Patent ID: 8168208

Claim:
A method for the stimulation of bone tissue growth by application of a resorbable silica-calcium phosphate bioactive composite comprising the steps of: a. preparing a mixture comprising: a silica salt, said silica salt being sodium silicate; a calcium phosphate, said calcium phosphate being bicalcium phosphate CaHPO 4 ·H 2 O; and a pore former, said pore former being selected from the group comprising: a foaming agent, a fugitive solvent, or a combination thereof; said silica salt being present in an amount to provide between about 0.31 mole and about 0.93 mole of silica, wherein the molar concentration of silica that derived from said silica salt is indicative of the silicate-ion substitution in the resorbable silica-calcium phosphate bioactive composite, b. subjecting said mixture in the system sodium silicate-calcium phosphate to thermal treatment at a temperature ranging between 355° C. to 800° C. to form said resorbable silica-calcium phosphate bioactive composite having a phase composition comprising a thermally treated porous form of silica and calcium phosphate with pores that are 800 μm or less in size and wherein said silica is in both amorphous and crystalline forms; c. applying said resorbable silica-calcium phosphate bioactive composite in a suitable form to an area of bone defect to stimulate the formation and growth of bone tissue.