Revolutionizing medical implant fabrication: advances in additive manufacturing of biomedical metals

Additive manufacturing has emerged as a transformative technology for producing biomedical metals and implants, offering the potential to revolutionize patient care and treatment outcomes. This article reviews the recent advances in additive manufacturing (AM) of biomedical metal implants, especially load-bearing biomedical alloys, biodegradable alloys, novel metals, and 4D printing, whose properties are systematically assessed to facilitate material selection for specific medical applications. The applications of the most cutting-edge artificial intelligence in AM and surface functional modification are also presented. This article also explores the application of AM in various medical specialties, such as orthopedics, dentistry, cardiology, and neurosurgery, demonstrating its potential to solve complex clinical challenges and advance patient-centered healthcare solutions. Furthermore, it highlights the critical roles of AM in shaping the future of medical implant manufacturing. The optimistic outlook on the bright future of AM in medical metals delivers personalized, high-performance medical implants that improve patient treatment outcomes and well-being.