<p>The replacement of diseased joints with artificial implants can significantly enhance physical and mental health of an individual, particularly in case of osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Knee and hip replacements are two most frequently performed surgeries and life expectancy of such implants remains the main cause of concern. One of the most important influencing factors for implant failure is wear of the mating parts. Therefore, current study is primarily concerned with implant wear caused by friction between mating load bearing surfaces and presents an updated and comprehensive review on potential of abrasive-assisted advanced finishing processes (AFPs) to achieve precision and improved surface finish of implants. The paper also identifies the key research challenges and opportunities for future research. It can be summarized that the friction between mating surfaces is greatly affected by surface roughness which can be reduced by employing AFPs, thereby increasing the functionality and life expectancy of medical implants.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>