ABSTRACT:
Aim: The aim of this review is to evaluate if PEEK (Poly Ether Ether Ketone) can be used as an alternative material for dental implants. Background: The quality of life for many patients has been increased with the introduction of implants in medical sciences. One such is the dental implant, which helps in replacing the missing tooth structure , thereby replaces the form, function and aesthetic provided by that tooth. Since 1960s, pure titanium was the ultimate material of choice for dental implants. Due to the superior osseointegration property of PEEK, this material is been reviewed to be used as a biomaterial for long term implants. Methodology: Literature search will be done using pubmed search engine. All articles published until 2015 will be reviewed. The terms "PEEK" , " dental implants" , "PEEK as an implant material" will be used to obtain apt reference articles for the following review. Conclusion: Literature reporting on dental implants made from PEEK, demonstrate that, PEEK is basically osseointegrated as biocompatible material in vivo. Further investigations are necessary to find ways to improve the biomechanical behavior to achieve more homogenous stress distribution to the surrounding bone.