Polymeric Biomaterials in Medica L Systems

Abstract

Synthetic materials made from polymers, glass ceramics, and metals, as well as materials of biological origin, have been used as biomaterials which can be defined as materials to be used in contact with human living cells. Advantages of polymeric materials over the others are their wide flexibility in physical properties varying from viscous fluid to tough solid. A serious drawback of polymers is their insufficient mechanical strength when used as medical devices in orthopaedic and oral surgeries. In such cases, ceramics and metals are the first choice for the biomaterials, although their modulus is too high in comparison with that of bone and tooth tissues, occasionally resulting in stress shielding to the tissues in contact.