Biomaterial is defined, in the broader sense, as any pharmacologically inert material that is capable of interacting with a living organism without causing adverse reactions either at the site of the implant or across the whole organism. When an artificial material is placed in the human body, tissue reacts in a variety of ways depending on the material type thereby, affecting the mechanism of tissue attachment to that surface. Biologic classification is based on tissue response and systemic toxicity effects of the implant and is divided into three classes of biomaterials:
- Biotolerant
- Bioinert
- Bioactive