What are the applications of biomaterials?
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.
What are biomaterials properties?
The tensile strength, yield strength, elastic modulus, corrosion, creep, and hardness are some of the most important properties of biomaterials that should be carefully studied and evaluated before implantation.
What is a biomaterial and how does it relate to a biological material?
Biomaterial is defined as “a material intended to interface with biological systems to evaluate, treat, augment or replace any tissue, organ or function of the body” and biocompatibility has been defined as “the study and knowledge of the interactions between living and nonliving materials” [1].
What is meant by biocompatible?
Biocompatibility is a general term describing the property of a material being compatible with living tissue. Biocompatible materials do not produce a toxic or immunological response when exposed to the body or bodily fluids.
Who invented biomaterials?
Prof. Robert S. Langer
A half million dollar prize awarded to Prof. Robert S. Langer of Massachussets Institute of Technology earlier this year focussed attention on this remarkable biomedical engineer and his achievements.
How does the body react to implants?
The normal foreign body reaction consists of macrophages and foreign body giant cells at the surface of the implant with subjacent fibroblastic proliferation and collagen deposition, and capillary formation. Macrophages play a pivotal role in the response of tissue to implants.
How do you test biocompatibility?
Implant studies are often the most direct evaluation of device biocompatibility. The test material is placed in direct contact with living tissue. After an appropriate period, the implant site is recovered and examined microscopically for tissue reaction.
What are human biomaterials?
Biomaterials are materials meant to be inserted into the body to replace or repair damaged organs or tissues. Biomaterials often have special properties that allow them to be in contact with human cells, tissue, and organs without being rejected by the body.