Towards 3D fabrication of MgP-based mechanically competent implants for bone regeneration

The development of the degradable bone implants has gained a great attention
during the last years. This need comes from the fact that autologous bone
transplantation, which is the current standard and most effective treatment of bone
defects, is associated with severe drawbacks regarding donor site morbidity and
limited availability. However, there is a lack of synthetic materials that are degradable,
osteopromotive and mechanically competent at the same time. Further, materials
processing and the implantation of the scaffolds in the body are also an important
challenge. In this thesis, by using advanced 3D printing technologies, the fabrication
of biodegradable, patient-specific, and mechanically competent MgP-based implants
has been explored to treat critical-sized bone defects. The developed MgP-based
biomaterial is inspired by the composition of native bone tissue and can be degraded
in the body and subsequently be replaced by native bone.