TAGRA 2025

Biomaterials are extensively employed in medical implants owing to their remarkable biocompatibility and resistance to corrosion. These materials offer a robust foundation for various coating applications, among which hydroxyapatite is particularly notable due to its close chemical similarity to natural bone tissue, ensuring superior biocompatibility. A wide array of materials is currently developed or utilized as biomaterials for tissue regeneration and replacement in the human body. For instance, metal-based biomaterials such as stainless steel, titanium, and cobalt alloys are widely applied for bone restoration. Similarly, ceramic biomaterials are used in dental applications, including crowns, cements, and dentures. Synthetic polymers such as PEG, PLGA, and PMMA are employed in soft biomaterial applications, ranging from facial prostheses and tracheal tubes to contact lenses and medical adhesives. Moreover, natural polymers including collagen, fibrinogen, hyaluronic acid, and elastin demonstrate high efficacy in soft tissue engineering due to their specific amino acid sequences that interact with host cells, thereby initiating biochemical signals responsible for cell migration, proliferation, and differentiation that facilitate tissue repair and integration. Additionally, composite materials, such as fiber-reinforced and carbon nanotube-polymer composites, are increasingly explored for their lightweight nature and customizable mechanical properties, making them ideal for applications at the hard-soft tissue interface. The primary consideration in selecting suitable biomaterials lies in their compatibility with human physiology, ensuring long-term functionality without inducing adverse immune responses. Thus, biomaterials must be free from harmful effects such as injury, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, or immunogenicity, while effectively fulfilling their intended therapeutic role and eliciting a favorable cellular or tissue response.