Biological reactivity of zirconia-hydroxyapatite composites

Materials and devices intended for end-use applications as implants and medical devices must be evaluated to determine their biocompatibility potential in contact with physiological systems. The use of standard practices of biological testing provides a reasonable level of confidence concerning the response of a living organism to a given material or device, as well as guidance in selecting the proper procedures to be carried out for the screening of new or modified materials. This article presents results from cytotoxicity assays of cell culture, skin irritation, and acute toxicity by systemic and intracutaneous injections for powders, ceramic bodies, and extract liquids of hydroxyapatite (HA), calcia partially stabilized zirconia (ZO), and two types of zirconia-hydroxyapatite composites (Z4H6 and Z6H4) with potential for future use as orthopedic and dental implants. They indicate that these materials present potential for this type of application because they meet the requirements of the standard practices recommended for evaluating the biological reactivity of ATCC cell cultures (CCL1 NCTC clone 929 of mouse connective tissue and CCL 81 of monkey connective tissue) and animals (rabbit and mouse) with direct or indirect patient contact, or by the injection of specific extracts prepared from the material under test. In addition, studies involving short-term intramuscular and long-term implantation assays to estimate the reaction of living tissue to the composites studied, and investigations on long-term effects that these materials can cause on the cellular metabolism, are already in progress.