ABSTRACT
Considerable advancements in the understanding and the fabrication of biomaterials for medical devices have been made over the years. Early medical devices were made from available materials, such as ivory, bone, and wood, and the skill of the resident surgeon in order to replace lost or damaged limbs. Modeling can be used on a smaller scale to determine the molecular physicochemical interactions in biological systems and between biomaterials. The fields of biomaterials and mechanobiology are still in their initial stages despite considerable advancements in understanding how the physical properties of materials affect biological functions. New fabrication techniques have led to the design of "smart" materials. Smart or reactionary materials can significantly change one or more of its properties in reaction to an external stimulus such as stress, temperature, pH, and electric or magnetic fields. In addition to smart materials, 3D-printing, a convenient way to create materials with custom shapes and designs, has received attention recently.
