Since their inception "Bioceramics" meetings have provided information for both scientists and clinicians in the medical field. The clinical applications are numerous, in particular in the areas of orthopaedics, maxillofacial, plastic and ocular surgery, percutaneous devices, tissue engineering and sensors. This volume in addition to research papers contributed also presents selected overviews and discussions on recent bioceramics research and trends. Some of the papers include: fabrication processes; biomedical applications; structural, physical and biological analysis; clinical applications in orthopaedics, dentistry, ocular surgery and in cancer treatment. Research on natural and synthetic apatites, stem cells, BMP, GF containing new generation inorganic materials, cell culture studies and histology, tissue response to ceramics and surfaces, Bioglass and glass ceramics, coatings and thin films, sol-gel applications and chemistry, bone cements, bone graft materials and fixation, biogenic materials, biomimetics, nanocrystalline and nanostructured bioceramics, novel production processes, new generation organic - inorganic hybrids, THR, TKA, animal studies and clinical trials are also covered. This book should prove a valuable tool for scientists, bio- and medical-engineers, biologists and clinicians. (synopsis)