Experimental study of the mechanical properties of Palacos bone cements

Background. Currently, bone cements are widely used in orthopedics. The range of prescriptions for bone cement use is very large, and requires different qualities depending on the purpose. Therefore, researchers are forced to conduct their own invetigations to study the mechanical properties of bone cements. The purpose was to determine in the experiment the value of an elastic modulus and ultimate strength of Palacos bone cements for further use in mathematical models of osteosynthesis and arthroplasty. Materials and methods. Samples of two brands of cement, Palacos R and Palacos fast, were examined. Samples with a diameter of 5 mm and a length of 10 mm were made from each type of cement. The study was carried out 2 hours and 2 days after polymerization. At each stage, 10 cement samples of each type were tested for compression. Results. After 2 hours of polymerization, the Palacos fast samples had a statistically significant advantage in terms of the tensile strength, which was 105.77 ± 3.19 MPa, over the Palacos R — 87.24 ± 3.70 MPa. The higher elastic modulus for Palacos fast samples — 2,942.50 ± 99.67 MPa compared to Palacos R — 82,542.40 ± 65.55 MPa turned out to be statistically significant. Two days after fabrication, the strength characteristics of bone cements changed upward. Thus, the ultimate strength of Palacos fast samples was determined within 116.39 ± 2.85 MPa, which is statistically significant higher than for Palacos R samples for which this indicator was within 95.58 ± 4.53 MPa. Similar tendencies were characteristic of an elastic modulus, which amounted to 3,048.93 ± 108.70 MPa for Palacos fast and 2,642.90 ± 22.93 MPa — for Palacos R samples. The value of the elastic modulus for both brands of bone cement has a statistically significant tendency to increase. On average, an elastic modulus for Palacos R cement increased by 4.0 ± 2.6 %, for Palacos fast samples — by 3.5 ± 1.4 %. Conclusions. Palacos R bone cement by the end of the polymerization process has an elastic modulus of 2,542.40 ± 65.55 MPa and a tensile strength of 87.24 ± 3.70 MPa, which is statistically significant lower (p = 0.001) than thereof Palacos fast cement (2,942.50 ± ± 99.67 MPa and 105.77 ± 3.19 MPa, respectively). The indicators of the tensile strength and elastic modulus of the samples of bone cement of both studied brands have a statistically significant (p = 0.001) tendency to increase within 2 days, on average by 9.6 ± 10.1 % and 3.5 ± 4.0 %, respectively. The obtained elastic modulus and ultimate strength of Palacos R and Palacos fast bone cements can be used for mathematical modeling of various types of arthroplasty.

Fiber-Templated 3D Calcium-Phosphate Scaffolds for Biomedical Applications: The Role of the Thermal Treatment Ambient on Physico-Chemical Properties

A successful bone-graft-controlled healing entails the development of novel products with tunable compositional and architectural features and mechanical performances and is, thereby, able to accommodate fast bone in-growth and remodeling. To this effect, graphene nanoplatelets and Luffa-fibers were chosen as mechanical reinforcement phase and sacrificial template, respectively, and incorporated into a hydroxyapatite and brushite matrix derived by marble conversion with the help of a reproducible technology. The bio-products, framed by a one-stage-addition polymer-free fabrication route, were thoroughly physico-chemically investigated (by XRD, FTIR spectroscopy, SEM, and nano-computed tomography analysis, as well as surface energy measurements and mechanical performance assessments) after sintering in air or nitrogen ambient. The experiments exposed that the coupling of a nitrogen ambient with the graphene admixing triggers, in both compact and porous samples, important structural (i.e., decomposition of β-Ca3(PO4)2 into α-Ca3(PO4)2 and α-Ca2P2O7) and morphological modifications. Certain restrictions and benefits were outlined with respect to the spatial porosity and global mechanical features of the derived bone scaffolds. Specifically, in nitrogen ambient, the graphene amount should be set to a maximum 0.25 wt.% in the case of compact products, while for the porous ones, significantly augmented compressive strengths were revealed at all graphene amounts. The sintering ambient or the graphene addition did not interfere with the Luffa ability to generate 3D-channels-arrays at high temperatures. It can be concluded that both Luffa and graphene agents act as adjuvants under nitrogen ambient, and that their incorporation-ratio can be modulated to favorably fit certain foreseeable biomedical applications.

Porous Biphasic Calcium Phosphate for Biomedical Application

Excellent osteoconductivity and resorbability achieved when porous bioceramics have highsurface area that providing fast bone ingrowth. Porous samples were fabricated by using biphasic calcium phosphate BCP (achieved from HA heat treated at 850 oC) with 10 and 20 wt% of ovalbumin binder powder and mixture of carrot fibers and ovalbumin powders (1:1) then dried at 60oC and fired at 1300 oC. Structural, physical and mechanical properties of the prepared porous bioceramic were determined involved X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy FTIR, apparent porosity, water absorption, apparent solid density and compressive strength. The results of X-ray and FTIR showed that the heat treatment of HA was succeeded in forming biphasic calcium phosphate. The apparent porosity values increased with increasing of the binder and carrot fibers content and the growths density of bacteria on bioceramics are less than natural bone. The effect of pathogenic bacteria (Pseudomonas & Staphylococcus) that cause pollution on porous calcium phosphate and natural bone (Albino mice) has been studied.

