Applications
Biomaterials are used in:
- Joint replacements
- Bone plates
- Bone cement
- Artificial ligaments and tendons
- Dental implants for tooth fixation
- Blood vessel prostheses
- Heart valves
- Skin repair devices (artificial tissue)
- Cochlear replacements
- Contact lenses
- Breast implants
Biomaterials must be compatible with the body, and there are often issues of biocompatibility which must be resolved before a product can be placed on the market and used in a clinical setting. Because of this, biomaterials are usually subjected to the same requirements as those undergone by new drug therapies.
All manufacturing companies are also required to ensure traceability of all of their products so that if a defective product is discovered, others in the same batch may be traced.
Read more about this topic: Biomaterial