechanical properties and applications in dentistry. MATERIAL AND METHOD: a search was performed in the electronic databases PubMed, Scielo and Bireme, using the search terms: Dental Materials, Dental Implants, Dental Prosthesis. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were studies in silico, in vitro, systematic review and literature that addresses the variables under study, language in English and Portuguese. RESULTS: PEEK has been gaining important prominence in dentistry, since it has a high resistance to weight ratio, elastic properties similar to human bone, ability to absorb shock during chewing, high wear resistance, low zero corrosion rate and absorption of water. CONCLUSION: The literature shows in silico and in vitro studies that PEEK still has inferior clinical characteristics when compared to titanium implants.