OBI-USA/OBI-México developed NEW TRANSFORMATIONAL commercial metallic dental implant (DI) coated with unique biocompatible (because made of Carbon atoms-life’s element in human DNA, cells, molecules) / body fluids corrosion resistant / LOW-COST production Ultrananocrystalline Diamond (UNCDTM) coating. OBIs are the only companies worldwide developing UNCDTM-coated medical implants. UNCD coatings are in world market (2007-present) in pumps’ seals/bearings/AFM tips.

Currently, ~ 90% Ti-6Al-4V DIs, (Fig. 1(a)), exhibit 15 % (0.5 billion people (15-64 years) failure (World Bank Web), in first 4-5 years, needing replacement. Failure, occur via oral fluids induced chemical corrosion (Figure 1(b)) of TiO2 layer grown on Ti-alloy surface, via atmospheric exposure, before implantation. R&D showed oral fluids dislodging TiO2 particles from TiO2 layer, inducing live cells death (Fig. 1 (c)) and oral tissue’s inflammation (Fig. 1(d)).

The focus on UNCD-coated DIs, as first UNCD-coated prosthesis, is based on demonstrated feasibility of simultaneous coating of several DIs (Fig. 2 (a)-left) by Industrial Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (MPCVD) system (Fig. 2 (a)-right), and proven design to coat 300 DIs (8-11 mm long x 2 mm diameter-Fig. 2(b)) in the MPCVD) system, operational in OBI-México, in a single simultaneous coating process, enabling low UNCD coating cost (≤ U$S 3 per DI). The UNCD coated DI (Fig. 2 (c)) features conformal UNCD coating on screw-type DI (Fig. 2 (d)-bottom), because the smallest 2-5 nm grains (Fig.2 (d)-top)

UNCD coating eliminates oral fluids induced corrosion failure of Ti-alloy DIs. UNCD-coated DIs (Fig. 2 (d)), were first tested in animals (Fig. 3 (a)), showing no chemical corrosion, exceptional osteointegration in bone, and no deleterious biological effects, as for Ti-alloys DIs (Auciello et al, J. Biomed. Mater. Res.-B, 008 (2016); Auciello et al., Ch. 5, “Science / Technology of UNCD Coatings for New Generation Implantable Prostheses, 141-174, Book, “Ultrananocrystalline Diamond Coatings for New Generation High-Tech and Medical Devices”, O. Auciello (Editor), Cambridge (2022). Clinical trials, implanting UNCD-coated Ti-alloys DIs, in 51 male / female patients since 2020 (Figs. 3 (b), 3 (c), 3 (d), 3 (e)), in México (because 6 months approval by COFEPRIX (FDA of México), showed superior performance over Ti-alloy DIs. The projection is inserting UNCD-coated DIs in Mexico (2027-28), Latin America, Europe, Asia (2029-30), then, USA for faster FDA approval, showing foreign countries approval.

DIs’ main world’s markets include：USA (U$S 3 billion), Latin America (U$S 0.5 billion), Europe (U$S 3 billion), China (U$S 1 billion), India (U$S 2 billion), Asian Pacific (U$S 1 billion) 

Other UNCD-coated implants under development include: 1) UNCD-coated stents, with UNCD coating eliminating thrombus formation via super-hydrophobic UNCD coating surface, inhibiting blood cell adhesion as in current metal-based stents; 2) UNCD-coated artificial hips and knees, with the coating eliminating current failure of metal implants, via body fluids’ chemical corrosion, providing superior resistance to mechanical wear, due to UNCDTM coating exhibiting the smallest friction coefficient (~ 0.02) of any materials used today in artificial prostheses, and with practically no mechanical wear, since UNCDTM coatings exhibit all mechanical properties of natural diamond, the strongest material on Earth.