Desired Properties of Implantable Bioceramics

Should be nontoxic
Should be noncarcinogenic
Should be nonallergic
Should be noninflammatory
Should be biocompatible
Should be biofunctional for its lifetime in the host
 Advantages Disadvantages

• No disease transmission
Applications Bio Ceramic Functions

Applications Bio Ceramic Functions

Tissue Attachment Mechanisms
Tissue Attachment Mechanisms
Basic Terms
Basic Terms
 Bioceramic

Bioinert Bioactive Biodegradable

Alumina, Al2O3 HA Calcium sulphate, CaSO4

Zirconia, ZrO2 Bioglass Coral calcium carbonate, CaCO3
Carbon Glass ceramic Calcium phosphate, CaP
Sintered hydroxyapatite, HA α-TCP, ß-TCP
Silicon nitride, Si3N4 OCP
Silicon carbide, SiC DCP
Calcium aluminate, CaAl2O4 TTCP

Degradation order: OCP > α-TCP > β-TCP > HA

Bioinert: Has no interaction with its surrounding tissue after implantation. They have a
reasonable fracture toughness, and resistance to corrosion and wear. These ceramics are
typically used as structural-support implants, such as bone devices and femoral head.
• Examples of bioinert ceramics are alumina and zirconia.

Bioactive: Bond directly with living tissues after implantation, with the pattern of
bonding osteogenesis. These ceramics are brittle and has been applied for the filling of
small bone defects and periodontal irregularities.
• Examples are bioglasses and glass-ceramics.

Bioresorbable: Gradually absorbed in vivo and is replaced by bone over time.

• Examples are calcium phosphates (CaPs), calcium phosphate cements (CPCs), and
calcium carbonates or calcium silicates.
 Pyrolytic
Alumina
Carbon

Zirconia
CaP

Other bio-
ceramics

Bioceramics
Nonabsorbable (Relatively inert) Ceramics
Nonabsorbable (Relatively inert) Ceramics
Nonabsorbable (Relatively inert) Ceramics
Nonabsorbable (Relatively inert) Ceramics
 α-Alumina / Corundum
• Alumina heated to >1200oC
• Closed packed hexagonal arrangement
• High thermodynamically stable
• Highest oxidative state
• α-alumina forms several germstone:

Sapphire (Blue color from Ti)

Properties of Alumina, Al2O3
 • Oxidizing
atmosphere

Powders Firing /
pre- Laser
sintering
processing engraving
Diamond
polishing
• Dye pressing Shaping
• Followed by
proof testing

• Roundness
Nonabsorbable (Relatively inert) Ceramics
Nonabsorbable (Relatively inert) Ceramics
Nonabsorbable (Relatively inert) Ceramics
 Applications
 Both of the ceramics include 3% (moles) Y2O5 (dopant doping agent) (used
to stabilize high temperature the cubic phase).
 The advantage of zirconia to other ceramics, having a much higher resistance
to cracking and warpage, so zirconia used in the femoral prosthesis.
 It is used as sphere material of hip joint prosthesis system by its mechanical
properties.
 It showed excellent biocompatibility in animals bone, a non-reactive state in
350 days.
 Along with UHMWPE excellent biocompatibility, wear and abrasion
resistant
 Three major problems:
Reduction in tensile strength due to physiological fluids
Being poor coating properties
Contain radioactive materials (uranium, thorium)
 Pyrolytic Carbon (PyC)
Pyrolytic carbon is a material similar to graphite, but with some covalent bonding between its
graphene sheets as a result of imperfections in its production.
 The crystalline structure of pyrolytic carbon has a distorted lattice structure with random
unassociated carbon atoms (ref. a) unlike, as an example, graphite.
 This structure provides it with isotropic properties (similar in all directions)
 It is formed by pyrolysis of a hydrocarbon gas creating random crystallization It exhibits
excellent stability, strength, wear resistance, fatigue resistance and biocompatibility

