<PAGE>   1
    AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 3, 1999
                                                    REGISTRATION NO. 333-_______
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                    ---------------------------------------
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                    ---------------------------------------
                          INTERPORE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
               DELAWARE                                   95-3043318
    -------------------------------                  ----------------------
<S>                                                  <C>
    (STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF                    (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
    INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)                   IDENTIFICATION NUMBER)
</TABLE>


                    ---------------------------------------
                              181 TECHNOLOGY DRIVE
                          IRVINE, CALIFORNIA 92618-2402
           (Address of Principal Executive Offices including Zip Code)

                    ---------------------------------------
                        THE INTERPORE CROSS INTERNATIONAL
                       1999 CONSULTANTS STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (FULL TITLE OF THE PLAN)

                    ---------------------------------------

<TABLE>
<S>                                       <C>
         RICHARD L. HARRISON                             COPY TO:
   SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT -- FINANCE,                CHARLES K. RUCK, ESQ.
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND SECRETARY                LATHAM & WATKINS
    INTERPORE INTERNATIONAL, INC.         650 TOWN CENTER DRIVE, TWENTIETH FLOOR
         181 TECHNOLOGY DRIVE                  COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA 92626
    IRVINE, CALIFORNIA 92618-2402                     (714) 540-1235
            (949) 453-3200
</TABLE>

                    ---------------------------------------

            (NAME, ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER,
                   INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                              PROPOSED
                                                            PROPOSED          MAXIMUM
            TITLE OF EACH CLASS             AMOUNT           MAXIMUM          AGGREGATE        AMOUNT OF
              OF SECURITIES TO              TO BE         OFFERING PRICE      OFFERING        REGISTRATION
               BE REGISTERED              REGISTERED      PER SHARE (1)       PRICE (1)           FEE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                     <C>               <C>                <C>              <C>
Common Stock $0.01 par value (2)        300,000 shares       $6.71875        $2,015,625           $560
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

(1)  Estimated solely for the purposes of calculating the registration fee
     pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
     is based on the average of the high and low sales price of the Common
     Stock, as reported on The Nasdaq Stock Market on August 31, 1999.

(2)  Each share of Common Stock being registered hereunder, if issued prior to
     the termination by the Company of its Rights Agreement, will include one
     Common Share Purchase Right. Prior to the occurrence of certain events, the
     Common Share Purchase Rights will not be exercisable or evidenced
     separately from the Common Stock.

PROPOSED SALE TO TAKE PLACE AS SOON AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE REGISTRATION
          STATEMENT AS OPTIONS GRANTED UNDER THE PLAN ARE EXERCISED.

================================================================================

<PAGE>   2

                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

     The information called for in Part I of Form S-8 is not being filed with or
included in this Form S-8 (by incorporation by reference or otherwise) in
accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission").

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

     The following documents, which we filed with the Commission, are
incorporated by reference into this registration statement:

     (a)  The description of Common Stock contained in our registration
          statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission (File No. 000-22958).

     (b)  The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
          December 31, 1998;

     (c)  The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter
          ended March 31, 1999; and

     (d)  The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter
          ended June 30, 1999.

     In addition, all documents which we file pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c),
14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this registration statement
and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities
then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein
and to be a part of this registration statement from the date of the filing of
such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to
be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
for purposes of this registration statement to the extent that a statement
contained in this registration statement, or in any other subsequently filed
document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
registration statement, modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such
statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified
or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration statement.

ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

     Not Applicable.

ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

     The consolidated financial statements of Interpore International, Inc.
appearing in our Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 1998
have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, as set forth in
their report thereon included therein and incorporated herein by reference. Such
financial statements are, and audited financial statements to be included in
subsequently filed documents will be, incorporated herein in reliance upon the
reports of Ernst & Young LLP pertaining to such financial statements (to the
extent covered by consents filed with the Commission) given on the authority of
such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

     The consolidated financial statements of Cross Medical Products, Inc. and
Subsidiaries (formerly Danninger Medical Technology, Inc. and Subsidiaries) for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997 have been audited by
PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P., independent accountants, as set forth in their
report thereon included in our


                                       2
<PAGE>   3

Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998 and
incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements and schedules are,
and audited financials and schedules to be included in subsequently filed
documents will be, incorporated herein on reliance upon the reports of
PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P. pertaining to such financial statements and
schedules (to the extent covered by consents filed with the Commission) given
upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

     Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law permits a
Delaware corporation to limit the personal liability of its directors in
accordance with the provisions set forth therein. The Certificate of
Incorporation, as amended, of the Company provides that the personal liability
of its directors shall be limited to the fullest extent permitted by applicable
law.

     Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law contains provisions
permitting corporations to indemnify any person who is or was a director,
officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or who is or was serving at the
request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, in
accordance with the provisions set forth therein. The Bylaws of the Company
generally provide for indemnification of such persons to the fullest extent
allowed by applicable law.

     The inclusion of the above provisions in the Certificate of Incorporation
may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of stockholder derivative suits
against directors and may discourage or deter stockholders or management from
bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their duty of care, even
though such an action, if successful, might otherwise have benefited the Company
and its stockholders.

ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

     Not Applicable.

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS.

     See Index to Exhibits on Page 6.

ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS.

     (a)  The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

     (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to this registration statement;

          (i)  To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
               Securities Act;

          (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after
               the effective date of this registration statement (or the most
               recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or
               in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
               information set forth in the registration statement.
               Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume
               of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities
               offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any
               deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum
               offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed
               with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate,
               the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent
               change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the
               "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective
               registration statement;


                                       3
<PAGE>   4

          (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of
                distribution not previously disclosed in the registration
                statement or any material change to such information in the
                registration statement;

                provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do
                not apply if the information required to be included in a
                post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
                periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by
                the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
                Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the
                registration statement.

     (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any
of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.

     (b)  The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     (c)  Insofar  as  indemnification  for  liabilities  arising  under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors,  officers and controlling  persons
of the  registrant  pursuant to the  foregoing  provisions,  or  otherwise,  the
registrant  has  been  advised  that  in  the  opinion  of the  Commission  such
indemnification  is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is,  therefore,  unenforceable.  In the event  that a claim for  indemnification
against such  liabilities  (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director,  officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director,  officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been  settled by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a court of  appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such  indemnification  by it is against public
policy as  expressed  in the  Securities  Act and will be  governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.


                                       4
<PAGE>   5

                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant,
Interpore International, Inc., a Delaware corporation, certifies that it has
reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing
on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Irvine,
State of California, on this 1st day of September, 1999.

                                        Interpore International, Inc.


                                        By: /s/ DAVID C. MERCER
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            David C. Mercer, Chairman of the
                                            Board and Chief Executive Officer


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     Each person whose signature appears below hereby authorizes and appoints
David C. Mercer and Richard L. Harrison as attorneys-in-fact and agents, each
acting alone, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to sign on his
behalf, individually and in the capacities stated below, and to file any and all
amendments, including post-effective amendments, to this Registration Statement
and other documents in connection therewith, with the Commission, granting to
said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to perform any other
act on behalf of the undersigned required to be done in the premises.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities as of September 1, 1999.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Signature                        Title
---------                        -----
<S>                              <C>

/s/ DAVID C. MERCER              Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Director
-----------------------------
David C. Mercer


/s/ JOSEPH A. MUSSEY             President, Chief Operating Officer and Director
-----------------------------
Joseph A. Mussey


/s/ RICHARD L. HARRISON          Senior Vice President-Finance, Chief Financial Officer and
-----------------------------    Secretary (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
Richard L. Harrison


/s/ WILLIAM A. EISENECHER        Director
-----------------------------
William A. Eisenecher


/s/ DANIEL A. FUNK, M.D.         Director
-----------------------------
Daniel A. Funk, M.D.


/s/ G. BRADFORD JONES            Director
-----------------------------
G. Bradford Jones


/s/ ROBERT J. WILLIAMS           Director
-----------------------------
Robert J. Williams
</TABLE>



                                       5
<PAGE>   6

                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT                                                                                        PAGE
-------                                                                                        ----
<S>       <C>                                                                                <C>
   4.1    Rights Agreement dated November 19, 1998 between Interpore International, Inc.     (Note 1)
          and U.S. Stock Transfer Corporation.
   5.1    Opinion of Latham & Watkins                                                            7
  23.1    Consent of Latham & Watkins (included in Exhibit 5.1)                                  7
  23.2    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors                                     8
  23.3    Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P., Independent Accountants                      9
  24      Power of Attorney (included in the signature page to this Registration Statement)      5
</TABLE>

----------
(1)  Incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated
     December 1, 1998.


