What is PEEK?

Dentistry has never stood still. Over the past few decades, we've seen remarkable advances in materials, from conventional acrylics and cobalt chrome frameworks to zirconia, lithium disilicate and increasingly digital CAD/CAM workflows. One material that continues to gain attention within restorative and prosthetic dentistry is PEEK.

If you've attended a dental exhibition, spoken to a milling centre or browsed through the latest dental literature, you've probably heard the term. But what exactly is PEEK, why is it becoming so popular, and where does it fit within modern dentistry?

At Bremadent Dental Laboratory, we're always interested in materials that improve patient outcomes, simplify clinical workflows and offer predictable long-term results. Whilst every material has its place, PEEK is certainly one worth understanding.

What Does PEEK Stand For?
PEEK stands for Polyether Ether Ketone. It belongs to a family of high-performance engineering polymers known as PAEK (Polyaryletherketones). Unlike conventional dental plastics, PEEK was originally developed for demanding engineering applications within the aerospace, automotive and medical industries where strength, durability and resistance to extreme conditions were essential.

Its success in orthopaedic surgery, spinal implants and trauma reconstruction eventually led researchers to investigate its use in dentistry, where its unique combination of strength, lightweight properties and excellent biocompatibility made it an attractive alternative for selected applications.

Today, dental-grade PEEK is manufactured specifically for medical use and is increasingly used within digital dentistry.

What Is PEEK Made From?
PEEK is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer with a repeating chemical structure based on carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Unlike metals, it contains no nickel, cobalt or chromium, making it suitable for patients with certain metal sensitivities.

The material is manufactured under carefully controlled conditions to achieve exceptional consistency, allowing it to be milled accurately using CAD/CAM technology.

Many dental products also use modified versions of PEEK, such as ceramic-filled or fibre-reinforced grades, to further improve rigidity and mechanical performance.

Material Properties
One of the reasons PEEK attracts so much interest is its impressive balance of physical and mechanical properties.
Typical characteristics include:
• Tensile strength of approximately 90 to 100 MPa.
• Flexural strength typically around 165 MPa depending on the manufacturer.
• Young's modulus of approximately 3 to 4 GPa, much closer to cortical bone than metals.
• Density of approximately 1.3 g/cm³, making it significantly lighter than cobalt chrome or titanium.
• Melting temperature of approximately 343°C.
• Glass transition temperature of approximately 143°C.
• Excellent wear resistance.
• Outstanding chemical resistance.
• High fatigue resistance.
• Low water absorption.
• Excellent dimensional stability.

Whilst numbers alone don't tell the whole story, they help explain why PEEK performs so well in demanding clinical situations.

Why Is PEEK Different?
Most traditional dental framework materials are either metal or ceramic. PEEK is neither.

It behaves differently because it combines strength with flexibility. Rather than being extremely rigid like zirconia or heavy like cobalt chrome, PEEK offers a more forgiving mechanical behaviour that some clinicians believe helps distribute functional forces more evenly.

Its elastic modulus is considerably lower than titanium or cobalt chrome and closer to that of natural bone, which has led to increasing interest in implant dentistry.

Where Is PEEK Used in Dentistry?
PEEK has become increasingly versatile and is now used in numerous dental applications.
These include:
• Removable partial denture frameworks.
• Implant-supported prostheses.
• Implant bars.
• Implant abutments.
• Full-arch restorations.
• Temporary restorations.
• Occlusal splints.
• Maxillofacial prostheses.
• Healing components.

As digital dentistry continues to evolve, its applications continue to expand.

PEEK for Removable Partial Dentures
One of the most exciting uses of PEEK is within removable prosthetics. Traditional cobalt chrome frameworks remain the gold standard for many clinicians because of their rigidity, longevity and proven clinical success. However, PEEK offers an interesting alternative for selected cases. Its lighter weight often improves patient comfort. Because it is metal free, some patients prefer it for aesthetic or allergy-related reasons.

Its tooth-coloured appearance can also be advantageous where metal display is undesirable.

Although clasp design and retention principles differ from cobalt chrome, careful planning allows excellent results in suitable cases.

Advantages of PEEK
Every dental material has strengths.
PEEK offers many.
These include:
• Extremely lightweight.
• Metal free.
• Excellent biocompatibility.
• No corrosion.
• No metallic taste.
• High chemical resistance.
• Excellent fatigue resistance.
• Low plaque affinity.
• Radiolucent.
• Suitable for CAD/CAM milling.
• Comfortable for many patients.
• Good shock absorption.

