Biomedical subjects

F J Gil

Publications and source records attributed to F J Gil.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Microstructure and macroscopic properties of bioactive CaO-SiO2-PDMS hybrids.

CaO-SiO2-PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) hybrid materials were synthesized as crack-free monoliths presenting in vitro bioactivity, i.e. able to be coated with a calcium phosphate-rich layer after having been soaked in simulated body fluid (SBF). A wide physical-chemical characterization of these materials was carried out to relate their microscopic structure and macroscopic properties. The effect of PDMS and the amounts of water used for the tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) hydrolysis on the mechanical properties of hybrid materials was investigated by three-point bending tests. For a given amount of water, as PDMS content in hybrids increased, the elastic modulus decreased. Furthermore, keeping the PDMS content constant, when the amount of H2O decreased, the elastic modulus increased. Regarding in vitro bioactivity and mechanical properties, the hybrid material obtained with molar ratios H2O/TEOS = 2 and TEOS/PDMS = 3.5 proved to be the best candidate for either soft tissue substitution or metallic implant coating since the hybrid material would promote bond to bone formation, simultaneously dampening the mechanical charges.

Biocompatible Materials↗

PubMed2006

New oxidation treatment of NiTi shape memory alloys to obtain Ni-free surfaces and to improve biocompatibility.

Various oxidation treatments were applied to nearly equiatomic NiTi alloys so as to form a Ni-free protective oxide on the surface. Sample surfaces were analyzed by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, and NiTi transformation temperatures were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) before and after the surface treatment. An ion release experiment was carried out up to one month of immersion in SBF for both oxidized and untreated surfaces. The results show that oxidation treatment in a low-oxygen pressure atmosphere leads to a high surface Ti/Ni ratio, a very low Ni surface concentration and a thick oxide layer. This oxidation treatment does not significantly affect the shape memory properties of the alloy. Moreover, the oxide formed significantly decreases Ni release into exterior medium comparing with untreated surfaces. As a consequence, this new oxidation treatment could be of great interest for biomedical applications, as it could minimize sensitization and allergies and improve biocompatibility and corrosion resistance of NiTi shape memory alloys.

Alloys↗

PubMed2006

Failures of yttria-stabilised tetragonal zirconia: 52 retrieved ceramic femoral heads of total hip prostheses.

Fifty two ceramic femoral heads have been investigated after implantation. All heads had articulated against ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) cups. Examination of the heads shows changes in sphericity and surface roughness due to the wear. The behaviour of these retrieved heads after clinical use confirms the problems derived from the use of yttria-stabilised tetragonal zirconia heads. In this paper, a failure mechanism for this type of ceramic is proposed. The slow yttria dissolution produces the transformation from tetragonal to monoclinic phase with a volume change. This fact provokes an important decrease in mechanical properties favouring wear. The yttria dissolution and the zirconia solid transformation were confirmed by X-ray diffraction.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Effect of the M(s) transformation temperature on the wear behaviour of NiTi shape memory alloys for articular prosthesis.

The main objective of this work has been the characterisation and correlation of the wear behaviour of the NiTi shape memory alloys in their different phases. The weight losses for the different alloys in function of the present phase, and of the M(s) transformation temperature are studied. Adhesive wear tests, Pin-on-Disk, according to the ASTM-G99 standard have been carried out. The thermoelastic martensitic transformations that cause the super-elastic effect, the reorientation and coalescence of martensitic plates and the damping effect promotes a high ability to accommodate large deformations without generating permanent damages that causes the wear. The resulting plastic deformation may be accumulated during wear process without generating fracture. The results show that the wear resistance is mainly dependent of the M(s) transformation temperature for both alloys. For the NiTi alloys also the Ni atomic percentage and the hardness of the alloys are important parameters in the wear behavior.

Alloys↗

PubMed2004

Microstructural, mechanical and citotoxicity evaluation of different NiTi and NiTiCu shape memory alloys.

Transformation temperatures and mechanical properties such as transformation stresses at different temperatures and the superelasticity have been investigated in NiTiCu alloys with various Copper concentrations. The results have been compared with the conventional NiTi alloys. The addition of copper was effective to narrow the stress hysteresis and to stabilize the superelasticity characteristics. Moreover, it produced greater stability on both the transformation temperatures and the forces applied to the different tissues. However, the studies of cell cultured with human fibroblasts showed certain toxicity.

