The shim-type implant for distraction and fusion of cervical facet joints is provided. The implant has a generally box-like shape with a blunt leading edge that may be centered or offset to the inferior face. The implant may include a graft window for enhanced osseous through-growth after implantation. The implant is coated with hydroxyapatite (HA) and/or tri-calcium phosphate (TCP) to allow for osteo-conduction, is porous, and has a roughened surface with serrations on the superior and inferior faces. The implant may be fabricated from a titanium or tantalum alloy. In an embodiment, a set of tools is provided with a chisel and one or tongs and one or more decorticators for inserting the implant.

An intervertebral implant for being implanted between adjacent vertebrae is provided. The implant includes a generally elongate implant body having a length extending between opposite longitudinal ends thereof, a superior face and an inferior face. The superior face and inferior face include cortical teeth adjacent to the implant body longitudinal ends. Additionally, the superior and inferior faces include longitudinally central teeth intermediate the cortical teeth and have bone engaging ends. The central teeth have a sharper configuration than that of the cortical teeth bone engaging ends for biting into the softer central bone material of the vertebrae. The cortical teeth are arranged in a first density per unit area and the central teeth are arranged in a second density per unit area that is less than the first density.

One embodiment of the present invention is directed to compositions and methods for enhancing attachment of soft tissues to a metal prosthetic device. In one embodiment a construct is provided comprising a metal implant having a porous metal region, wherein said porous region exhibits a nano-textured surface.

The present invention implements a set of grooves/ridges created on Ti at the circumferential direction to increase surface area of implant in contact with bone. These grooves/ridges protect nanofiber matrix (NFM) made with Polycaprolactone (PCL) electrospun nanofiber (ENF) and collagen at the groove from physiological loading. Controlled fabrication of a ridge made with titanium nitride (TiN) around the circumference of Ti is provided using a plasma nitride deposition technique. PCL ENF may be deposited along the sub-micrometer grooves using the electrospin setup disclosed. The method provides for fabrication of microgroove on Ti using machining or TiN deposition and filling the microgrooves with the NFM. This method has proven through experimentation to be successful in increasing in vivo mechanical stability and promoting osseointegration on Ti implants. The immobilization of MgO NP and FN with the PCL-CG NFM on microgrooved Ti as provided in the invention optimizes biological performances of Ti.

The present disclosure relates to a three-dimensionally (3D) printed tissue engineering scaffold for tissue regeneration and a method for manufacturing the 3D printed tissue engineering scaffold. The 3D printed tissue engineering scaffold may be fabricated at least in part from a composite material having an insoluble component and soluble component. The three-dimensional tissue scaffolds of the disclosure may be fabricated via a rapid prototyping machine. In some instances, the three-dimensional shape of the fabricated tissue engineering scaffold may correspond to a three-dimensional shape of a tissue defect of a patient.

Improvements in a dental/prosthetic implant is disclosed. The implant includes interior and exterior threaded surfaces. The use of both interior and exterior expanding threaded surfaces for integrations of the insert and a prosthetic with the same implant. The implant is immediately usable under load and promotes rapid integration with bone growth. The expanded insert essentially makes contact with the tapped bone surfaces where loads can be immediately applied so a person can utilize the prosthetic implant. The implant can further include security devices GPS, ID with medical records making removal of the implant difficult to extract. A cushioning member may be further integrated. The implant/abutment can include a surface with a plurality of contacts with sufficient gold contact points to attach residual nerve endings, during implanting surgery to provide nerve identification, send, receive, target so as to exploit proprioceptive memory or retraining.

An intervertebral implant for being implanted between adjacent vertebrae is provided. The implant includes a generally elongate implant body having a length extending between opposite longitudinal ends thereof, a superior face and an inferior face. The superior face and inferior face include cortical teeth adjacent to the implant body longitudinal ends. Additionally, the superior and inferior faces include longitudinally central teeth intermediate the cortical teeth and have bone engaging ends. The central teeth have a sharper configuration than that of the cortical teeth bone engaging ends for biting into the softer central bone material of the vertebrae. The cortical teeth are arranged in a first density per unit area and the central teeth are arranged in a second density per unit area that is less than the first density.

The method of making a spinal implant fusion device has the steps of: fabricating an implant body structure using 3D printing to create the implant body structure; additively building the body structure having a superior load bearing surface and an inferior load bearing surface and a wall structure; and wherein the body structure has at least a portion of the body structure having a lattice of interconnected struts forming porous walls with openings or passages extending inwardly from an exterior surface forming a porous or open portion with a void volume to solid mass volume greater than 10 percent, preferably greater than 25 percent. Alternatively, the 3D printed structure may be completely or substantially solid with a surface structure comprised of the interconnected arcs that are raised, or created like troughs that appear to be cut into the surface but were created through 3D printing.

A medical implant has a textured tissue contact surface comprising a roughened surface that includes a plurality of macroscale and microscale projections and recesses and a plurality of nanostructures on the projections and within the recesses. The nanostructures comprise a plurality of spaced elongated waves, each wave having a crest and a trough. Each wave and recess comprise a plurality of individual polygonal structures, some of which comprise pyramidical-type shapes. The textured tissue contact surface is formed by initially laser ablating a tissue contact surface on the implant with a nanosecond pulsed laser followed by laser ablating the initially ablated surface with a femto-second pulsed laser.

In a general aspect, an apparatus can include a plate configured for implantation in a body of a patient. The plate can include a plurality of pores and be configured for placement between a cancellous bone of a spinal vertebra and a corresponding cartilaginous endplate as a replacement for a bony endplate of the spinal vertebra.