Material
Basic Properties BIOLOX forte and BIOLOX delta
Material Properties BIOLOX delta
Combinations, Applications, and Production
When to use BIOLOX®forte
and when to use BIOLOX®delta
The main difference between BIOLOX®forte and BIOLOX®delta
as far as their use is concerned is the higher strength of the latter.
However, users must not forget that whatever the strength of a material
may be, it is the loads to which it is subjected that determine its service
life. The magnitude of these loads and the resulting stresses, depend to
a large extent on the product geometry, the design of the entire implant
system, the surgical technique used and the post-operative behaviour of
the patient.
BIOLOX®delta was developed to make possible a broader
range of clinical uses including those which were not possible using
BIOLOX®forte. In this respect the materials are
complementary. They are not alternatives, nor are they replacements one
for another.
From a tribological point of view the two materials perform similarly well. Moreover, within a single wear couple any combination of ball head and cup insert can be selected from BIOLOX®delta and BIOLOX®forte. That is to say that not only BIOLOX®delta / BIOLOX®delta, but also BIOLOX®forte / BIOLOX®forte and BIOLOX®forte / BIOLOX®delta are possible. In addition, it is also clear that it makes no difference which material is used in the ball head and which in the cup insert.
When a large ball head is used in a wear couple in an effort to obtain an increased range of motion and stability for the patient or to reduce the risk of subluxation, then a BIOLOX®delta ball head can be used in conjunction with a BIOLOX®delta cup insert. In this way the wall-thickness of the cup can be minimised and a safe and reliable solution can be provided for the patient. The development of thin-walled cup inserts using BIOLOX®delta is a recent development for CeramTec and is being gradually introduced to our customers, the orthopaedic companies.
BIOLOX®forte can be combined with all the members of the
BIOLOX®family and with polyethylene and highly
crossed-linked polyethylene.