Glass-ceramic metal composite bone fixation: effect of surface parameters.

The purpose of this study was to compare the rates of bone growth with four different surfaces of cobalt-chrome implants. Two of the implant surfaces were coated by a glass-ceramic of our own composition. One coating was porous. No enhancement of bone ingrowth was found in the glass-ceramic implants. The degree of metal ion contamination was also assessed, and significant, potentially harmful contamination by metal ions was found in the glass-ceramic. This study points out the need for better techniques of coating metal with glass-ceramic to avoid potential carcinogenic effects.