In specific conditions, infection may lead to bone loss and is difficult to treat1. Current clinical approaches rely on the introduction of antibiotics. While these may be effective, there are concerns regarding the rise of antimicrobial resistance. There is therefore interest in the development of antimicrobial bone graft substitutes for dental and trauma surgery. The incorporation of zinc into biomaterials has been shown to confer broad spectrum antimicrobial activity, but this has not yet been applied to the development of a commercial bone graft substitute. The aim of this research was therefore to prepare and characterise a series of zinc-substituted nanoscale hydroxyapatite (nHA) materials, including evaluation of antimicrobial activity.Introduction
Aim & Objectives