PyC is an excellent material for orthopaedic applications because of advantages over

metallic alloys and polymers:
• A modulus of elasticity similar to bone to minimise stress shielding.
• Excellent wear characteristics.
• Excellent fatigue endurance.
• Excellent biocompatibility with bone and hard tissue.
• Excellent biocompatibility with cartilage.
• Fixation by bone apposition
 How is Pyrolytic Carbon (PyC) Produced?
The term “pyrolytic” is derived from “pyrolysis,” which is thermal decomposition. Pyrolytic carbon is formed from
the thermal decomposition of hydrocarbons such as propane, propylene, acetylene, and methane, in the absence of
oxygen.
Without oxygen the typical decomposition of the hydrocarbon to carbon dioxide and water cannot take place;
instead a more complex cascade of decomposition products occurs that ultimately results in a “polymerization” of
the individual carbon atoms into large macroatomic array.

•PyC is generally deposited as a structural coating over a substrate pre-form

• Alternately, for some geometries solid PyC can be generated
•It is usually formed in a fluidized bed furnace
• The bed consists of small ceramic particles and parts to be coated
• A levitating gas creates required random motion of parts within the bed
• Heating elements raise furnace temperature to 1200° -1400°C
• An introduced hydrocarbon gas undergoes decomposition at these
temperatures creating free carbon that recrystallizes on whatever surface it
comes in contact with first
Applications of Pyrolytic Carbon
Applications of Pyrolytic Carbon
Bioactive Ceramics
Bioactive Ceramics
Osteointegration
• Ability to integrate with surrounding bone

Osteoinductive
• Capable of promoting differentiation of cells

Osteoconductive
• Provide a passive porous scaffold to Support or direct bone growth.
 Osteoinduction
The bone-forming cells are called osteoblasts. Even though they are bone-forming cells, an injury to the bony tissue might not
be completely healed by these osteoblasts alone. They need a helping hand. This helping hand is provided by cells from the
tissues surrounding the site of bone injury. These sites contain cells known as undifferentiated cells. These are cells that have the
ability to convert into pre-osteoblasts, i.e., a stage before converting to bone forming cells. The conversion of the
undifferentiated cells into pre-osteoblasts needs a stimulus. This stimulus that induces the conversion of the undifferentiated
cells is initiated by agents that are forms of proteins. Hence, while selecting a bone graft, a material that is placed to restore lost
bony tissue, it is important to see that those inductive protein agents are present in the graft material. This entire process, where
a stimulus (inductive agent) is utilized to convert a certain type of cells into pre-osteoblasts form bone (osteo) formation is
called Osteoinduction. Apart from these inductive agents, osteoinduction can also be enhanced by certain compounds that
contribute to the bone growth. These are called promoters and the process is called osteopromotion.

osteocyte, a cell that lies within the substance of fully formed bone.
Schematic illustration of the crystal structure of (a) HAp , (b) α-TCP, (c) β-TCP, TEM (e) HAp , SEM (f) α-
TCP, (g) β-TCP
Bioactive Ceramics
Bioactive Ceramics
Bioactive Ceramics
Bioactive Ceramics
 Bioactive Glass
Bioactive glasses are a group of surface reactive glass-ceramic biomaterials and
include the original bioactive glass, Bioglass  Class A bioglasses are osteoproductive.
They bind with both soft tissues and bone.
The HCA layer forms within several hours.
 Class B bioglasses are osteoconductive.
Bond to soft tissues is not facilitated. The
HCA layer takes one to several days to form.
 SiO2

