Medical Ceramics: Why & When Are They Commonly Used

The medical sector strongly relies on the use of ceramic components. The healthcare industry has a great need for strong, durable, and custom-designed ceramic mold casting that can be implemented for a variety of applications. Also, healthcare professionals are constantly making advancements in the area of prosthetic aids, which creates a growing need for different components to be manufactured per precise new specifications.

Ceramic injection molding is a process that allows tailor-made designs of both the component and the manufacturing process itself. This allows molding professionals to produce bioceramic parts and components per exact medical professionals’ needs. However, this is only one of the reasons why medical ceramics greatly benefit from an expert injection molding process.

Why are ceramic components used in the healthcare industry?

The most important reason for the healthcare industry profusely using parts and components made from ceramics is the properties of the different types of materials used in the production of medical ceramics, mainly zirconia. Some of the most desirable properties of medical ceramics are:

• Durability
• Sterile nature
• Chemical and wear resistance
• Low friction coefficient
• Very high compressive strength
• Excellent hardness
• Innate non-toxicity
• Inertness
• Good aesthetics of the finished product
• Ability to achieve medical ceramics products of with different degrees of porosity through the customization of the design and manufacturing process.

On the other hand, medical ceramics can be brittle, which is an undesirable property of injection-molded ceramics. Manufacturers tend to mitigate this brittleness by introducing nanostructured and ceramic composite materials.

Also, it is possible to further process medical ceramics, for example by implementing hot isostatic pressing, to also alleviate brittleness. Also, different ceramic coatings are applied to products that require high toughness and mechanical strength.

What are the main areas for use of medical ceramics?

Medical ceramics are used in different areas of the healthcare industry, but there are three main areas where their use is most prominent:

• Bioceramics: This is the name of ceramics used for the human body. Bioceramics include medical implants such as:
  • Hard spinal tissue
  • Cranio-maxillofacial hard tissue
  • Joints
  • Knee components
  • Hip replacements
• Dental: Perhaps the area where medical ceramics are most frequently used is the dental industry. Here, products from industrial ceramics are used for:
  •  Orthodontic devices such as braces
  • Prostheses such as bridges and crowns
  • Dental implants such as root implants made entirely from ceramic materials

Ceramic materials give desirable results in terms of aesthetics because they can be manufactured to match the color of people’s teeth perfectly. They also provide improved osseointegration properties and reduce the potential for deterioration and infection.

• Tools and instruments: Finally, there are many instruments and tools in the medical industry made from ceramic materials, and they include:
  • Medical pumps
  • Blood shear valves
  • Delivery devices for different drugs
  • Tissue scaffolds
  • Piezoelectric components for instruments and tools

Who can perform high-quality ceramic mold casting for difference applications?

Wunder Mold is a company that manufactures high-quality medical ceramics for a variety of uses in the healthcare industry. We have developed a comprehensive injection molding process that uses premium injection molding components to create durable and dependable ceramic components suitable for different uses, including medical applications. We will provide you with end products per your specific requirements.

We have more than 25 years of industry experience, and during that time we have perfected the methods for manufacturing long-lasting medical ceramics that suit the specific needs of our clients in the healthcare industry. We produce all our components per the highest standards of quality. This is how we ensure they are suitable for various medical applications. Contact us by dialing (707) 448-2349 or by sending an email at sales@wundermold.com.