To enable rapid osteointegration in bioceramic implants and to give them osteoinductive properties, scaffolds with defined micro- and macroporosity are required. Pores or pore networks promote the integration of cells into the implant, facilitating the supply of nutrients and the removal of metabolic products. In this paper, scaffolds are created from ß-tricalciumphosphate (ß-TCP) and in a novel way, where both the micro- and macroporosity are adjusted simultaneously by the addition of pore-forming polymer particles. The particles used are 10–40 wt%, spherical polymer particles of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) (Ø = 5 µm) and alternatively polymethylsilsesquioxane (PMSQ) (Ø = 2 µm), added in the course of ß-TCP slurry preparation. The arrangement of hydrophobic polymer particles at the interface of air bubbles was incorporated during slurry preparation and foaming of the slurry. The foam structures remain after sintering and lead to the formation of macro-porosity in the scaffolds. Furthermore, decomposition of the polymer particles during thermal debindering results in the formation of an additional network of interconnecting micropores in the stabilizing structures. It is possible to adjust the porosity easily and quickly in a range of 1.2–140 μm with a relatively low organic fraction. The structures thus prepared showed no cytotoxicity nor negative effects on the biocompatibility.
Recent trends to improve the aesthetic properties—tooth-like color and translucency—of ceramic dental crowns have led to the development of yttria-stabilized zirconia (Y-TZP) materials with higher stabilizer content. These 5Y-TZP materials contain more cubic or t’ phase, which boosts translucency. The tradeoff as a consequence of a less transformable tetragonal phase is a significant reduction of strength and toughness compared to the standard 3Y-TZP composition. This study aims at determining the durability of such 5Y-TZP crowns under lab conditions simulating the conditions in the oral cavity during mastication and consumption of different nutrients. The test included up to 10,000 thermal cycles from 5 °C to 55 °C “from ice cream to coffee” and a chewing simulation representing 5 years of use applying typical loads. The investigation of the stress-affected zone at the surface indicates only a very moderate phase transformation from tetragonal to monoclinic after different varieties of testing cycles. The surface showed no indication of crack formation after testing. It can, therefore, be assumed that over the simulated period, dental crowns of 5Y-TZP are not prone to fatigue failure.
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