What was the outcome of the teflon-coated jaw implant in the 1980s?

• A. It improved jaw strength
• B. It caused jaw erosion due to breaking into microscopic fragments, leading to removal
• C. It became standard practice
• D. It cured a disease

Answer: (B)

The key idea is how implant materials interact with the body over time, including wear and the body's response to tiny particles. In the 1980s, PTFE (Teflon) coatings used on temporomandibular joint implants were found to shed microscopic fragments. These particles sparked a foreign-body reaction and inflammation, leading to bone and tissue erosion in the jaw. As a result, the implants had to be removed rather than continuing to function or providing a lasting solution. This is why the outcome was removal due to erosion from microscopic fragments.

The other options don’t fit because they imply positive or lasting effects that didn’t occur: the coating did not strengthen the jaw, it did not become standard practice, and it did not cure a disease.