[Coating of metal implants with the bioactive glass ceramics Ceravital]

The bioactive glass ceramic Ceravital forms a physicochemical bonding with bone which is capable of withstanding stress caused by tension. This glass ceramic may already be put to clinical use as replacement for minor osseous parts. However, physical data are limited for maximum stress withstanding or gracile whole ceramic implants. In this study, metal cylinders from an alloy of CoCrMo are initially coated with a bio-compatible adhesive layer of enamel, approximately 0,2 to 0,3 mm thick. The adhesive strength of this kind of enamel amounts to about 120 to 140 kp/cm2. After the enamelling process, the glass ceramic is pressed into the enamel in granules at a particle size of 100 to 200 micrometer. As the first results show, this new process is suitable for the combination of metal implant stability and tissue compatibility of glass ceramic.