Bioactive Ceramic Cement for Bone Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical and dental cements lack a combination of bioactivity, biocompatibility, fast setting, acid resistance, and long shelf life, with issues such as slow setting, inflammation, and vulnerability to acids, which are critical for effective biomedical applications.
Innovation Solution
A bioactive ceramic cement combining calcium silicate and calcium aluminate hydraulic cements, with optional radiopaque powders, that sets quickly and is resistant to acids, maintaining stability and biocompatibility, suitable for various medical and dental procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement is used, then the cement provides structural support and fixation, but it causes localized inflammation and is not bioactive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material system combining calcium silicate and calcium aluminate cements with specific phase compositions (C3S, C2S, CA, C12A7, C4AF) to create a bioactive ceramic cement that provides both structural support and biocompatibility, eliminating the inflammation issues associated with PMMA while maintaining fixation strength
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters by controlling the phases present (requiring C3S and C2S from calcium silicate plus CA and C12A7 from calcium aluminate) and particle size distribution (0.5-4.0 micrometers) to achieve both mechanical strength and bioactivity, resolving the contradiction between structural support and biocompatibility
2Reliability
If tri/dicalcium silicate cements are used, then the cement provides bioactivity and forms calcium hydroxide, but it has slow setting time and is vulnerable to acids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges calcium silicate cement (providing bioactivity through C3S and C2S phases) with calcium aluminate cement (providing fast setting through CA and C12A7 phases) into a single composite system, achieving both rapid setting and sustained bioactivity that neither material could provide alone
Solution Approach 2:
The composite ceramic cement combines two different cement chemistries (calcium silicate and calcium aluminate) with complementary properties, where the calcium aluminate component accelerates setting while the calcium silicate component maintains bioactivity, resolving the time-bioactivity contradiction
3Reliability
If tri/dicalcium silicate cements are used, then the cement provides bioactive properties, but it is vulnerable to acids present in infection sites
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite ceramic cement where calcium aluminate phases (CA, C12A7) provide acid resistance while calcium silicate phases (C3S, C2S) provide bioactivity, achieving both properties simultaneously rather than having to choose one over the other
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates different local chemical environments within the cement matrix by incorporating phases with different acid resistance properties, allowing the material to exhibit both acid resistance (from calcium aluminate) and bioactivity (from calcium silicate) in different local regions
4Loss of time
If the cement sets quickly, then the procedure time is reduced, but the setting reaction may raise local temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the particle size parameter (0.5-4.0 micrometers) and phase composition to control the setting reaction kinetics, achieving fast setting while distributing the exothermic reaction over a longer period and larger surface area, preventing excessive temperature rise
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The cement provides a fast-setting, dimensionally stable, bioactive, and biocompatible solution with enhanced acid resistance and extended shelf life, suitable for diverse clinical applications, including bone fixation, dental procedures, and veterinary use, while minimizing foreign body reactions and promoting healing.
Implementation Method 1
A bioactive ceramic cement combining calcium silicate and calcium aluminate hydraulic cements, with optional radiopaque powders, that sets quickly and is resistant to acids
Implementation Method 2
MTA is a generic marketing name that denotes tricalcium silicate and dicalcium silicate cement particles with a radiopaque additive. This cement has the advantages of bioactivity, because it forms calcium hydroxide during setting
Implementation Method 3
the present invention cements disclosed herein are biocompatible, dimensionally stable, have the advantage of setting at room temperature or body temperature without raising the local temperature during setting, as well as the further advantage of being more resistant to acids present in an infection site
Data Source
AI summary
Bioactive, ceramic medical cements and methods for its use in treatment of bones and teeth in mammals are disclosed. This cement is non-exothermic and non-toxic, based upon setting of hydraulic ceramic compounds containing calcia, alumina, and silica phases. The self-hardening cement sets in vivo and in high humidity environments, and can be used in vivo without being easily washed out of the site. It also has dimensional stability, is resistant to acids present in an infection site or supragingivally, and has biocompatibility advantages of low inflammation and the formation of calcification layers in direct apposition to body tissue. Options include the addition of various radiopaque materials, and a variety of delivery systems including powder and liquid, capsule or pouch delivery, multiple pastes, or a unitary paste.