Executive Summary : | Development of low modulus metallic scaffold matching with the bone modulus has significant potential in bone tissue engineering application. In addition, development of customized bone implant fitting to the patient's bone defect has always remained a challenge among the research community. Further, these patient specific implants modified with bio functionalization properties are very much essential for good biocompatibility, bioactivity & corrosion resistance along with high degree of osteointegration ability for faster healing of a foreign implant in the human body. In recent years, additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing has emerged as a booming technology where metallic implants made of Titanium (Ti) and Ti6Al4V (Ti64 alloy) etc. can be customised fitting to the patient's bone defect and, subsequently the surgeon can implant it in the human body with minimum post processing compared to any other conventional manufacturing process. However, search for new metals and alloys mimicking to the human bone properties (modulus, density, rigidity etc.) along with biofunctionalization to provide biocompatibility, bioactivity, antibacterial and osteointegration properties is the need of the hour to develop indigenous cost effective medical devices or implants. Here, we aimed at designing low modulus beta Titanium alloy (Ti-Nb) scaffold from pre alloy powder by selective Laser Melting (sLM) technique with optimized process parameters and subsequently by adopting surface functionalization approach via chemical surface modification and antibacterial bioceramic coating to provide biointerface with good biocompatibility, bioactivity, antibacterial activity and osteointegration ability. Ti-Nb alloy is expected to overcome the modulus mismatches by reducing the risk of damaging the surrounding bone. During the chemical modification, incorporation of elements such as Mg, Ca, sr, Ag, Zn etc. can provide bioactivity, antibacterial activity and biocompatibility to the metallic scaffold or implant. separately antibacterial bioactive glass powders will also be synthesized to coat over the sLMed metallic implants by using electrophoretic deposition technique (EPD). Thus coated metallic surface will be more bioactive compared to the uncoated implant due to the bio-resorbable nature of amorphous bioactive glass powders. The resorbability of the ceramic powders will indirectly accelerate the Ca2+ and PO43- ions accumulation over the implants that lead to superior bioactivity. The presence of antimicrobial element will provide infection resistance to the coating as well as the implant. In vitro assessment of various above mentioned modified Ti-Nb alloy scaffold will be correlated by the in vivo study in animal models. Thus, Ti-Nb sLM mandibular scaffold with surface functionalization by chemical modification or bioactive glass coating will be attempted for the common population of the country under make in India programme. |