Bioactive glasses, ceramics, glass-ceramics and composites: State-of-the-art review and future challenges

Bioactive glasses, glass ceramics, and ceramic composites represent a transformative class of materials in regenerative medicine. The purpose of this review is to analyze the status of current developments in these bioactive materials, including their biological and mechanical properties, fabrication techniques, and clinical applications. Bioactive glasses are able to bond to both hard and soft tissues, stimulate osteogenesis, and release therapeutic ions that enhance cellular responses. Glass ceramics offer enhanced mechanical strength through controlled crystallization processes. Ceramic composites, incorporating bioactive components with polymers or other materials, address challenges, enabling tailored mechanical and biological properties for specific clinical applications. Despite significant progress, future challenges include optimizing mechanical properties for load-bearing applications, improving fabrication methods for complex structures like scaffolds and coatings, and exploring new compositions with therapeutic ions for enhanced bioactivity. This review underscores the potential of bioactive glasses, glass ceramics, and composites to revolutionize tissue engineering, dentistry, and medicine while identifying key challenges for advancing their clinical utility.