ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at nanomaterials for implants and for tissue and organ replacement—the impact of nanotechnology on materials for tissue engineering, implants, and prosthetics. It reviews the areas and show how fundamental progress in nanoscience, with its strong convergences of many disciplines, is an enabling factor for progress in medical biomaterials and prosthetics. Nanotechnology enables the creation of new types of biocompatible and biodegradable materials and systems for reconstructing and replacing damaged tissue with implants and prostheses. Nanotechnology allows control over surface properties such as wettability, porosity, roughness, chemical affinities, and textures at the micro- and nanoscale, for optimizing interaction with proteins for cell adhesion. Nanotechnology methods help fabricate customized materials for compatibility with specific cells and tissues. Nanotechnology is providing surface treatments of wound dressings to accelerate blood clotting and kill bacteria, as well as tissue glues and adhe-sives for dressings.
