Novel functional metallic materials for the treatment of bone disorders: Current progress and promising research directions

Repairing bone defects caused by disease or trauma has long been a central focus of orthopedic research. Among various biomaterials, metallic materials have consistently played a pivotal role owing to their excellent mechanical strength, biocompatibility, and machinability. In recent years, with continuous advances in medical technology and materials science, numerous emerging metallic materials have been developed and evaluated as bone implants, giving rise to the innovative concept of functional metallic materials. However, these novel materials still face multiple practical challenges that require further optimization. This review systematically summarizes and analyzes novel functional metallic materials for the treatment of bone disorders, highlighting recent progress in key performance aspects and their clinical translation. Furthermore, it discusses and forecasts promising research directions and potential breakthroughs in this field, aiming to provide insights for future studies and the accelerated clinical application of such materials in bone defect repair.