On fracture modelling of implantable load-bearing bioceramic structures and its state of the art

Load-bearing ceramic structures have gained significant attention in biomedical applications attributable to their favourable mechanical and biological properties. However, their inherent brittleness and material defects compromise reliability and lead to premature, and catastrophic failure in vivo. To address these limitations, computational modelling has emerged as a powerful tool for predicting and analysing the fracture behaviour of various ceramic biostructures, elucidating failure mechanisms, and guiding the design of more robust ceramic implantable systems. This review provides a comprehensive overview of modelling techniques and fracture criteria relevant to load-bearing ceramic biostructures. It encompasses a range of clinical applications, including dental, orthopaedic and bone tissue engineering, and explores how modelling strategies can identify critical regions prone to crack initiation and evaluate the impact of anatomical, material, and loading factors on structural integrity. By highlighting the predictive capabilities of computational approaches, this review underscores the modelling roles in enhancing the biomechanical performance and safety of bioceramic implants. Finally, it outlines current challenges and future perspectives in computational fracture modelling, providing a foundation for advancing simulation-based design and clinical translation of ceramic-based biomaterials. Statement of significance While prior reviews have discussed ceramic biomaterials and general applications of finite element analysis (FEA) in dentistry and orthopedics, a focused synthesis on damage and fracture modeling of implantable, load-bearing bioceramic structures remains lacking. This review fills that gap by systematically exploring a broad range of computational strategies, including FEA, XFEM, phase field, cohesive zone models, descrete element method, and peridynamics, alongside relevant fracture criteria and modeling workflows. With a particular emphasis on dental, orthopedic, and bone regeneration applications, the review highlights the critical role of numerical simulation in predicting fracture behavior and informing prosthetic design of bioceramics. By linking modeling techniques with clinical relevance, this work supports the development of more reliable, durable, and patient-specific implantable ceramic devices for translational biomedical applications.