New Research on 3D Printed Bioactive Bone Implants Reveals Promising Properties

Using 3D printing to create bone implants is beneficial in more ways than one. Beyond achieving geometries personalized to the patient’s anatomy, the technology is compatible with diverse materials that can achieve more desirable properties than traditional implants, often made of titanium. Researchers at University College London published a study this month exploring how the interplay of ink composition and printing design shapes the structure, strength, and bioactivity of 3D printed bone implants. By utilizing a custom-made direct ink writing (DIW) printer, the team created implants that better guide bone cell growth while maintaining stability. This research builds on other studies done to improve personalized treatment for bone repair.

Published in Biomedical Technology, the study reveals how adjusting the printing ink and the way material is deposited can change the strength and healing potential of implants. DIW is an extrusion-based AM technology that works by printing with an ink at room temperature, unlike FDM, which relies on heating filament. According to the researchers, their 3D printed implants are mechanically stable while still encouraging bone cells to grow and form new tissue.

Graphical abstract of the study

Key Findings

Studies on 3D printed bone implants have been conducted before, so how does this research stand out? Well, the University College London researchers discovered that if they printed the implants at different angles, they behaved in surprising ways. “In fused deposition modeling, a common 3D printing method, printing filaments in the same direction as the applied force usually makes the implant stronger,” explains lead author Hongyi Chen from University College London. “But with our approach, we found the opposite—implants printed at 90 degrees actually had better strength because the filaments bonded more effectively.”