RESUMEN
The change of conditions of hydroxyapatite synthesis can affect not oniy the material properties, but also the body reaction to the hydroxyapatite implants. To find out conditions for preparing more biocompatible hydroxyapatite implants as bone graft substitute. we evaluated the biologic response to the dense synthetic hydroxyapatite implants, made with various synthetic conditions, placed in corticocancellous defects of rabbits' long bone. The hydroxyapatites were synthesized with coprecipitation technique using Ca(NO3) 4H2O and (NH4)2HPO4, made with various Ca/P ratio and aging temperatures. Four kinds of hydroxyapatites were selected to use as implants(HA I: Ca/P ratio 1.5, aging temperature 90degrees C; HA V :1.5 , 30degrees C; HA VI: 1.83, 30degrees C; and HA lX: 1.67, 30degrees C). These hydroxyapatites were pressed and sintered at l300degrees C to fabricate dense plates. Biomechanical test and rnorphological examination were performed using Instron, light microscope and electron microscope. The characteristics of hydroxyapatite powder and sintered body were more significantly affected by siarting Ca/P ratios. The bonding strength of HA IX(1.67, 30degrees C) with bone was grcatest at 4 or 8 weeks after implantation with statistically significant difference(p<0.05). Bonding behavior betweeb HA IX and bone was most excellent in terms of new bone formation and new bone ingrowth into resorbed surface of hydroxyapatite plate.