Bioactive glasses in orthopedic applications

Bioactive glasses currently play a rather small role in orthopedic procedures when compared to metallic implants, despite its superior bioactivity within the body. Common metallic materials that are used to engineer and manufacture orthopedic implants generally consist of titanium and its alloys, cobalt-chromium alloys, and stainless steel 316L as they provide the best material properties based on their applications. However, these implants tend to carry the following risks: infection, surrounding tissue damage, and improper healing. Typically, it is not the implant that is directly responsible for the tissue damage or rejection, but the interaction between the bodily tissue and the implant. In some cases, when in contact with the physiological environment, a fibrous capsule of scar tissue has been known to form around the grafted implant, therefore interfering with the integration of the implant with the surrounding tissue. Bioactive glass presents as an alternative material that can be considered for surgical orthopedic applications. One major limitation that has prevented bioactive glasses dominance in the orthopedic surgical realm is its lack of ductility, strength, and ability to withstand load-bearing applications in supporting larger bones. This book chapter intends to showcase how bioactive glass is currently used in tissue engineering and its ability to improve and change current commonly used orthopedic implants.