Bioactive ceramic-based materials with designed reactivity for bone tissue regeneration.

Bioactive ceramics have been used clinically to repair bone defects owing to their biological affinity to living bone; i.e. the capability of direct bonding to living bone, their so-called bioactivity. However, currently available bioactive ceramics do not satisfy every clinical application. Therefore, the development of novel design of bioactive materials is necessary. Bioactive ceramics show osteoconduction by formation of biologically active bone-like apatite through chemical reaction of the ceramic surface with surrounding body fluid. Hence, the control of their chemical reactivity in body fluid is essential to developing novel bioactive materials as well as biodegradable materials. This paper reviews novel bioactive materials designed based on chemical reactivity in body fluid.