Future applications in ceramics

Summary

Obviously the development of future applications inevitably depends on the well-engineered total system with 3 key factors

• 1. The high performance ceramic articulating bodies.

• 2. The tailored functional interface to the biological environment.

• 3. Compliance of the surgical technique and instrumentation.

High-performance ceramics steadily expand into new fields of arthroplastic surgery. This development is only possible with steadily growing mutual comprehension of ceramic technology and biomechanical engineering. Alumina matrix composite ceramics are distinguished to other materials by a unique combination of physical and chemical properties which provide that basis to the excellent suitability in arthroplasty. It is the challenge of the developing engineers to integrate this material into customized systems The growing experience in this field announces further future applications — e.g. for shoulder, finger or ankle joints — which is already discussed in the surgeon community.