14 – Production of biomaterial coatings by laser-assisted processes

: since 1970 ceramic materials have been used in different applications involving the repair of bone defects or traumatic diseases. Ceramic materials such as bioactive glasses or apatitic calcium phosphates are among the most used in restorative medicine based on the proven fact that they are able to bond to bone. Owing to their poor mechanical properties, these materials are currently used as coatings to improve fixation and osteointegration of cementless metallic-based implant devices. The invention of the first laser in 1960 made available a new intense source of radiation that was soon used to melt and vaporize materials and therefore to produce coatings of the selected material onto a suitable substrate. This chapter presents an overview of the different methods to produce bioceramic coatings by laser-assisted processes. A comparison between laser cladding and pulsed laser deposition techniques to produce bioceramics will be given.