Uses and applications of tantalum in oral implantology: A literature review

Aim: To review the literature associated with porous tantalum and discuss their uses in health science. Materials and Methods: The main search engines used for literature review were PubMed and Scopus. Articles were limited to those published within the past five years in English and Portuguese. Observational studies, reviews, animal studies, in vitro studies, and clinical studies were included. Case reports and simulation studies were excluded. Results: The initial search retrieved 85 articles. Thirty articles were selected for full-text review. After a full-text review of all the manuscripts, only 15 were included, matching the exclusion criteria. Tantalum is considered in the rehabilitation medicine due to various mechanical and biological properties, such as a high degree of osseointegration, biocompatibility, bio-inertness, and noncorrosive material. Conclusion: In contrast, the high degree of elasticity and high manufacturing cost of tantalum limits its use in different fields. Hence, alloys are generated to improve their properties. Implants containing tantalum can modify bone structure, which leads to bone remodeling and induction of osteogenesis.