Leif Hermansson

Hydroxyapatite—alumina composites and bone-bonding

Hydroxyapatite-alumina (HA/Al2O3) composites, with HA contents of 15, 25, 30 and 70, and pure HA as well as pure Al2O3, were densified at 1275 degrees C at a top pressure of 200 MPa for 2 h, using glass-encapsulated hot isostatic pressing. From the sintered ceramics, cylinders 2.8 x 6 mm2 were prepared by ultrasonic machining and implanted into the femoral cortical bones of 12 New Zealand White rabbits for 3 months. After killing the animals, the femur was dissected out and cut into three sections, each containing one cylinder. The specimens were mounted in a push-out device and force was applied along the long axis of the cylinder. The maximum force required to loosen the implant was recorded and the fracture surface of the bone implant was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicate the important role of HA in new bone apposition to the implants, reflected by increasing bonding strength with increasing HA content in the composites. However, the relationship between HA content and the bonding strength was not linear. The composite with 70% HA and the pure HA ceramic had the same level of bonding strength and similar fracture interfaces in SEM, which supports the high bonding strength detected (about 15 MPa). Fractures occurred both in the bone and in the implant, indicating the stress transfer ability of the contact zone. This study presents qualitatively and quantitatively HA-dependent characteristics in bone-bonding. The mechanical strength of the composites was measured by a three-point bending test. The bending strength of the materials decreases with increasing HA content.

Surface-dimpled commercially pure titanium implant and bone ingrowth

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effect of the surface macrostructure of a dimpled commercially pure titanium (cp Ti) implant on bone ingrowth in vivo by means of histological examination and a push-out test. Cylindrical implants were inserted in one femur of each experimental rabbit and the animals were killed at 1.5, 3 and 13 months after implantation. The femur with the implant of each animal was then examined in a push-out test. The fracture surfaces of the bone-implant interface after the push-out test were examined under light and electron microscopy. It seems that the dimpled cp Ti surface results in the increased retention of the cp Ti implant in bone due to interlocking between vital bone and the dimples.

Effect of macrotexture produced by laser beam machining on the retention of ceramics implant in bone in vivo

Cylindrical implants, made of a dense yttria-partially-stabilized zirconia/hydroxyapatite composite and a dense pure hydroxyapatite ceramic, were implanted in the mandibular bone of two beagles and the femurs of eight rabbits. Some of the cylindrical implant surfaces were drilled with a laser beam to create 200×200 μm2 dimples. The bone ingrowth and the effect of bone in the dimples on the retention of the implant in bone were studied. The histological evaluation revealed that new bone was formed in close apposition to the composite surface both in the dogs and the rabbits. The dimpled spaces of the composite were filled with the newly formed bone. The composite with dimpled surface resulted in a higher bone-bonding strength than that of the composite with a smooth surface. The bone-bonding strength was even higher than that of pure hydroxyapatite. This study showed that the laser beam drilling technique was a good machining method to produce an implant with defined surface macrostructure. The combination of bioactivity and mechanical retention in the implant material resulted in a more stable implant.

Zirconia–fluorapatite materials produced by HIP

Composites of tetragonal zirconia and fluorapatite were sealed in steel tubes and hot isostatically pressed at 1200 degrees C. The phases formed in the samples were evaluated by X-ray powder diffraction. When the composites contained larger amounts of fluorapatite, the tetragonal zirconia changed gradually into the cubic phase with decreasing zirconia content. These phase changes occurred due to a transfer of calcium from fluorapatite, which acted as an additional dopant in zirconia. Small amounts of monoclinic zirconia were also present in all samples. The cell dimension in fluorapatite was changed with the composition of the composite. However, decomposition of the fluorapatite was not possible to detect. Vickers hardness and fracture toughness were measured and ranged from 5.1 to 10.8 GPa and 0.9-5.5 MPam1/2, respectively. Microstructures in the composites were studied with scanning electron microscopy.

High-strength dental gypsum prepared by cold isostatic pressing

Powder of a dental plaster (Moldabaster, Bayer) was compacted by cold isostatic pressing (CIP) at 300 MPa for 10 min and immersed in water for 1 h. The compressive strength of the CIP-processed material was compared with that of conventionally processed material. The green block of plaster before water immersion was carvable with a green density and green strength of 50% and 5 MPa, respectively. The compressive strength of the CIP-processed gypsum after 24 h was three times higher than that of conventionally processed, 103 compared with 29 MPa, and the microhardness (Vickers hardness number, VHN) of CIP-processed materials was 40 compared with 12 VHN. An increase of density was also recorded. It seems that the CIP process produced a dense and pore-free gypsum with a composite-like structure. The high-strength gypsum processed by CIP may extend the applications of this material in the medical field as implant materials.