Abstract

Metallic biomaterials can be described as substances that do not contain drugs or active pharmaceutical ingredients, are natural or artificial in nature and are based on metallic elements or metallic alloys which are usually applied as a whole or part of biological systems and perform, amplify or substitute a function that has been lost through injury or illness. They can be used for an undefined duration in different spheres of patient health care such as medicine, surgery, dentistry and veterinary medicine. This chapter reviews the porous and non-porous structured class of metallic biomaterials, their desirable physicochemical and physicomechanical properties as well as their various types, fabrication methods and biomedical applications.