                                       6
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 18545}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "INTERPORE INTERNATIONAL /CA/", "cik": "0000854093", "assigned-sic": "3843", "irs-number": "953043318", "state-of-incorporation": "CA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-86523", "film-number": "99706151"}, "business-address": {"street1": "181 TECHNOLOGY DR", "city": "IRVINE", "state": "CA", "zip": "92718", "phone": "7144533200"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "181 TECHNOLOGY DR", "city": "IRVINE", "state": "CA", "zip": "92718-"}}
1
    AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 3, 1999
                                                    REGISTRATION NO. 333-_______
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                    ---------------------------------------
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                    ---------------------------------------
                          INTERPORE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
DELAWARE                                   95-3043318
    -------------------------------                  ----------------------
(STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF                    (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
    INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)                   IDENTIFICATION NUMBER)
---------------------------------------
                              181 TECHNOLOGY DRIVE
                          IRVINE, CALIFORNIA 92618-2402
           (Address of Principal Executive Offices including Zip Code)

                    ---------------------------------------
                        THE INTERPORE CROSS INTERNATIONAL
                       1999 CONSULTANTS STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (FULL TITLE OF THE PLAN)

                    ---------------------------------------
RICHARD L. HARRISON                             COPY TO:
   SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT -- FINANCE,                CHARLES K. RUCK, ESQ.
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND SECRETARY                LATHAM & WATKINS
    INTERPORE INTERNATIONAL, INC.         650 TOWN CENTER DRIVE, TWENTIETH FLOOR
         181 TECHNOLOGY DRIVE                  COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA 92626
    IRVINE, CALIFORNIA 92618-2402                     (714) 540-1235
            (949) 453-3200
---------------------------------------

            (NAME, ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER,
                   INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                              PROPOSED
                                                            PROPOSED          MAXIMUM
            TITLE OF EACH CLASS             AMOUNT           MAXIMUM          AGGREGATE        AMOUNT OF
              OF SECURITIES TO              TO BE         OFFERING PRICE      OFFERING        REGISTRATION
               BE REGISTERED              REGISTERED      PER SHARE (1)       PRICE (1)           FEE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock $0.01 par value (2)        300,000 shares       $6.71875        $2,015,625           $560
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)  Estimated solely for the purposes of calculating the registration fee
     pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
     is based on the average of the high and low sales price of the Common
     Stock, as reported on The Nasdaq Stock Market on August 31, 1999.

(2)  Each share of Common Stock being registered hereunder, if issued prior to
     the termination by the Company of its Rights Agreement, will include one
     Common Share Purchase Right. Prior to the occurrence of certain events, the
     Common Share Purchase Rights will not be exercisable or evidenced
     separately from the Common Stock.

PROPOSED SALE TO TAKE PLACE AS SOON AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE REGISTRATION
          STATEMENT AS OPTIONS GRANTED UNDER THE PLAN ARE EXERCISED.

================================================================================
2

                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

     The information called for in Part I of Form S-8 is not being filed with or
included in this Form S-8 (by incorporation by reference or otherwise) in
accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission").

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

     The following documents, which we filed with the Commission, are
incorporated by reference into this registration statement:

     (a)  The description of Common Stock contained in our registration
          statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission (File No. 000-22958).

     (b)  The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
          December 31, 1998;

     (c)  The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter
          ended March 31, 1999; and

     (d)  The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter
          ended June 30, 1999.

     In addition, all documents which we file pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c),
14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this registration statement
and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities
then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein
and to be a part of this registration statement from the date of the filing of
such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to
be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
for purposes of this registration statement to the extent that a statement
contained in this registration statement, or in any other subsequently filed
document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
registration statement, modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such
statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified
or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration statement.

ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

     Not Applicable.

ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

     The consolidated financial statements of Interpore International, Inc.
appearing in our Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 1998
have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, as set forth in
their report thereon included therein and incorporated herein by reference. Such
financial statements are, and audited financial statements to be included in
subsequently filed documents will be, incorporated herein in reliance upon the
reports of Ernst & Young LLP pertaining to such financial statements (to the
extent covered by consents filed with the Commission) given on the authority of
such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

     The consolidated financial statements of Cross Medical Products, Inc. and
Subsidiaries (formerly Danninger Medical Technology, Inc. and Subsidiaries) for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997 have been audited by
PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P., independent accountants, as set forth in their
report thereon included in our

                                       2
3

Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998 and
incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements and schedules are,
and audited financials and schedules to be included in subsequently filed
documents will be, incorporated herein on reliance upon the reports of
PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P. pertaining to such financial statements and
schedules (to the extent covered by consents filed with the Commission) given
upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

     Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law permits a
Delaware corporation to limit the personal liability of its directors in
accordance with the provisions set forth therein. The Certificate of
Incorporation, as amended, of the Company provides that the personal liability
of its directors shall be limited to the fullest extent permitted by applicable
law.

     Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law contains provisions
permitting corporations to indemnify any person who is or was a director,
officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or who is or was serving at the
request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, in
accordance with the provisions set forth therein. The Bylaws of the Company
generally provide for indemnification of such persons to the fullest extent
allowed by applicable law.

     The inclusion of the above provisions in the Certificate of Incorporation
may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of stockholder derivative suits
against directors and may discourage or deter stockholders or management from
bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their duty of care, even
though such an action, if successful, might otherwise have benefited the Company
and its stockholders.

ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

     Not Applicable.

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS.

     See Index to Exhibits on Page 6.

ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS.

     (a)  The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

     (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to this registration statement;

          (i)  To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
               Securities Act;

          (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after
               the effective date of this registration statement (or the most
               recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or
               in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
               information set forth in the registration statement.
               Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume
               of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities
               offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any
               deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum
               offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed
               with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate,
               the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent
               change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the
               "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective
               registration statement;

                                       3
4

          (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of
                distribution not previously disclosed in the registration
                statement or any material change to such information in the
                registration statement;

                provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do
                not apply if the information required to be included in a
                post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
                periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by
                the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
                Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the
                registration statement.

     (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any
of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.

     (b)  The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     (c)  Insofar  as  indemnification  for  liabilities  arising  under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors,  officers and controlling  persons
of the  registrant  pursuant to the  foregoing  provisions,  or  otherwise,  the
registrant  has  been  advised  that  in  the  opinion  of the  Commission  such
indemnification  is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is,  therefore,  unenforceable.  In the event  that a claim for  indemnification
against such  liabilities  (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director,  officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director,  officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been  settled by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a court of  appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such  indemnification  by it is against public
policy as  expressed  in the  Securities  Act and will be  governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

                                       4
5

                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant,
Interpore International, Inc., a Delaware corporation, certifies that it has
reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing
on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Irvine,
State of California, on this 1st day of September, 1999.

                                        Interpore International, Inc.

                                        By: /s/ DAVID C. MERCER
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            David C. Mercer, Chairman of the
                                            Board and Chief Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     Each person whose signature appears below hereby authorizes and appoints
David C. Mercer and Richard L. Harrison as attorneys-in-fact and agents, each
acting alone, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to sign on his
behalf, individually and in the capacities stated below, and to file any and all
amendments, including post-effective amendments, to this Registration Statement
and other documents in connection therewith, with the Commission, granting to
said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to perform any other
act on behalf of the undersigned required to be done in the premises.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities as of September 1, 1999.
Signature                        Title
---------                        -----
/s/ DAVID C. MERCER              Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Director
-----------------------------
David C. Mercer

/s/ JOSEPH A. MUSSEY             President, Chief Operating Officer and Director
-----------------------------
Joseph A. Mussey

/s/ RICHARD L. HARRISON          Senior Vice President-Finance, Chief Financial Officer and
-----------------------------    Secretary (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
Richard L. Harrison

/s/ WILLIAM A. EISENECHER        Director
-----------------------------
William A. Eisenecher

/s/ DANIEL A. FUNK, M.D.         Director
-----------------------------
Daniel A. Funk, M.D.

/s/ G. BRADFORD JONES            Director
-----------------------------
G. Bradford Jones

/s/ ROBERT J. WILLIAMS           Director
-----------------------------
Robert J. Williams
5
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                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT                                                                                        PAGE
-------                                                                                        ----
4.1    Rights Agreement dated November 19, 1998 between Interpore International, Inc.     (Note 1)
          and U.S. Stock Transfer Corporation.
   5.1    Opinion of Latham & Watkins                                                            7
  23.1    Consent of Latham & Watkins (included in Exhibit 5.1)                                  7
  23.2    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors                                     8
  23.3    Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P., Independent Accountants                      9
  24      Power of Attorney (included in the signature page to this Registration Statement)      5
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(1)  Incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated
     December 1, 1998.

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