Bioactive glasses transformed healthcare and pioneered regenerative medicine. Larry Hench’s 45S5 glass, introduced 50 years ago, bonded with bone and stimulated osteogenesis through biologically active ions. Widely used in millions of patients for bone and dental repairs, bioactive glasses have since expanded to soft tissue repair and drug delivery. Despite advancements, their full potential remains unrealized. Progress requires collaboration among chemists, bioengineers, and clinicians. This article reviews current applications, highlights six key challenges and encourages researchers to explore new possibilities for bioactive glass in medicine.
Keywords: bioglass; tissue engineering; scaffold; coating; angiogenesis; drug delivery; ion release;
