A borate bioactive glass is described, and may be used in the form of particles in an acidic mixture to form a borate bioactive glass paste. The borate bioactive glass paste may be used for the restoration of dentin and enamel on a tooth surface by the precipitation of calcium phosphate. The borate bioactive glass may also be used as a bone grafting material.

A bioactive glass-ceramic composition as defined herein. Also disclosed are methods of making and using the disclosed compositions.

Apparatus for forming melt-formed fibres comprises: a source of molten material; a spinning head comprising one or more rotors; a plurality of nozzles or slots disposed around at least part of the one or more rotors, configured to supply a stream of gas; a conveyor; and a barrier (4) between the spinning head and the conveyor (6), an upper edge of the barrier lying below a horizontal line (22) lying in a first vertical plane (17) including axis of rotation (16) of at least one rotor of the one or more rotors and intersecting the intersection of the axis of rotation with a second vertical plane (18) orthogonal to the first vertical plane and including a vertical line (20) through said region, the included angle between the horizontal line (22) and a line (21) in the first vertical plane joining the upper edge of the barrier and the intersection of the horizontal line and axis of rotation being in the range of 40?-85?. Method of making melt-formed fibres using the apparatus. Melt formed biosoluble fibres being alkaline earth silicate fibers having a low shot content.

A method for preparing ultra-thin flexible glass includes: extraction of biomimetic weathering enzyme, preparation of solution of biomimetic weathering enzyme glass thinning agent, and glass thinning. Extraction includes: dissolving a plant raw material of biomimetic weathering enzyme, adjusting pH, increasing stability of the solution, boiling and holding at a constant temperature, and filtering to obtain a first solution; adjusting pH of the first solution, precipitating and filtering to obtain a first precipitate; and then adjusting pH of the first precipitate, precipitating and filtering to obtain a second precipitate, and drying the second precipitate to obtain the biomimetic weathering enzyme in solid form. Preparation includes: adding 7-20 weight parts of water, 0.1-2 weight parts of stabilizer, 0.1-1 weight parts of pH regulator C, and 0.1-1 weight parts of adjuvant to 1 weight part of biomimetic weathering enzyme, and stirring the mixture to obtain solution of biomimetic weathering enzyme glass thinning agent.

A method for preparing a sol-gel derived SiO.sub.2 having a very fast bioresorption rate where a sol-gel derived SiO.sub.2 is prepared from a sol comprising water, an alkoxide or inorganic silicate and a lower alcohol using a mineral acid or a base as a catalyst and the sol is aged and dried. The method uses a pH from 1.5 to 2.5, a molar ratio of water to the alkoxide or inorganic silicate of 0.5 to 2.5, a molar ratio of alcohol to the alkoxide or inorganic silicate is 0.5; and the sol is either let to gel without induced changes of composition and without forced drying of the sol, or a change of composition is induced; and within a time of 30 minutes, from the induced change forced drying of the sol is carried out or initiated.

Polyphosphate glass microspheres (PGMs) are prepared using a polyphosphate coacervate. PGMs can be loaded with various therapeutic agents and can be used for various medical and dental procedures and treatments.

An inorganic fiber containing silica, alumina, one or more alkali metal oxides, and one or more of alkaline earth metal oxides, transition metal oxides, or lanthanide series metal oxides. The inorganic fiber exhibits good thermal performance at use temperatures of 1260 C. and greater, retains mechanical integrity after exposure to the use temperatures, is free of crystalline silica upon devitrification, is alkali flux resistant, exhibits low bio-persistence in an acidic medium, and exhibits low dissolution in a neutral medium. Also provided are thermal insulation products incorporating the inorganic fibers, a method for preparing the inorganic fiber and a method of thermally insulating articles using thermal insulation prepared from the inorganic fibers.

A biocompatible, biodegradable composite material, and method of using nanoparticles formed within the composite material for nerve repair are disclosed. The nanoparticles may not be formed until the glass degrades upon contact with a fluid in vivo or in vitro.

A resorbable tissue scaffold fabricated from bioactive glass fiber forms a rigid three-dimensional porous matrix having a bioactive composition. Porosity in the form of interconnected pore space is provided by the space between the bioactive glass fiber in the porous matrix. Strength of the bioresorbable matrix is provided by bioactive glass that fuses and bonds the bioactive glass fiber into the rigid three-dimensional matrix. The resorbable tissue scaffold supports tissue in-growth to provide osteoconductivity as a resorbable tissue scaffold, used for the repair of damaged and/or diseased bone tissue.

Polyphosphate glass microspheres (PGMs) are prepared using a polyphosphate coacervate. PGMs can be loaded with various therapeutic agents and can be used for various medical and dental procedures and treatments.