ABSTRACT
Bone is a hard tissue, capable of healing and remodel without leaving scars in cases of very limited damage. However, in cases where the bone defect exceeds a critical size, bone is no longer able to heal itself. In these cases, the most common clinical approaches are based on the use of biological grafts like autografts, allografts and xenografts. However, biological grafts present several problems like disease transmission, availability and costs. Synthetic grafts, produced using additive manufacturing technologies or other advanced manufacturing technologies represent a viable alternative to biological grafts. In this paper, ceramic grafts designed and fabricated by a Portuguese Company (CERAMED) for clinical applications were investigated from a mechanical and biological point. Hydroxyapatite and Hydroxyapatite with tricalcium phosphate ceramic scaffolds with and without magnesium were tested. The obtained results provide relevant information not only in terms of the major properties of these scaffolds for medical applications but also to improve their characteristics.
