Advances in Ceramic Biomaterials

Book excerpt: Bioceramics are an important class of biomaterials. Due to their desirable attributes such as biocompatibility and osseointegration, as well as their similarity in structure to bone and teeth, ceramic biomaterials have been successfully used in hard tissue applications. In this book, a team of materials research scientists, engineers, and clinicians bridge the gap between materials science and clinical commercialization providing integrated coverage of bioceramics, their applications and challenges. The book is divided into three parts. The first part is a review of classes of medical-grade ceramic materials, their synthesis and processing as well as methods of property assessment. The second part contains a review of ceramic medical products and devices developed, their evolution, their clinical applications and some of the lessons learned from decades of clinical use. The third part outlines the challenges to improve performance and the directions that novel approaches and advanced technologies are taking, to meet these challenges. With a focus on the dialogue between surgeons, engineers, material scientists, and biologists, this book is a valuable resource for researchers and engineers working toward long-lasting, reliable, customized biomedical ceramic and composites devices. - Edited by a team of experts with expertise in industry and academia - Compiles the most relevant aspects on regulatory issues, standards and engineering of bioceramic medical devices as inspired by commercial and clinical needs - Introduces bioceramics, their evolution and applications in hard tissue engineering and medical devices