Review Article

Preparation Methods for Improving PEEK’s Bioactivity for Orthopedic and Dental Application: A Review

Table 3

Summary of the existing deposition methods/materials for improving PEEK bioactivity.

Deposited materialDeposition methodArea of studiesFindings

HAPlasma sprayLow adhesion of the coating layer to the substrate [54].
Vacuum-plasma-sprayedUsing titanium intermediate coating layerGood interlocking between PEEK substrate and intermediate Ti layer and preventing damage of the substrate [55].
Radio frequency magnetron sputteringCrystalline YSZ layer was deposited as an intermediate layerEnhancement crystallinity of HA deposited layer during sintering [56].
Plasma spraying Crystallographic compositions, adhesions, and microstructures of HA coating via plasma spraying method on different PEEK (unfilled and CF/PEEK) specimens were studied and compared with HA coating on Ti-6Al-4VAlmost the same structure of HA coatings for PEEK and Ti-6Al-4V substrate. Plasma spraying method does not have a negative effect on mechanical properties of PEEK [57].
Vacuum-plasma-sprayedIn vitro study with human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and in vivo studyViability improvement and enhancement of cell differentiation and proliferation. Promoting of bone growth [58].
Aerosol depositionMicrostructure, in vivo, in vitro studyDense microstructure with no pores and cracks. Enhancement of bioactivity in terms of cell proliferation, differentiation, adhesion morphology, and bone-implant contact ratio [59].
Spin coatingIn vivo osseointegration (histomorphometry) study Improvement of bone-to-implant contact area [60].
Chemical deposition–SO3H functional group was created via sulphonation and HA crystalline particles were chemically depositedThe proposed method did not use high temperature and improved the wettability [61].

A-TiO2 and R-TiO2Arc ion platingIn vitro SBF immersion and osteocompatibility studyEnhancement of apatite formation and improvement of osteocompatibility, in which R-TiO2 achieves the best result [63].

TiO2Arc ion platingIn vitro osteoblast studyImprovement in cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation [21].

TiO2/BMP-2ImmobilizationIn vivo studyEnhancement of bone-to-implant contact ratio in comparison with TiO2 and BMP-2 coating layer and bare PEEK [64].

TiPlasma sprayIn vivo study Enhancement bone-to-implant contact ratio [65].
Electron beam depositionIn vitro study in terms of proliferation and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells and in vivo studyEnhancement of in vitro bioactivity and bone-to-implant contact ratio [6].
VPSProbing the effect of pretreatment of the substrate with NaOH solution on bioactivity via in vitro SBF immersion studyImprovement bioactivity in terms of apatite formation [66].
PVD and VPSIn vivo comparative study for probing the effect of PVD and VPS methods on the Ti deposited on CF/PEEK substrate No significant difference between these two methods in terms of bioactivity [67].
PVDIn vivo study of Ti-coated CF/PEEK for dental implant applicationCoated samples showed better bone growth around the coated implant but the same push-out force for coated and uncoated samples by new bone growth [68].
Electron beam depositionWettability, in vitro study via MC3T3-E1 cell and in vivo studyEnhancement of in vitro bioactivity and bone-in-contact ratio [6].

Zirconium and titanium tetraPVDIn vitro study via osteoblastEnhancement of osteoblast cell growth [69].

DLCPlasma immersion ion implantation and depositionIn vitro study via osteoblastEnhancement of attachment, proliferation, and differentiation of osteoblast [70].