Bearing surfaces for hip arthroplasty - is metal-on-metal a passing fancy?

Metal-on-metal bearings have had popularity that has waxed and waned over the years. The advantages realized relative to wear resistance and strength had been offset by early failures, manufacturing difficulty, and most recently by adverse soft tissue responses to the metallic debris. The bearing's history, evolution, advantages and disadvantages will be discussed in attempt to answer the question: is metal-on-metal a passing fancy?