Zinc Doped Synthetic Polymer Composites for Bone Regeneration: A Promising Strategy to Repair Bone Defects

Zinc-doped synthetic polymer composites are a potential approach for bone regeneration, effectively meeting the urgent requirement for efficient bone repair materials. This review critically examines recent advancements in zinc-doped synthetic polymer composites for bone regeneration, with a focus on their synthesis methods, material properties, biological interactions, and potential clinical applications. The primary findings indicate that adding zinc to synthetic polymers, such as poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid), polycaprolactone, and polyethylene glycol, enhances their mechanical strength, bioactivity, and biocompatibility. Those composite materials enable the regulated release of zinc, which stimulates cellular responses crucial for bone repair. The importance of this technique lies in its ability to give a versatile framework that promotes the regeneration of bone tissue, presenting a new alternative for patients with bone abnormalities and enhancing clinical results. Despite these advantages, Zn-doped polymer composites need to overcome challenges including high Zn concentration toxicity and altered degradation kinetics and changes in mechanical properties for optimized clinical success. Moreover, homogeneous Zn distribution within polymer matrices stands as an essential requirement to accomplish both stable bioactivity properties and uniform mechanical characteristics. The use of advanced fabrication methods will help overcome pelletization issues to improve the therapeutic application of Zn-doped polymer composites in bone tissue regeneration. This review is intended to provide a valuable resource for future research, contributing to the advancement of innovative therapies for bone regeneration. It facilitates the development of innovative solutions in regenerative medicines and bone repair by emphasizing the prospective role of zinc-doped polymers.