Volume 30, Issue 12, September 2010, Pages 2563–2567

Christian Bergmanna, , , Markus Lindnera, Wen Zhangb, Karolina Koczura, Armin Kirstena, Rainer Telleb, Horst Fischera

a Department of Dental Materials and Biomaterials Research, University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, D-52074 Aachen, Germany

b Department of Ceramics and Refractory Materials, RWTH Aachen University, Mauerstrasse 5, D-52064 Aachen, Germany

 

Abstract

Customized implants for bone replacement are a great help for a surgeon to remodel maxillofacial or craniofacial defects in an esthetical way, and to significantly reduce operation times. The hypothesis of this study was that a composite of β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and a bioactive glass similar to the 45S5 Henchglass® is suitable to manufacture customized implants via 3D-printing process. The composite was chosen because of the bioresorption properties of the β-TCP, its capability to react as bone cement, and because of the adjustability of the bioactive glass from inert to bioresorbable. Customized implants were manufactured using the 3D-printing technique. The four point bending strength of the printed specimens was 14.9 MPa after sintering. XRD analysis revealed the occurrence of two other phases, CaNaPO4 and CaSiO3, both biocompatible and with the potential of biodegradation. We conclude that it is possible to print tailored bone substitute implants using a bioactive TCP/glass composite. The glass is not involved as reactive substance in the printing process. This offers the opportunity to alter the glass composition and therefore to vary the composition of the implant.

 

Keywords

3D printing; β-Tricalcium phosphate; Bone substitute; Biodegradation; Bioactive glass

 

Full text is available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955221910002086