الملخص
Life is becoming more convenient as advancement in materials has been taking place since the beginning of human history. The increased demand of aesthetics in day to day life and on the other hand disadvantages of the existing materials, clinicians are shifting their paradigms towards metal free restorations. Various researches are going on to identify the ideal restorative material with all the improved mechanical and physical qualities. Advances in the field of dental materials are providing promising results but each material is falling short of being an ideal one. One such material is biomaterials. Biomaterials are mainly used in medical sciences to replace or augment a natural function. Biomaterials are widely used in dentistry, they are divided into four categories metal, composites, polymer and resins. Biomaterials are considered as materials which replace the defects by either replacements or repair. Presently Poly-Ether Ether Ketone (PEEK) is a semi crystalline, synthetic, aromatic, thermoplastic material. Previously, it was used for industrial purposes but due to its excellent properties and biocompatibility, it has been used in medicine and dentistry. There are various applications of PEEK in dentistry such as orthodontic wires and brackets which are made from it to achieve aesthetics and strength. In endodontics PEEK posts and PEEK endocrowns are used when extensive tooth structure loss occurs, even due to its aesthetic property, it is used for anterior restorations. PEEK is a synthetic polymer and is greyish in colour which has a monomer unit of ether ether ketone. In prosthodontics, aesthetics plays an important role. Therefore, PEEK is considered as an alternative option to conventional dental materials because of its aesthetics and it being a scientifically approved material. In prosthodontics, it can be used in removable partial dentures, fixed partial dentures, dental implants and abutments, implant crowns as well as for restoring the maxillofacial defects. This review article describes the various applications of PEEK in prosthodontics in detail.