BIOMATERIALS

Biomaterials are a class of high-tech materials used to diagnose, repair, or enhance their
function in human tissues and organs, that is, natural or man-made materials used to
replace and repair living tissues, and their effects are irreplaceable. Biomaterials can
perform, enhance, or replace a function that is lost due to illness, injury, and so on, but can
not restore a defective site.
CLASSIFICATION

1 Metal Materials

2 Inorganic Materials

3 Organic Materials
CHARACTERISTICS

Biological Biocompatibilit Chemical

Machinability
Functionality y Stability
APPLICATIONS

Artificial Cardiovascular
joints system
APPLICATIONS
Soft tissue materials
Soft tissue materials are primarily used as materials for soft
tissues, especially for membranes and tubes of artificial
organs. Polyethylene film can be used to make artificial lungs,
kidneys, and the like. Polyester fibers can be used to make
blood vessels, peritoneum, and the like.

Biomedical Hard tissue materials

Polymers Hard tissue materials including acrylic polymer silicone
rubber can be used to make artificial bones and artificial
joints.

Degradable materials
Degradable material means that the aliphatic polyester
has biodegradability and has been used for acceptable
surgical sutures.
APPLICATIONS
Bioceramics
After the bioceramic is implanted into the living body, the
antelope apatite layer can be formed on the surface of the tissue,
so it can be used for artificially implanting roots, crowns, bone
filling materials and coating materials.

Bioglass
Bioglass can be implanted into the bone defect of the human
body. It can directly bind to the bone tissue and repair the
bone tissue and restore its function.

Carbon materials
Medical carbon materials are relatively stable in physiological
environments and have been widely used for the repair of
cardiovascular systems, such as artificial heart valves and
artificial blood vessels. It can also be used as a coating material
for metals and polymers.
IMPACT OF BIOMATERIALS
BIOMATERIALS USES

Biomaterials can be defined as a matter that interacts with the biological

systems. Study of which is known as Biomaterials science. Development of
new and novel products has lead to the growth of the field and gained
importance in the society. The field mainly comprises of Material science,
Tissue engineering etc.
EXAMPLES

Heart valves
In the United States, 45% of the 250,000 valve replacement
procedures performed annually involve a mechanical valve
implant. The most widely used valve is a bileaflet disc heart
valve, or St. Jude valve. The mechanics involve two
semicircular discs moving back and forth, with both
allowing the flow of blood as well as the ability to form a
seal against backflow. The valve is coated with pyrolytic
carbon, and secured to the surrounding tissue with a mesh
of woven fabric called Dacron. The mesh allows for the
body's tissue to grow while incorporating the valve.
TISSUE ENGINEERING

Degeneration or loss of organs, tissue component or cell unit remains the consequences
of home or sport injuries, trauma, wear and tear of various diseases in human beings.
The transplantation of tissue for the treatment of these diseases in different forms like
autograft, allograft or xenograft posed potential benefits as well as risks. Due to the
presence of many risk factors over health benefits of using allograft and others
techniques, an alternative field termed as Tissue Engineering (TE) and Regenerative
Medicine (RM) has been employed to enhance healthcare delivery in the core areas of
regenerating, replacing and repairing of worn out or diseased tissues and organs.
HOW ARE BIOMATERIALS USED IN CURRENT
MEDICAL PRACTICE?
Doctors, researchers, and bioengineers use biomaterials for the following broad range of applications:

• Medical implants, including heart valves, stents, and grafts; artificial joints, ligaments, and tendons; hearing loss
implants; dental implants; and devices that stimulate nerves.
• Methods to promote healing of human tissues, including sutures, clips, and staples for wound closure, and
dissolvable dressings.
• Regenerated human tissues, using a combination of biomaterial supports or scaffolds, cells, and bioactive molecules.
Examples include a bone regenerating hydrogel and a lab-grown human bladder.
• Molecular probes and nanoparticles that break through biological barriers and aid in cancer imaging and therapy at
the molecular level.
• Biosensors to detect the presence and amount of specific substances and to transmit that data. Examples are blood
glucose monitoring devices and brain activity sensors.
• Drug-delivery systems that carry and/or apply drugs to a disease target. Examples include drug-coated vascular
stents and implantable chemotherapy wafers for cancer patients.
 WHAT ARE IMPORTANT AREAS FOR FUTURE
RESEARCH ON BIOMATERIALS?
Three fascinating technologies below suggest directions for biomaterials on the horizon:

• Immunomodulation is an adjustment of the immune response to a desired level. Immunomodulating biomaterials may help to tackle
widespread chronic diseases such as type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease where the body's defense destroys insulin-producing cells in the
pancreas. Researchers recently developed an injectable, synthetic biomaterial that reversed type 1 diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice—an
important step in developing a biodegradable platform to help control the effects of the disease.

• Injectable biomaterials are being used increasingly for the delivery of therapeutic agents such as medicine, genetic materials, and proteins.
They offer the possibility to treat a variety of conditions by providing targeted delivery while avoiding uptake by the immune system.
Research currently underway using both synthetic and naturally derived injectable biomaterials may one day be used to treat bone defects,
cancer, and heart attacks.

• Supramolecular biomaterials—complexes of molecules that exceed the limits of what molecules can do on their own—have the potential to
both sense and respond, making them ideal materials for treating injury or disease. Researchers are exploring the development of
supramolecular biomaterials that can be turned on or off in response to physiological cues or that mimic natural biological signaling.
Biomaterials classification with their advantages,
disadvantages, and applications
CONCLUSION
Biomaterials have been developed in a wide range mainly based on its properties
and biomedical applications. It has made a great impact in various medical
applications. Biodegradable polymers can be produced from various renewable
resources that is eco- friendly. It has some drawbacks but it does not affect the
commercial applications in wider manner. The advantage of the bio – based
polymers is that it has better performance in their bio medical property. Various
advancements have been made in the development of the biopolymers and in the
betterment of the properties of those biomaterials in the desired applications.