Abstract

Bioactive glasses, as pioneering artificial biomaterials, uniquely establish strong bonds with hard and soft native tissues by forming a bone-like hydroxyapatite layer in contact with physiological body fluid. This hydroxyapatite layer, mimicking the inorganic phase of natural bone, adds a fascinating dimension to their biomedical significance. Comprising three primary components; network formers, network modifiers, and intermediate oxide components; bioactive glasses allow tailored properties through component variation. While extensively explored for broadening biomedical applications, especially in regenerative medicine, their use is constrained by inherent mechanical shortcomings such as brittleness, fragility, and poor elasticity. Ongoing studies focus on incorporating bioactive glasses into composite/hybrid biomaterials with biopolymers, aiming to optimize mechanical properties for diverse biomedical applications, especially in load-bearing sites of hard tissues. Despite successful applications, the mechanical limitations persist, prompting investigations into the influence of composition and processing methods on bioactive glass properties. Notably, doping bioactive glasses with metallic ions at lower concentrations emerges as a promising avenue, enhancing mechanical and biological attributes, including bioactivity, osteogenicity, osteoinductivity, and antibacterial effects. This chapter provides a comprehensive examination of three bioactive glass types, accentuating their structures, properties, and processing methods. Additionally, it delves into property modifications facilitated by metallic ion dopants, contributing valuable insights to the evolving landscape of biomaterials.