Reaction of bone to HA, carbonate-HA, hydroxyapatite + calcium orthophosphate and to hydroxyapatite + calcium ortho- and pyrophosphate.

Slip cast conical implants of HA, carbonate-HA, calcium orthophosphate/hydroxyapatite and hydroxyapatite/calcium pyrophosphate/calcium orthophosphate with weight ratios 75/25 and 50/30/20 were implanted in rabbit tibia. The bone-implant interfaces were evaluated histologically, by means of SEM/EDX analysis and by push-out test. Thirty-six implanted samples were investigated after 2, 8, and 24 weeks. The triphasic calcium phosphate showed a moderate disintegration. This material showed 2 weeks after implantation a bonding between new bone and implant could be seen in parts of the operation site by SEM. Eight weeks after implantation an intimate relationship between the bone tissue and all specimens of each material was found. After 24 weeks the Ca/P ratio in the bone had reached the Ca/P ratio of mature bone determined by SEM/EDX analysis.