Metallic contamination of bone during drilling procedures

The influence of drills and burs of different shapes and materials on the amount of metallic transfer was studied. In these experiments, holes were drilled in bone with radioactive tools and the amount of metal transferred to the bone was measured by means of gamma-ray spectrometry. The proportion of the drill material transferred to the bone varied widely, depending on the type of the drill, its previous usage, and on the specific element considered. Most of the drills transfer a few microgram of iron to the bone, together with smaller quantities of cobalt, tungsten, and chromium. The total quantity of material transferred to the bone from new drills exceeded that of old drills. Almost invariably, the second drilling transferred less material than did the first, even with used drills.