Current status of biomaterial's clinical applications in plastic and reconstructive surgery.

The use of biomaterials as replacement parts is not new. The concept has fascinated physicians for thousands of years. Using gold plates to reconstruct defects in the skull over 3000 years ago constituted the early record in the literature of use of biomaterials in implantology. The recent advances in space age technology and in clinical biocompatibility has been a major contributing factor in introducing new materials for use as implantology polymers. However, the ideal implant is still not there, and whenever a major reconstruction is required consideration should be given first to the use of autogenous substitutes; when that is not available, then we should resort to inorganic substitutes.