Methods of making shaped load-bearing osteoimplant

A method for making a load-bearing osteoimplant which comprises:

• providing an aggregate containing a population of bone particles and, optionally, one or more optional components selected from the group consisting of binder, filler, plasticizer, wetting agent, surface active agent, biostatic/biocidal agent, bioactive substance, reinforcing material and reinforcing structure,
• wherein at least some of the bone particles in the population are not fully demineralized and at least some of the bone particles in the population are fibrous bone particles;
• and
• shaping the aggregate into a coherent mass in at least one shaping operation to provide a shaped composite having an initial configuration for subsequent shaping into a desired osteoimplant or a final configuration corresponding to that of the osteoimplant, wherein the shaped composite has a bulk density of greater than approximately 0.7 g/cm3.