Layer-by-layer self-assembly and clinical application in orthopedics

•This review will introduce the basic principle and the development of LbL in orthopaedics, review and analyze the chemical strategy of LbL in the preparation of bone implants to ensure the stability of the implant.•The application of LbL includes the realization of programmed drug delivery and sustained release, thereby promoting osseointegration and the formation of new blood vessels, antibacterial, antioxidant, etc.•This review focuses on the LbL technology, involving the technology selection for the preparation of bone implants, the chemical strategies of the stability guarantee of LbL implants, the pharmacological properties, loading and release mechanisms of loaded drugs, and the molecular mechanisms of osteogenesis and angiogenesis.•The aim of this review is to provide an overview of current research advances, and a prospect in this field was also described.