ABSTRACT
Regenerative engineering is a field of study that focuses on the development of novel materials and the redevelopment of existing materials to facilitate the growth and the development of tissues and complete structures. Regenerative engineering seeks to create physical solutions for biological defects. When a regenerative engineering problem is approached, the engineers must decide what strategy they would like to employ for regeneration. Through the formation of implants using advanced biomaterials and techniques, the regenerative engineer is setting the stage for tissue growth and development to occur in vivo, rather than solely in a petri dish. Several tissue engineering technologies that have been developed over that time span have been applied to medicine. The chapter covers the latest advances in the use of metals and ceramics for regenerative engineering. The freedom offered by computer design, microengineering, and 3-D printing may be necessary for the formation of scaffolds to be capable of inducing complex tissue regeneration.