Biocompatible Materials↗

PubMed2004

Continuous mandibular distraction osteogenesis using superelastic shape memory alloy (SMA).

Distraction osteogenesis is a well-established method of endogenous tissue engineering. It is a biological process of bone neo-formation between segments subjected to tension. The concept of this study was to investigate the distraction osteogenesis with a device capable of creating a permanent and constant force during the whole process as if a very large number of small elongations were applied constantly. The mechanical testing of the device used to produce the constant force and the in vivo analysis of the bone growth after it was implanted in rabbits are presented on this work. The device consists of a NiTi coil spring, superelastic at body temperature, in order to have a stress plateau during the austenitic retransformation during the unloading. The in vivo analysis was made on six female rabbits of 12 months old. A segmental mandibulectomy at the horizontal arm of the mandible and a corticotomy at 5mm distant from the gap were made. Next, following a latency period of five days, the SMA springs were implanted to induce the bone neo-formation. The displacement at the unloading plateau shows that it is necessary to have longer springs or to use several (available commercially) in series in order to fulfil the requirements of a human distraction. The temperature variations induced changes in the spring force. However, when the temperature returns to 37 degrees C the distraction force recovers near the initial level and does so completely when the distraction process continues. For the in vivo study, all six rabbits successfully completed the distraction. The radiographies showed the gap as distraction advanced. A continuity in the newly formed bone with similar transversal and horizontal dimensions than the original bone can be observed on the histologies. In conclusion, the application of a constant force on distraction osteogenesis, using SMA springs, may be a successful alternative to the conventional gradual distraction.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Wear behaviour of the pair Ti-6Al-4V-UHMWPE of acrylic bone cements containing different radiopaque agents.

The objective of this study was to improve the wear behaviour of acrylic bone cements by substituting the conventional inorganic radiopaque agents (BaSO(4), ZrO(2)) for different iodinated radiopaque monomers which can co-polymerize with the methyl methacrylate monomer, MMA. To this aim, the wear behaviour of the pair Ti-6Al-4V-UHMWPE (ultra high molecular weight polyethylene) was studied in the absence and in the presence of cement particles (the third body).

Alloys↗

PubMed2004

Propagation of fatigue cracks in acrylic bone cements containing different radiopaque agents.

In this work three iodine-containing monomers were proposed as new radiopaque agents for acrylic bone cements. In previous studies the addition of iodine-containing methacrylate monomers provided a statistically significant increase in tensile stress, fracture toughness and ductility, with respect to the barium sulphate (BaSO4)-containing cement. However, since fatigue resistance is one of the main properties required to ensure a good long-term performance of permanent prostheses, it is important to compare the fatigue properties of these new bone cement formulations with the radiolucent and BaSO4-containing bone cements. Because the acrylic cements have initial cracks, fatigue crack propagation studies were performed. It can be observed that these acrylic cements followed the Paris-Erdogan model. The results showed that the addition of some organic radiopacifiers (DISMA, TIBMA) increased the fatigue crack propagation resistance as compared to the radiolucent cement, being similar to the BaSO4-containing cement. The radiolucent cement showed a low crack propagation resistance.

Complex Mixtures↗

PubMed2003

Localized corrosion of 316L stainless steel with SiO2-CaO films obtained by means of sol-gel treatment.

Sol-gel films on austenitic stainless steel (AISI 316L) polished wafer were prepared from sono-sols obtained from tetraethylorthosilane and hydrated calcium nitrate. However, pitting was observed in different places on the stainless steel surfaces. The corrosion resistance was evaluated by the polarization resistance in simulated body fluid environment at 37 degrees C. The critical current density, the passive current density, the corrosion potential, and the critical pitting potential were studied. The austenitic stainless steel 316L treated presents important electrochemical corrosion and consequently its application as endosseous implants is not possible.

Calcium Compounds↗

PubMed2003

Applications of environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) in biomaterials field.

Various tasks were undertaken in our laboratory where environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) has been of particular interest within the biomaterials field. The possibility of observing wet samples, as well as the fact that sample preparation is minimal, has improved shorter time scales and lower costs in microscopy. Minimal preparation has also reduced the possibility of introducing artifacts. Examples like cell cultures used for pit resorption assays, calcium phosphate deposition processes, and dissolution of phosphate glasses used as biomaterials are presented. Finally, a servohydraulic testing machine designed for mechanical testing in situ in ESEM has allowed the study of shape memory alloys for orthodontic applications or the behavior of different adhesives used in odontology.

