Bioactivity of Zirconia‐Toughened Glass‐Ceramics

Abstract
Bioactivity of zirconia‐toughened glass‐ceramic composites was evaluated by their surface reaction in simulated body fluid and the bonding strength to living bone. The composite containing 30 vol% zirconia showed high bioactivity, whereas that containing 50 vol% zirconia, extremely low. TEM observation indicated that Ca in the glass‐ceramic particles reacted with the zirconia during sintering. It was found that the decrease in Ca in the particles degraded the bioactivity of the composite. In this study, the optimum composition was determined for high‐strength and bioactive ceramic.