Patent ID: 7083672

Claim:
A mixture for forming a ceramic material for use in dental and orthopedic applications, the mixture comprising: about 65 percent to about 85 percent by weight of a substantially dry powder component, wherein the substantially dry powder component includes from about 5 percent to about 15 percent by weight of a sparsely soluble powder selected from the group consisting of a sparsely soluble oxide powder, a sparsely soluble hydroxide powder, and combinations thereof, from about 15 percent to about 45 percent by weight of a metal phosphate powder wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, group III metals, and combinations thereof, from about 15 percent to about 35 percent by weight of a sparsely soluble silicate powder, the balance of the substantially dry powder component comprising at least one powder selected from the group consisting of coloring powders, texturing powders, bioactive powders, biocompatible powders, fluorescent powders, fluoride releasing powders, and radiopaque powders; the balance of the mixture comprising a liquid component comprising a pH modifying agent in the range of about 5 percent by weight to about 15 percent by weight, up to about 60 percent of a monovalent alkali metal phosphate in aqueous solution, the balance of the liquid component being water; and wherein the pH of the mixture is above about 3.0, and wherein the sparsely soluble powder, metal phosphate powder, and sparsely soluble silicate powder each have a particle size of less than 20 μm.