PEEK in dentistry, properties and application areas

Abstract

PEEK is a widely accepted material in medicine and dentistry. The aim of our study is to define and summarize the application areas of PEEK in dentistry. A retrospective literature research was conducted using the keywords ‘polyetheretherketone’, ‘PEEK’, ‘dentistry’, ‘dental’,’ implant’, on the Pubmed and Google Scholar databases. The relevant articles were analyzed and summarized. In this review, the structure, properties and application areas of PEEK are explained. PEEK can be used in the biomedical field due to its excellent chemical and mechanical properties. Thanks to its bone-like elasticity modulus it can be used as an implant material, fixed and removable prostheses, obturators, pediatric dentistry, and orthodontics. In addition, PEEK is an alternative to metals due to its non-allergic and aesthetically acceptable properties. Nevertheless, improving PEEK's properties and increasing biocompatibility is a challenging process. It is expected that the use of PEEK in dentistry will increase due to the modifications applied.