Current Research Perspectives of Orthopedic Implant Materials

Abstract An orthopedic implant is a medical device used for treating the disability caused by various bone trauma such as fracture and also used to replace a missing joint or to provide support to the affected bone. The orthopedic implants have evolved through various generations. The recent developments in implants are focused on tissue-implant responses and the ways to answer them. The present chapter gives a comprehensive overview of the implants with respect to their history, materials used in the manufacture of implants, and associated properties of the materials. An emphasis is also laid on the complications associated with the implantation and methods to get past them both by tweaking the properties (increasing the biocompatibility) and manufacturing method. The required properties of the materials are also discussed in detail along with their evolution from metals to ceramics. Fabrication techniques including electrostatic spray deposition (ESD) and fiber laser surface engineering are also discussed with a proper focus on the entire design process involving verification, validation, and transfer. Currently, for the manufacture of orthopedic implants, directives of different countries, for example, European Union, United States, and Japan, are being followed. This chapter provides an overview of various implant materials used in orthopedics, various generations, and the vital properties critical for the selection of implant materials. This chapter also gives an idea about the design and development and manufacturing of orthopedic implants. The complications associated with the performance of the implant materials are also addressed to a sufficient extent in this chapter along with regulatory approval requirements, clinical trials, and current market status.