BONE PROSTHETIC MATERIAL AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME

摘要

A method of producing a bone prosthetic material which comprises: a step of forming tricalcium phosphate (TCP) precursor particles; a step of temporarily sintering the TCP precursor particles in a first temperature range to form TCP particles having diameters falling within a predetermined range; a step of granulating the TCP particles to form granulated bodies; and a step of sintering the granulated bodies in a second temperature range to form sintered masses.  The second temperature range is higher than the first temperature range.  In a plural number of the sintered masses thus obtained, first gaps of 100 to 400 µm are formed among adjacent sintered masses.  The individual sintered masses are sintered bodies comprising tricalcium phosphate (TCP) particles wherein second gaps of 5 to 100 µm are formed among the TCP particles.  The second gaps are connected to the first gaps.  The sintered masses are provided with connector sections whereby the TCP particles are connected together and the widths of these connector sections are from 5 to 20 µm.