ABSTRACT
The number of families of biomaterials that can withstand the aggressive environment of the oral cavity is limited. However, implants and medical devices keep growing both in number and in complexity, and there must therefore be a sustained effort in research and development to understand the local and systemic effects of the interaction between the material and the oral cavity. For this reason, the biological, mechanical, physical and chemical properties of dental materials should be considered as forming part of a problem that affects quality, safety and the long-term performance of the medical device.
