A new model formulation of the SiO2-Al2O3-B2O3-MgO-CaO-Na2O-F glass-ceramics.

Mono-phase glass-ceramics of akermanite were successfully produced from a Ca-mica and wollastonite via low-temperature sintering and crystallization. Doping with P(2)O(5) considerably improves sintering behaviour since P(2)O(5) increases the stability of glass against crystallization at the temperature of sintering onset. The resulting glass-ceramics feature good in vitro acceptance from osteoblasts, and moderate bioactivity due to the enrichment of the glassy phase with Ca and Si. The good quality of the white colour at the surface and throughout the bulk, the matching of microhardness with tooth enamel, and the possibility to coat other biomaterials such as ZrO(2), Ti or hydroxyapatite make these materials promising for medical applications.