  After more than five decades of research, the failure of bone implants is
still an issue that becomes increasingly urgent to solve in our ageing
population. Among the reasons for failure, catastrophic brittle fracture is one
event that is directly related to the implant s material and fabrication and
that deserves more attention. Indeed, clinically available implants pale at
reproducing the hierarchical and heterogeneous microstructural organization of
our natural bones, ultimately failing at reproducing their mechanical strength
and toughness. Nevertheless, the recent advances in additive and advanced
manufacturing open new horizons for the fabrication of biomimetic bone
implants, challenging at the same time their characterization, testing and
modelling. This critical review covers selected recent achievements in bone
implant research from a materials standpoint and aims at deciphering some of
the most urgent issues in this multidisciplinary field.
