Why a new system.
Metal ceramic metal hip replacement.
Brittleness is a major concern for ceramic and ion release is a drawback for metal.
If for some reason i would need a hip replacement my single biggest concern would be wear particles.
Ceramic on ceramic and metal on metal bearing surfaces are often employed for total hip replacement because of their resistance to wear.
Ceramic is one of the best materials that can be used in a hip replacement but when paired with a metal socket it quickly falls to the back of the pack.
The type of ceramic used in hip replacements is an oxide of a metal oxide ceramics and specifically alumina ceramic and zirconia ceramic.
While these are durable they can be vulnerable to fracture and breaking under big stresses.
Ceramic hip replacement systems made of durable ceramic oxides of metal offer both advantages and disadvantages over hip replacement systems made of metal or polyethylene among the advantages of ceramic hip replacements are their durability and that they don t release metal debris into the body which can occur with metallic artificial hips.
Ceramic hip implants are among the newer types of prostheses being used for hip replacement offering greater resistance to damage and smooth movement of the joint.
However they have some limits.
Many surgeons today consider them to be an improvement over traditional metal and plastic implants in which the deterioration of plastic can lead to the gradual buildup of debris around the joint.
Metal on metal implants use a similar design to standard hip replacements but the surfaces of both the ball and the socket are made of metal.
Any hip replacement device with either a metal socket or ball will result in metal wear particles in your bloodstream.
The ball is made of ceramic and the socket has a metal lining.
In addition the surfaces are much harder than the traditional artificial plastic hip socket making it less susceptible to wearing out.
Metal on metal or metal on polyethylene.
Ceramic hip replacement.
Ceramic on metal hip bearings show less wear friction than all metal hip bearings no stripe wear and a 10 fold reduction in metal ion levels were found using the combination.
These metal surfaces are highly polished and smooth.
In fact the only thing harder than aluminium oxide is diamond.
Like other total hip replacement systems the device comes in two parts but now for the first time the femoral component will made from ceramic and the pelvis side from metal.
In case your imagining that your hip will be made of some sort of pottery let me reassure you.