Laser-Assisted Processing and Modification of Bioactive Glasses: A Review

Bioactive glasses and lasers have followed a relatively similar path. Lasers and bioactive glasses began their journey in the second half of last century. It was in 1960 when Dr. Theodore H. Maiman constructed the first laser and fascinated the world with that marvellous ray. It was in 1967 when a young associate professor, Larry L. Hench, was addressed by a colonel returned from Vietnam, that asked him about developing a material that could help his soldiers recover from severe bone injuries. Two years later, the first bioactive material, the Bioglass, was launched. From there, the development of lasers and bioactive glasses has been extraordinaire. From the very first laser, the red ruby laser, different types of lasers in terms of wavelength, power, mode of functioning, etc. have been developed during the last decades. In a similar way, starting with the 45S5 silicate-based Bioglass many different bioactive glass formulations, including distinct active ions have been explored. This paper attempts to provide insight into these points of interaction, where the application of different types of lasers on distinct formulations of bioactive glass has allowed the transformation of bioactive glass for use as coatings, as three-dimensional implants, or the production of nanofibers.