The potential roles of nanobiomaterials in distraction osteogenesis

Distraction osteogenesis (DO) technique is used worldwide to treat many orthopedic conditions. Although successful, one limitation of this technique is the extended period of fixators until the bone is consolidated. The application of growth factors (GFs) is one promising approach to accelerate bone regeneration during DO. Despite promising in vivo results, its use is still limited in the clinic. This is secondary to inherent limitations of these GFs. Therefore, a development of delivery systems that allow sustained sequential release is necessary. Nanoparticles and nanocomposites have prevailing properties that can overcome the limitations of the current delivery systems. In addition, their use can overcome the current challenges associated with the insufficient mechanical properties of scaffolds and suboptimal osteogenic differentiation of transplanted cells in the distraction gap. We discuss the clinical implications, and potential early applications of the nanoparticles and nanocomposites for developing new treatments to accelerate bone regeneration in DO.