Inductive biomaterials are sought as alternatives to traditional materials used to treat bone defects. Traditional materials include autologous bone grafts that must be obtained surgically, and allografts that carry the risk of disease transmission and infection. Whereas the use of growth factors to stimulate bone growth has seen considerable advances, their efficacy is usually limited to supra-physiological doses with considerable side effects. On the other hand, certain biomaterials have an intrinsic ability to stimulate bone regeneration in lieu of growth factor use, and their use in repairing bone defects as well as improving the osteointegration of implants has been promising. These materials known as osteoinductive biomaterials include ceramics, metals, polymers, and composites of these materials. In this review, we examine the relevant properties of these different materials in their ability to induce bone formation.