Patients frequently comment on how light PEEK prostheses feel compared with traditional metal frameworks.
Sometimes the first reaction is wondering whether the appliance is actually in the box.

Are There Any Disadvantages?
Like every material in dentistry, PEEK is not perfect.
Understanding its limitations is equally important.
Potential disadvantages include:
• More complex bonding procedures compared with traditional materials.
• Requires specific primers and surface treatments.
• Less rigid than cobalt chrome.
• More expensive than conventional acrylic.
• Requires dedicated CAD/CAM workflows.
• Limited long-term evidence for certain indications compared with established materials.
Selecting the correct material always depends on the individual patient rather than following trends.

Digital Dentistry and PEEK
PEEK fits naturally into the digital workflow. After intraoral scanning or model scanning, restorations can be designed using CAD software before being milled from pre-manufactured PEEK discs.

This provides excellent consistency, accuracy and repeatability. Digital manufacturing also reduces many of the variables associated with conventional processing.

As more dental laboratories embrace digital workflows, materials like PEEK become increasingly practical.

How Does PEEK Compare with Cobalt Chrome?
This is probably one of the most common questions. The answer is that neither material is universally better.
Each has advantages.

Cobalt chrome offers:
• Exceptional rigidity.
• Proven long-term performance.
• Thin framework design.
• Excellent clasp retention.
PEEK offers:
• Reduced weight.
• Metal-free construction.
• Improved patient comfort for some cases.
• Better aesthetics in selected situations.

The correct choice depends on clinical requirements, patient expectations and case design.

How Does PEEK Compare with Titanium?
Titanium remains one of the most successful materials used within implant dentistry. However, PEEK has generated interest because its flexibility is closer to natural bone.

Whilst titanium has an elastic modulus of approximately 110 GPa, PEEK sits around 3 to 4 GPa.

Researchers continue investigating whether this difference influences stress distribution around implants.
The science continues to evolve, but it remains an exciting area of research.

Why Material Selection Matters
Choosing the correct dental material is rarely about finding the newest product.
Instead, it is about selecting the right material for the right patient.

• Age.
  
• Occlusion.
• Remaining dentition.
• Oral hygiene.
• Functional demands.
• Aesthetic expectations.
• Budget.
  
• Medical history.
• All influence material selection.

The best restorations rarely result from following fashion. They result from good planning.

Our Perspective as a Dental Laboratory
At Bremadent Dental Laboratory, we believe every material has a place. There is no universal "best" material.
Instead, the best material is the one that meets the patient's clinical needs while allowing the clinician to achieve predictable long-term outcomes.

As digital dentistry continues to develop, we expect materials like PEEK to become increasingly common, particularly where lightweight, metal-free and digitally manufactured restorations are desired.

However, successful outcomes still depend on excellent impressions or digital scans, accurate prescriptions, good communication between the clinician and laboratory and careful treatment planning. Even the most advanced material cannot compensate for poor clinical records.

The Future of PEEK
Research into PEEK continues to grow rapidly. Manufacturers are developing modified versions with ceramic fillers, carbon fibre reinforcement and improved bonding characteristics.

New surface treatments are also improving adhesion to composite veneering materials, making highly aesthetic restorations increasingly achievable.

As digital manufacturing becomes even more widespread, it is likely that PEEK will continue expanding into new areas of restorative, implant and prosthetic dentistry.

Whilst it may never completely replace traditional materials, it has undoubtedly earned its place as another valuable option within the modern dental laboratory.


PEEK represents an exciting development in modern dentistry. Its combination of strength, light weight, excellent biocompatibility and compatibility with digital workflows makes it an attractive option for selected prosthetic and implant applications.

Like any material, it has advantages and limitations, and careful case selection remains essential. The decision should always be based on the patient's clinical requirements rather than simply choosing the newest material available.

As dental technology continues to evolve, clinicians and dental laboratories that understand the strengths of materials like PEEK will be better placed to provide personalised, predictable and long-lasting restorations.

At Bremadent Dental Laboratory, we continually evaluate new materials and technologies to ensure we can offer clinicians reliable solutions that balance aesthetics, function and long-term performance.

We provide a trusted laboratory service delivering consistent quality, saving chairside time, and supporting predictable patient outcomes.

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