Fluoride-containing bioactive glasses

Fluoride is an important mineral for hard tissues in the body and appropriate fluoride exposure and usage are beneficial to bone and tooth integrity. Fluoride increases both bone density and bone mass due to stimulation of bone formation and it is used as a treatment for osteoporosis. Bioactive glasses have the capacity to form an intimate bond with living bone tissue due to formation of a mixed hydroxycarbonate apatite layer (HCA) in vitro and in vivo. This makes fluoride-containing bioactive glasses attractive biomaterials. In order to design fluoride-containing bioactive glasses, we need to understand the role of fluorine within the glass structure. A series of bioactive glasses with increasing fluoride content was prepared by a melt-quench route. Characterisation included differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), density measurements, MAS-NMR spectroscopy and studies in simulated body fluid (SBF). DSC results showed a linear decrease in glass transition temperature (T,) with increasing amounts of fluoride. Density of the glasses increased with increasing amounts of fluoride. This may indicate an expansion of the silicate glass network accompanying incorporation of CaF2. F-19 MAS-NMR spectroscopy showed broad peaks at chemical shifts between -135 and -120 ppm. As sodium fluoride gives a chemical shift of -223 ppm and calcium fluoride of -108 ppm, this indicated possible formation of mixed calcium sodium fluoride species. HCA and calcium phosphate layers were found on the glasses after one week of immersion in SBF showing the bioactivity of the glass series.