Bone grafts: which is the ideal biomaterial?

Abstract Bovine xenograft materials, followed by synthetic biomaterials, which unfortunately still lack documented predictability and clinical performance, dominate the market for the cranio‐maxillofacial area. In Europe, new stringent regulations are expected to further limit the allograft market in the future Aim Within this narrative review, we discuss possible future biomaterials for bone replacement. Scientific Rationale for Study Although the bone graft (BG) literature is overflooded, only a handful of new BG substitutes are clinically available. Laboratory studies tend to focus on advanced production methods and novel biomaterial features, which can be costly to produce. Practical Implications In this review, we ask why such a limited number of BGs are clinically available when compared to extensive laboratory studies. We also discuss what features are needed for an ideal BG. Results We have identified the key properties of current bone substitutes and have provided important information to guide clinical decision‐making and generate new perspectives on bone substitutes. Our results indicated that different mechanical and biological properties are needed despite each having a broad spectrum of variations. Conclusions We foresee bone replacement composite materials with higher levels of bioactivity, providing an appropriate balance between bioabsorption and volume maintenance for achieving ideal bone remodelling

Development of poly (ε-caprolactone)/ pine resin blends: study of thermal, mechanical, and antimicrobial properties

Blends of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) with pine resin, an extract from the plant Pinus caribaea—Hondurensis was prepared by melt mixing in mass ratios from 90/10 to 50/50. The thermal, crystallization, morphological, and mechanical properties of the blends were studied by differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, polarized optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and tensile test. Enzymatic degradation of the blends was investigated using porcine pancreatic and Candida rugosa lipase. Antimicrobial activity of the blends was tested against four strains of bacteria; Staphylococcus aureas, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using the zone inhibition method. Miscibility of the blends was confirmed by the depression in the equilibrium melting temperature (T0 m) of PCL estimated from Hoffman–Weeks plot and the presence of extinction rings in the spherulites of blended PCL. Interactions between the two components involved the carbonyl and the C-O-C groups. The tensile strength of the blends with low pine resin content was comparable to PCL but decreased with higher pine gum content. Enzymatic degradation of the blends increased with increasing pine resin content. The blends showed antimicrobial property with all the bacteria except E. coli. The developed biomaterial shows promising candidacy in medical applications