Fabrication of bioresorbable hydroxyapatite bone grafts through the setting reaction of calcium phosphate cement

We prepared hydroxyapatite (HAp) bone grafts by the setting reaction of calcium phosphate cement, and investigated the effects of the porosity and crystallinity on the osteoconductivity and bioresorbability. We examined the effect of the water-mixing ratio, pressure, and post-heat treatment temperature during preparation on the crystallite size and porosity of the HAp blocks. The quantity of protein adsorption increased with increasing porosity and specific surface area (SSA) of the HAp blocks, whereas the initial cell attachment was similar despite the different porosities and crystallinities. In in vitro dissolution tests with a pH 5.5 buffer, which mimics an osteoclast-created Howship’s lacuna, both the porosity and SSA of the HAp blocks affected the solubility; most likely due to the increased contact area with the buffer. Thus, HAp blocks prepared by the setting reaction of calcium phosphate cement could be applicable for bioresorbable HAp bone grafts because of the high porosity and SSA.