The inorganic part of hard tissues (bones and teeth) of mammals consists of calcium phosphate, mainly of apatitic structure. Similarly, most undesired calcifications (i.e. those appearing as a result of various diseases) of mammals also contain calcium phosphate. For example, atherosclerosis results in blood-vessel blockage caused by a solid composite of cholesterol with calcium phosphate. Dental caries result in a replacement of less soluble and hard apatite by more soluble and softer calcium hydrogenphosphates. Osteoporosis is a demineralization of bone. Therefore, from a chemical point of view, processes of normal (bone and teeth formation and growth) and pathological (atherosclerosis and dental calculus) calcifications are just an in vivo crystallization of calcium phosphate. Similarly, dental caries and osteoporosis can be considered to be in vivo dissolution of calcium phosphates. On the other hand, because of the chemical similarity with biological calcified tissues, all calcium phosphates are remarkably biocompatible. This property is widely used in medicine for biomaterials that are either entirely made of or coated with calcium phosphate. For example, self-setting bone cements made of calcium phosphates are helpful in bone repair and titanium substitutes covered with a surface layer of calcium phosphates are used for hip-joint endoprostheses and tooth substitutes, to facilitate the growth of bone and thereby raise the mechanical stability. Calcium phosphates have a great biological and medical significance and in this review we give an overview of the current knowledge in this subject.

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Biological and medical significance of calcium phosphates.

Bioactive ceramics: the effect of surface reactivity on bone formation and bone cell function

Bioactive glass ceramics: properties and applications.

The morbidity associated with autogenous bone graft harvest and the recent concern regarding the transmission of live virus through use of allografts, have been the impetus for research into a variety of materials that could take the place of these standard materials for bone grafting. The positive results reported with various ceramics and/or bone derivatives suggest the possibility of a material with osteoconductive and/or osteoinductive properties for use with or in place of bone graft. This review discusses a variety of bone graft and bone graft substitute materials. Among the osteoconductive materials outlined are the hydroxyapatite and tricalcium phosphate ceramics as well as some reportedly osteoactive polymers. While osteoconduction is a favorable quality, much interest has focussed on the use of osteoinductive or osteogenic materials such as demineralized bone matrix or bone derivatives,that is, BMP, osteogenin, etc. It is increasingly apparent that these materials require a carrier vehicle for optimal expression of osteoactivity. Therefore, the review finishes with a comparison of the various materials suggested for use as carriers.

Bone graft and bone graft substitutes: a review of current technology and applications.

An implant for deployment in select locations or select tissue for regeneration of tissue is disclosed. The implant comprising collagen and or other bio-resorbable materials, where the implant may also be used for therapy delivery. Additionally, the implant may be “matched” to provide the implant with similar physical and/or chemical properties as the host tissue.

Devices and methods for treating defects in the tissue of a living being

Four calcium phosphate ceramics as bone substitutes for non-weight-bearing

Mechanical strength of calcium phosphate cement in vivo and in vitro.

The purpose of this study is to examine the chemical bonding mechanism between bioactive ceramics in vivo. Two experiments were performed. In the first experiment, rectangular specimens (5 mm X 5 mm X 25 mm) of apatite-wollastonite containing glass-ceramics (designated A.W-GC) were used. In the second experiment, plates (15 mm X 10 mm X 2 mm) of A.W-GC and three types of hydroxyapatite (designated HA) were used. The sintering temperature and porosity (%) of the three types of HA were 1200 degrees C (0.4%), 1000 degrees C (4.8%), and 800 degrees C (45%), respectively. In each experiment, two pairs of specimens of identical material, one bound with silk thread, the other not bound, were implanted subcutaneously into rats. In the first experiment, bonding of only bound specimens was observed at 3 and 6 months after implantation. The observation of interface by SEM-EPMA showed that a Ca-P-rich layer formed between the two specimens. In the second experiment, bonding of both bound and nonbound A.W-GC produced identical results 1 month after implantation. For HA sintered at 800 degrees C and 1000 degrees C, bonding was observed in every specimen. This phenomenon might be caused by the chemical change of hydroxyapatite occurring at different sintering temperatures. The Ca-P-rich layer was observed between two plates. These results suggest that self-repair of bioactive ceramic is possible under certain conditions.

Bonding behavior between two bioactive ceramics in vivo.

A filler for filling in defects or hollow portions of bones to coalesce with the bone tissues is provided which comprises powders of a calcium phosphate compound having the apatite crystalline structure of each crystal grain size of from 50 ∪ to 10 microns and represented by the following general formula of Cam (PO4)n OH (1.33≦m/n≦1.95); and said powders being adapted for filling in a fluidized or plasticized state. A method of treating a bone with the filler is also provided wherein at least a portion of said filler is filled in to reach the bone-marrow cavity of said bone.

Method for filling in defects or hollow portions of bones

A calcium phosphate granular cement contains mixed powders obtained by mixing α-type calcium tertiary phosphate or calcium quaternary phosphate with a calcium phosphate compound selected from calcium primary phosphate, calcium secondary phosphate and mixtures thereof at a Ca/P molar ratio of 1.35 to 1.49 or 1.30 to 1.90. A minimum diameter of each cement granule is 0.1 to 1.0 mm.

Hiroyasu Takeuchi

Papers

Four calcium phosphate ceramics as bone substitutes for non-weight-bearing

Mechanical strength of calcium phosphate cement in vivo and in vitro.

Bonding behavior between two bioactive ceramics in vivo.

Method for filling in defects or hollow portions of bones

Calcium phosphate granular cement and method for producing same