Resorb

Resorb is a term used across biology, medicine, and commerce to denote processes involving absorption or breakdown of material by the body, or the use of materials designed to be absorbed over time. As a verb, resorb means to absorb again or to break down and assimilate previously formed tissue or substance.

In medical and physiological contexts, resorption describes how tissues and substances are removed or remodeled. A central example is bone resorption, conducted by osteoclasts during bone remodeling to release minerals such as calcium into the bloodstream. Resorption also appears in fluid and drug dynamics, where substances may be reabsorbed at various sites in the body, including the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract. Pathological resorption can occur in dental and skeletal tissues, sometimes leading to tissue loss if the resorptive processes outpace repair.

Resorbable materials are a major area within surgery and dentistry. These are designed to degrade gradually within the body and be replaced by native tissue, reducing the need for surgical removal. Examples include resorbable sutures and membranes, as well as bone graft substitutes made from polymers or collagen. Common resorbable polymers include polyglycolic acid and polylactic acid, among others. In dental practice, resorption phenomena can also refer to the loss of dental hard tissue in conditions such as external or internal tooth resorption.

Branding and product use: the term resorb is sometimes employed as a brand name for various resorbable products in medical fields, underscoring its association with materials that are intended to be absorbed by the body over time.

Etymology: resorb comes from Latin resorbere, meaning to swallow back or take up again. See also resorption, osteoclast, bone remodeling, resorbable material.