Osseous coagulum collected in bone traps: potential for bacterial contamination and methods for decontamination

Area of Science:

• Oral surgery
• Bacteriology
• Biomaterials science

Background:

• Autogenous bone is the preferred dental grafting material due to its osteogenic potential.
• Bone collected in osseous coagulum traps is susceptible to oral bacterial contamination.
• Effective methods to reduce bacterial contamination in collected bone are needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess bacterial contamination in osseous coagulum bone samples.
• To evaluate the efficacy of different treatments in reducing bacterial contamination.

Main Methods:

• Fifty bone samples were collected from implant osteotomy procedures.
• Samples were divided into groups and treated with normal saline, chlorhexidine, or tetracycline; control group received no treatment.
• Bacterial cultures were performed to quantify aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, including pathogens.

Main Results:

• All samples showed bacterial contamination, with significant levels of viridans streptococci and enterics.
• Tetracycline treatment resulted in a statistically significant reduction in aerobic (6-fold) and anaerobic (5-fold) bacteria.
• Tetracycline showed a trend towards reducing streptococci, but it was not statistically significant.

Conclusions:

• Osseous coagulum traps lead to significant bacterial contamination of autogenous bone.
• Tetracycline demonstrates potential for reducing bacterial load in bone grafts.
• Further research is warranted to develop effective decontamination strategies for bone grafting materials.