Tribological Aspects of Ceramics in Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

Ceramics have increasingly been used since the 1970s in total joint arthroplasty, providing constant improvements in material properties. Nowadays, different ceramics (alumina, zirconia, and new composite materials) are available as bearing surfaces. Ceramic materials offer reduced wear rates at articulating surfaces because of their excellent friction properties, which support longevity of endoprosthetic implants. In total hip arthroplasty, long-term clinical studies confirm the advantageous properties of ceramic materials providing low risk of implant failure. In total knee arthroplasty, ceramics revealed superior experimental data concerning low wear rates as well as promising results of the first clinical applications.