CaO Na2O
The Mechanism of Bone regeneration of Bioactive Glass
The Mechanism of Bone regeneration of Bioactive Glass
 The Mechanism of Bone regeneration of Bioactive Glass
The first step is the exchange of alkali ions, like sodium and calcium, on the surface of the glass with the
hydrogen ions of the surrounding bodily fluids. This results in a reaction called hydrolysis, which breaks down
the SiO2 compounds on the glass, increasing the pH of the surrounding bodily fluids.
An increased OH- concentration on the surface of the glass continues to break the bonds between silicon and
oxygen, forming orthosilicic acid, or Si(OH)4, and silanols on the material surface. The silanol groups re-
polymerise to form a silica gel layer on the surface of the bioglass, which attracts calcium and phosphate. The
calcium and phosphate on the surface of the glass crystalise with the surrounding bodily fluids, creating a mixed
carbonated hydroxyapatite (HCA), which is a key component of bone and tooth enamel.
The now prepped surface of the bioglass encourages growth factors
to adsorb, or hold as a thin film, which activates macrophages,
promoting wound healing. Stem cells and osteoprogenitor cells, the
stem cells of bone, are drawn to the bioglass surface, and cause the
surface to become covered in osteogenic cell, which are the cells
present in bone tissue. Standard mineralisation as occurs in native
bone occurs on the surface of the bioglass, creating new bone tissue
which bonds and repairs the bone or tissue in question. As this
reaction continues, the glass becomes completely converted to bone
tissue, and native to the body.
 The Mechanism of Bone regeneration of Bioactive Glass
 Stage 1: Leaching and formation of silanols (SiOH)
 Stage 2: Loss of soluble silica and formation of silanols
 Stage 3: Polycondensation of silanols to form a hydrated silica gel
 Stage 4: Formation of an amorphous calcium phosphate layer
 Stage 5: Crystallisation of a hydroxycarbonate apatite layer
 Stage 6: Adsorption of biological moieties in the SiO2–hydroxycarbonate apatite layer
 Stage 7: Action of macro phases
 Stage 8: Attachment of stem cells
 Stage 9: Differentiation of stem cells
 Stage 10: Generation of matrix
 Stage 11: Mineralisation of matrix
The requirements of an ideal scaffold for bone TE
Bioglass in Dental Applications
Bioglass in Dental Applications
 Mesoporous Bioglass Applications

 Angiogenesis is the physiological process

through which new blood vessels form
from pre-existing vessels.

 Hemostatic agents such as Celox,

QuikClot and Hemcon are designed to
promote rapid blood coagulation in the
event of a traumatic wound involving an
arterial bleed.

 Gene delivery is the process of introducing

foreign gene delivery, such as DNA or
RNA, into host cells.
Bioactive glass
Bioactive glass
Bioactive glass
Bioactive glass
Bioactive glass
Bioactive glass
 Bioglass Applications

 Implant components for bone grafting biomaterials such as granules, putty,

strips, or porous scaffolds
 Repair of periodontal defects
 Cranial and maxillofacial repair
 Dental applications such as a desensitization component for toothpaste
 Bioactive coatings for metal, ceramics, or plastics
 Fibre reinforcement for composites
 Wound care for traumatic or no healing wounds
 Haemostatic devices for blood loss control
 Stimulation of vascular regeneration
 Nerve repair
• Drug delivery systems
• Bone defects
• Gaps in the bone tumor
• Face and jaw surgery
• Ocular implant
• Dental Fillings
• Coatings for metal implants,eg. Heart valves to
inhibit clotting, femur implant heads
• Repair of herniated disks
 • Tricalcium phosphate (TCP) is getting attraction as an another family of
calcium phosphate for medical applications.
• Chemical formula is Ca3(PO4)[Link] has 4 polymorph as α, β, ɣ, and super α.
• ɣ polymorph is high-pressure phase and super α polymorph is obtained at
temperatures above approximately 1500 °C.
Ca/P=1.5 • α and β polymorph is the most commonly used TCP in bioceramics.
• TCP is a biodegradable ceramic and dissolution rates are as follows:
• HA< β TCP < α TCP
β-tricalcium α-tricalsium
phosphate phosphate
 Properties Compare to HAp
Factors that influence Ceramic Degradation
Factors that influence Ceramic Degradation
Factors that influence Ceramic Degradation