The present invention relates to development of set of bioactive glasses and glass-ceramics compositions that are able to promote a fast deposition layer of carbonated hydroxyapatite upon immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF) for time periods as short as one hour. Such compositions might include fluorides, and a variety of oxides (or their precursor compounds), such as Na 2 O-Ag 2 O-SrO-CaO-MgO-ZnO-P 2 O 5 -SiO 2 -Bi 2 O 3 -B 2 O 3 -CaF 2 , be prepared by the melt route or by the sol-gel process, with the specific compositions and the preparation route selected according to the intended functionalities, which can present controlled biodegradation rates and bactericidal activity. The powders derived from glass melts purred in cold water (frits) may completely densify by sintering at temperatures up to 800°C without devitrification, resulting in bioglass compacts with high flexural strength (ˆ¼85 MPa). The bioactive glass powders prepared by sol-gel densify at lower temperatures due to their higher specific surface area and reactivity.