Neutralized Dicalcium Phosphate and Hydroxyapatite Biphasic Bioceramics Promote Bone Regeneration in Critical Peri-Implant Bone Defects

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of bone regeneration in developed bioceramics composed of dicalcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite (DCP/HA). Critical bony defects were prepared in mandibles of beagles. Defects were grafted using DCP/HA or collagen-enhanced particulate biphasic calcium phosphate (TCP/HA/Col), in addition to a control group without grafting. To assess the efficacy of new bone formation, implant stability quotient (ISQ) values, serial bone labeling, and radiographic and histological percentage of marginal bone coverage (PMBC) were carefully evaluated four, eight, and 12 weeks after surgery. Statistically significant differences among the groups were observed in the histological PMBC after four weeks. The DCP/HA group consistently exhibited significantly higher ISQ values and radiographic and histological PMCB eight and 12 weeks after surgery. At 12 weeks, the histological PMBC of DCP/HA (72.25% ± 2.99%) was higher than that in the TCP/HA/Col (62.61% ± 1.52%) and control groups (30.64% ± 2.57%). After rigorously evaluating the healing of biphasic DCP/HA bioceramics with a critical size peri-implant model with serial bone labeling, we confirmed that neutralized bioceramics exhibiting optimal compression strength and biphasic properties show promising efficacy in fast bone formation and high marginal bone coverage in peri-implant bone defects.

Sodium-DNA for Bone Tissue Regeneration: An Experimental Study in Rat Calvaria

Surgical techniques in dental and maxillofacial surgery request fast bone tissue regeneration, so there is a significant need to improve therapy for bone regeneration. Several studies have recently underlined the importance of nucleotides and nucleosides to increase cell proliferation and activity; in particular, the ability of polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) to induce growth and activity of human osteoblasts was demonstrated. Sodium-DNA is the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extracted from the gonadic tissue of male sturgeon and then purified, depolymerized, and neutralized with sodium hydroxide. To date, there are no evidences about the use of Sodium-DNA for bone tissue regeneration. Consequently, our question is about the efficacy of Sodium-DNA in bone healing. For testing the role of Sodium-DNA in bone healing we used a rat calvarial defect model. Sodium-DNA at different concentrations used alone or in association with Fibrin and/or Bio-Oss was used for healing treatments and the bone healing process was evaluated by histomorphometric and immunohistochemical analyses. Our results suggested a positive effect of Sodium-DNA in bone regeneration, providing a useful protocol and a model for the future clinical evaluation of its osteogenic properties.

Pore Morphology in MAO Produced Oxide Film Modified by Magnesium Integration

Ti6Al4V alloy commonly used in human body for load bearing prosthesis was coated by micro arc oxidation (MAO) with magnesium rich TiO2 oxide. Since the presence of magnesium in bone tissues is known to promote bone formation and proliferation in physiological environment, its integration with TiO2 on implant surface could bring about a bioactivity for a fast bone formation and proliferation. The formation of a composite layer consisting of Mg integrated TiO2 by MAO process was carried out in an electrolyte with different magnesium content. The characterization studies of these coatings were performed by using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with EDS analysis and XP2 surface profilometry.

Long-Term Results of Immediately Loaded Fast Bone Regeneration–Coated Implants Placed in Fresh Extraction Sites in the Upper Jaw

Recently, many authors have investigated the results of immediately loaded implants in fresh extraction sites, reporting favorable success rates, but only a few studies have included a long-term follow-up in the maxilla with analysis of clinical and radiographic data. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictability of the immediate loading protocol with fast bone regeneration (FBR)-coated implants placed in postextractive sites in the maxilla, considering the success rate after at least 5 years of follow-up. Moreover, the clinical and radiographic results are evaluated in terms of soft tissue conditions and crestal bone loss values. One hundred fifty-eight implants were inserted following dental extraction in 70 consecutively operated patients. Each implant was immediately prosthesized. The data were collected before surgical planning, at the time of insertion, and after 3 and 5 years of occlusal loading. Specific success criteria were used to assess the success rate of immediately loaded postextraction implants. Clinical and radiographic examinations were used to determine long-term results. After a 5-year follow-up, 2 implants were lost, with a cumulative success rate of 98.7%. The radiographic and clinical data revealed well-maintained hard and soft tissues, with acceptable long-term results. The use of immediately loaded FBR-coated implants in fresh extraction sockets is shown to be a predictable technique if implants are inserted in selected cases and positioned with great care, following thorough preoperative analysis.