[Bone substitutes].

A large variety of different bone substitutes are available for the treatment of congenital or acquired bone defects as an alternative to bone transplantation. Complications associated with graft harvesting, limited donor resources, and the potential risk of transmission of infectious diseases have led to the development of multiple concepts of new bone substitutes to minimize the wellknown problems. This article intends to give an overview of the products currently available on the market. Inorganic materials such as ceramics from hydroxyapatite and/or tricalcium phosphate, calcium phosphate cements, calcium sulfates and bioglass,organic materials (polymers) and composites, xenografts,and glass ionomer cements are discussed.