[Risks and regulations related to materials used in implantology and maxillofacial surgery]

In the present paper, the authors call in mind the definitions of biocompatibility and the essential qualities required for biomaterials. The materials mostly used in implantology and maxillofacial surgery are numerous alloys, bioceramics, resorbable and non-resorbable polymers, and finally osseous substitutes of human or animal origin. As to synthetic and non-living materials, the risks in patients are generated by the degradation products. These may induce tissular reactions of inflammatory or immune origin owing to toxic effects. Concerning osseous substitutes, rejections are mostly of immune origin, for allografts and in particular for xenografts. Infections may be another major risk and in spite of all precautionary measures viral infections by hepatitis B, HIV and transmissible spongiform encephalopathy are not yet got under total control. It is just in these domains that one can state juristic lacks which national and european organisation of standardisation and homologation have to cover during the next few years.