Design of ceramic-based cements and putties for bone graft substitution.

In the last 15 years, a large number of commercial ceramic-based cements and putties have been introduced as bone graft substitutes. As a result, large efforts have been made to improve our understanding of the specific properties of these materials, such as injectability, cohesion, setting time (for cements), and in vivo properties. The aim of this manuscript is to summarize our present knowledge in the field. Instead of just looking at scientific aspects, industrial needs are also considered, including mixing and delivery, sterilization, and shelf-life.