Bone regeneration therapy: Developing of ceramic based bone substitute, which enables bone regeneration

In orthopedics and oral surgery, clinical trials are being conducted to examine the reconstruction and regeneration of bone defects caused by injuries and diseases. Bone substitutes, mainly composed of calcium phosphate, are employed as biomaterials to reconstruct and regenerate bone defects that cannot be covered by autogenous bone grafts. However, the bone regeneration abilities of existing bone grafting materials are insufficient. Most candidates for bone grafting materials are elderly patients older than 60 years, so improving the bone regeneration capacity of bone grafting materials is a major clinical problem. We have been investigating the enhancement of bone substitutes via ionic insertion, an original method of controlling calcium phosphate crystals and adding elements. In this review, we describe our studies on the addition of silica, a bone-active factor, to calcium phosphate and the usefulness of silica-loaded calcium phosphate as a bone replacement material based on the ionic insertion method. The bone regeneration ability of silica-loaded calcium phosphate was several times higher than that of the current carbonate apatite bone material. Silica-loaded calcium phosphate is expected to be applicable to clinical cases that were difficult to apply in the past; it will also significantly help improve the quality of life of patients, especially the elderly.