3D Printing of Ceramic Biomaterials

Bioceramics are a popular class of materials used in biomedical applications due to their mechanical stability and biocompatibility. They exist in a variety of fields including hip joints for orthopedics, tooth fillings for dentistry, and scaffolds for tissue engineering; however, the standard processes currently used to manufacture these ceramic products can be time-consuming and costly. In response, current literature alternatively proposes additive manufacturing (3D printing) strategies to fabricate bioceramic materials in a cost-effective and efficient manner. Herein, we briefly cover five common processes and materials used in additive manufacturing bioceramics: fused deposition modeling, material jetting, binder jetting, powder bed fusion, and vat photopolymerization. Furthermore, we discuss the potential of these 3D printed ceramic structures when applied to different biomedical technologies such as bone tissue scaffolds and structural implants.