Bone is a highly anisotropic, viscoelastic material that has the ability to continually adapt to changes in its physiological or mechanical environment. The capacity of bone to resist mechanical forces and fractures depends not only on the quantity of bone tissue but also on its quality. Bone is a composite material, made from a collagenous matrix and from minerals. The collagenous matrix provides toughness (fracture resistance) and the minerals increase the bone’s stiffness (bending resistance). By itself, the mineral phase is brittle and fractures easily....