Abdominal Wall↗

PubMed2003

Stress relaxation tests in polypropylene monofilament meshes used in the repair of abdominal walls.

The objective of this work has been to characterize stress relaxation in the polymer material on applying different levels of constant strain. The meshes were strained at values of 5.2%, 5.4% and 5.6% which are the values at which the mesh is strained in clinical use for the repair of abdominal walls. Laws have been obtained to model the viscoelastic behavior at different strains for this material. Finally, fracture studies were carried out by environmental scanning electron microscopy to determine the fracture mechanisms of these meshes. Besides, the implantation of the meshes was practised in two different layers of abdominal wall: the superficial or preaponeurotic layer and deep or preperitoneal layer, showing the neoformation of connective tissue on the mesh, which tended to be organized differently in each layer studied; more roughly and densely in the superficial layer than in the deep one.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2003

Fretting corrosion behaviour of ball-and-socket joint on dental implants with different prosthodontic alloys.

The fretting corrosion of five materials for implant suprastructures (cast-titanium, machined-titanium, gold alloy, silver-palladium alloy and chromium-nickel alloy), was investigated in vitro, the materials being galvanically coupled to a titanium ball-and-socket-joint with tetrafluoroethylene under mechanical load. Various electrochemical parameters (E(corr), i(corr), Evans diagrams, polarization resistance and Tafel slopes) were analyzed. The microstructure of the different dental materials was observed before and after corrosion processes by optical and electron microscopy. It can be observed that the mechanical load produces an important decrease of the corrosion resistance. The cast and machined titanium had the most passive current density at a given potential and chromium-nickel alloy had the most active critical current density values. The high gold content alloys have excellent resistance corrosion, although this decreases when the gold content is lower in the alloy. The palladium alloy had a low critical current density due to the presence of gallium in this composition but a selective dissolution of copper-rich phases was observed through energy dispersive X-ray analysis.

Biocompatible Materials↗

PubMed2002

Mechanical performance of acrylic bone cements containing different radiopacifying agents.

The effect that three different radiopacifying agents, two of them inorganic (BaSO4, ZrO2) and one organic (an iodine containing monomer, IHQM) have on the static and dynamic mechanical properties of acrylic bone cements was studied. Compressive and tensile strength, fracture toughness and fatigue crack propagation were evaluated. The effect of the inorganic fillers depends on their size and morphology. In relation to the radiolucent cement, the addition of zirconium dioxide improved significantly the tensile strength, the fracture toughness and the fatigue crack propagation resistance. In contrast, the addition of barium sulphate produced a decrease of the tensile strength, but did not affect the fracture toughness and improved the crack propagation resistance. When the iodine containing monomer was used, although the tensile strength and the fracture toughness increased, the fatigue crack propagation resistance remained as low as it was for the radiolucent cement.

Barium Sulfate↗

PubMed2002

Acrylic-phosphate glasses composites as self-curing controlled delivery systems of antibiotics.

New antibiotic delivery systems based on self-hardening methyl methacrylate (MMA)/polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) systems and phosphate glasses (PG) in the system P(2)O(5)-CaO-Na(2)O have been developed. Self-curing formulations were prepared by mixing the solid component containing PMMA beads, different proportions of PG (30-70 wt %) and vancomycin (5 wt %) as antibiotic, with the liquid component made of MMA monomer. Dough and setting times increased with the content of PG but peak temperature decreased to values well below to guarantee the chemical stability of the antibiotic drug, gentamicin or vancomycin. Mechanical properties of the PMMA/PG composites were evaluated in compression test giving rise to values of compressive strength in the range of 100 MPa. The release of vancomycin was analyzed in vitro by immersion of samples in phosphate buffer of pH=7.4. Release profiles were influenced by the content of PG present in the cement. An initial burst of drug release was observed in all cases. The composites with 70 wt % PG released nearly the total amount of drug loaded in a period of 45 days, and those containing 60 wt % PG released the 70% of the vancomycin in the same period of time. However, either the control of the composite with 30 wt % PG released only the 30% of the drug in 10-15 days. The surface of the drug-loaded composites before and after release experiments was analyzed by ESEM. The deposition of some aggregates at certain points of the surface was detected for the specimens immersed in buffer phosphate after 45 days. This material was characterized by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy as an amorphous phosphate formed by calcium ortho and pyrophosphates, and indicates an interaction between the hydrated layer at the place of the glass and the surrounding medium.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2002

Human-osteoblast proliferation and differentiation on grit-blasted and bioactive titanium for dental applications.

