Abstract
Bone tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary concept that combines biological and engineering principles to repair bone defects. Three elements that have a fundamental role in bone tissue engineering are scaffolds, stem cells, and bioactive components. Scaffolds mimic extracellular matrix functions and provide mechanical support for the new tissue formation. They are made of different natural and synthetic materials that can be categorized into three main groups: ceramics, metals, and polymers. Among them, synthetic polyesters and their combination with bioceramics, have been the most frequently used for scaffold fabrication. They could be potentially applied in clinical practice in the future as an alternative to the standard use of bone grafts but more studies are needed to assess their performance in the challenging conditions of human bone defects.