Bonding behavior between two bioactive ceramics in vivo.

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.