Ceramic Hip Technology
What is Ceramic Hip Technology?
The Trident® Ceramic Acetabular System is a ceramic-on-ceramic implant system used to replace the "ball and socket" joint of a hip when a total hip replacement is performed for patients suffering from arthritis or related conditions. Unlike conventional hip replacement systems, the Trident® system utilizes alumina ceramic-on-ceramic surfaces rather than metal-on-plastic or metal-on-metal. Ceramic-on-ceramic components have demonstrated significantly lower wear versus the conventional metal-on-plastic or metal-on-metal systems in the laboratory; therefore, it is anticipated that these improved wear characteristics will extend the life of the implant.
Acetabular shell design is also important for long-term performance for the hip implants. The Trident® Ceramic System is a cementless system, which means that the implants are fixed to the bone through implant design and technique, rather than using bone cement. Additional technology such as Arc Deposition and Hydroxyapatite (HA) coating are an essential part of the shell design.
- Arc Deposition is a titanium metal coating process which is applied to the outer surface of the Trident® Acetabular Shell. It provides a roughened, textured surface on the acetabular shell, which helps provide initial fixation of the implant onto the bone.
- Hydroxylapatite (HA) is a naturally occurring substance that closely resembles natural bone mineral. Bone mineral stores the body's supply of calcium and phosphorous - two minerals critical to one's health. In fact, the two major components of HA are calcium and phosphorus - the predominant components of bone and tooth enamel. It's no wonder that the material is so biocompatible and has enjoyed great success in orthopaedic and dental applications for over two decades.
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