TABLE OF CONTENTS Besim Ben-Nissan 1 and Giuseppe Pezzotti 2
1 Department of Chemistry, Materials and Forensic Science, University of Technology, Sydney, PO BOX 123 Broadway, 2007 NSW Australia,
E-mail: B.Ben-Nissan@uts.edu.au
2 Department of Materials, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Sakyo-ku, Matsugasaki, Kyoto, 606 8585, Japan,
E-mail: pezzotti@ipc.kit.ac.jp
An improved understanding of currently used bioceramics in human implants and bone replacement materials could contribute significantly to the design of new-generation prostheses and post-operative patient management strategies. Overall, the benefits of advanced ceramic materials in biomedical applications have been universally appreciated specifically in terms of their strength, biocompatibility, and wear resistance. However, the amount of supporting data is not large. Against this background, continuous development of new methods is pertinent if not imperative for better understanding of the microstructure-properties relationship as well as obtaining new directives to further improve ceramics as biomaterials. This chapter gives an overview of and re-examines key issues which concern both the processing and applications of ceramics as biomaterials.
Trauma, degeneration, and diseases often make surgical repair or replacement necessary. When a person suffers from joint pain, the main priorities are the relief of pain and prompt return to a healthy and functional life style. These concerns usually require replacement of skeletal parts that include knees, hips, finger joints, elbows, vertebrae, teeth, and repair of the mandible. The worldwide biomaterials market is valued at close to US$24,000M. Orthopedic and dental applications represent approximately 55 percent of the total biomaterials market. Orthopedics products worldwide exceeded US$13 billion in year 2000 an increase of 12...