Physico-chemical and topographical surface quality of commercially pure titanium (c.p. Ti) dental implants is one of the most influencing factors in the improvement of their osseointegration. In this sense, previously, a two-step method (2S) for obtaining bioactive blasted-rough titanium surfaces was developed for improving short-term (due to its bioactivity) and long-term (due to its roughness) osseointegration. This 2S-method consists of: (1) Grit blasting on titanium surface in order to roughen it, and (2) thermo-chemical (TCh) treatment in order to obtain a bioactive surface with bone-bonding ability. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the in vitro human-osteoblast response (proliferation, differentiation - ALP activity- and cell morphology-studied by environmental scanning electron microscopy) of rough c.p. Ti (grit blasted), bioactive c.p. Ti (thermo-chemically treated) and rough-bioactive c.p. Ti (2S-treated). Different grit materials (Al(2)O(3) and SiC) have been used in order to investigate their influence. The results showed that cell adhesion was statistically higher for the rough and bioactive surfaces, whatever the grit used. Cells proliferated very well on all the c.p. Ti surfaces. If comparing groups with and without TCh (all other treatments being equal) the ALP was always higher in the groups with TCh, indicating stimulation of osteoblast differentiation because of TCh, more significantly in the groups that were first blasted. Those ALP results were accompanied by a decrease in the value of proliferation, which shows the good behavior of the cells. This results suggest that a rough and bioactive-titanium surface obtained by 2S-treatment enhances adhesion and differentiation activity of human osteoblasts cells.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2002

Fracture and fatigue behavior of shot-blasted titanium dental implants.

This investigation studies the effect of the shot-blasting treatment on the cyclic deformation behavior of a commercially pure titanium, with two microstructures: equiaxed and acicular. The fatigue tests were carried out in artificial saliva medium at 37 degrees C. Cyclic deformation tests have been carried out up to fracture, and the fatigue crack nucleation and propagation have been analyzed. The results show that the shot-blasting treatment improves the fatigue life in the microstructures studied, and that the equiaxed was better in mechanical properties than the acicular. The cause of this improvement in the mechanical properties is due to the compressive stress on the material surface for the shot-blasted specimens. Hardness tests were carried out to determine the value of these internal stresses.

Acid Etching, Dental↗

PubMed2002

Growth of bioactive surfaces on dental implants.

Some metallic materials, such as pure titanium, Ti-6Al-4V, are used for dental and orthopedic implants under load-bearing conditions. However, they do not form a chemical bond with bone, which would achieve a good implant-bone fixation in service. In recent works, it has been demonstrated that an in vitro, chemically deposited, bone-like apatite layer with bone-bonding ability could be induced on a titanium surface. By reproducing that chemical procedure, in this work, a dense bone-like apatite layer was formed on the surface of the titanium in simulated body fluid. In addition, the different steps and kinetics of the layer-formation have been studied, because the observation of the samples in the wet state by means of the environmental scanning electron microscope has allowed the observation in situ of the apatite deposition process over a number of days. One of the most important features of the present study is that it can be carried out on a single titanium sample and the process is not interrupted at any stage. One of the main drawbacks of this chemical method is that the samples covered with apatite are susceptible to contamination by bacteria. The behavior of different types of antibiotics used to avoid this contamination has also been studied using the environmental scanning electron microscope. Finally, osteoblast cells have been cultured on the apatite-coated titanium samples to assess their biocompatibility.

Alloys↗

PubMed2002

Enhanced wear resistance of ball-and-socket joints of dental implants by means of titanium gaseous nitriding.

The aim of this research is the surface hardening of the ball-and-socket joint of dental implants by means of heat treatments in order to obtain titanium nitrides. These nitrides minimize the wear of the titanium used in prosthesis. In this paper the optimum heat treatment, the hardness and the wear resistance are described in relation to the ball-and-socket joint without heat treatment.

Dental Implants↗