Calcium Orthophosphates as Bioceramics - Calcium Orthophosphates: Applications in Nature, Biology and Medicine - page 332

of biomaterials, biomedical sciences become the key part of the
research. These include cell and molecular biology, anatomy and
animal and human physiology. The final aim is to achieve the correct
biological interaction of the implanted biomaterials with living
tissues of a host. In order to achieve the goals, several stages have to
be performed, namely: material synthesis, design and manufacturing
of prostheses, followed by various types of tests. Furthermore, any
potential biomaterial must also pass all regulatory requirements
before its clinical application [43].
The major difference of biomaterials from other classes of
materials is their ability to remain in a biological environment
without damaging the surroundings and without being damaged in
that process. Therefore, biomaterials in the form of implants (sutures,
bone plates, joint replacements, ligaments, vascular grafts, etc.) and
medical devices (pacemakers, biosensors, artificial hearts, blood
tubes, etc.) are widely used to replace and/or restore the function
of traumatized or degenerated tissues or organs, to assist in healing,
to improve function, to correct abnormalities, and, thus, to improve
the quality of life of the patients [44]. In any case, biomaterials are
intended to interface with biological systems to evaluate, treat,
augment or replace any tissue, organ or function of the body and
are now used in a number of different applications throughout the
body [5, 6, 45]. Thus, biomaterials are solely associated with the
health care domain and must have an interface with tissues or tissue
components. One should stress that any artificial materials those
simply are in contact with skin, such as hearing aids and wearable
artificial limbs, are not included in the definition of biomaterials
since the skin acts as a protective barrier between the body and the
external world.

Biomaterials must be distinguished from biological materials

because the former are the materials that are accepted by living
tissues and, therefore, they might be used for tissue replacements,
while the latter are the materials being produced by various biological
systems (wood, cotton, bones, chitin, etc . ) [46]. In addition, there are

biomimetic materials , which are not made by living organisms but

have the composition, structure and properties similar to those of
biological materials. Further, (or biomedical ceramics)

might be defined as biomaterials of the ceramic [47] origin. In
general, bioceramics can have structural functions as joint or tissue
replacements, be used as coatings to improve the biocompatibility

bioceramics