Microbiological analysis of autologous bone particles obtained by low-speed drilling and treated with different decontamination agents

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The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of three agents – two antibiotics (amoxicillin and clindamycin) and an antiseptic (chlorhexidine) – to decontaminate bone grafts obtained by low-speed drilling. The study included 248 bone tissue samples harvested from 62 patients by low-speed drilling before dental implant placement. Each of four samples obtained from every patient was dropped, using a sterile instrument, into a sterile tube containing a 500-μl solution of 400μg/mL amoxicillin, 150μg/mL clindamycin, 0.12% chlorhexidine, or physiological saline for 1min. The number of colony-forming units (CFU) was determined at 48h of culture. The use of clindamycin, amoxicillin, or chlorhexidine as decontaminant for 1min significantly reduced the CFU count when compared to physiological saline (control agent). In both anaerobic and CO2-rich atmospheres, significant differences in CFU/mL were found between the control and chlorhexidine groups (P<0.001), control and amoxicillin groups (P<0.001), control and clindamycin groups (P<0.001), chlorhexidine and amoxicillin groups (P<0.0001), and chlorhexidine and clindamycin groups (P<0.0001). In conclusion, clindamycin had the highest decontaminating effect on bone particles obtained by low-speed drilling, followed by chlorhexidine and amoxicillin. Clindamycin may therefore be a valid alternative option for the routine decontamination of intraoral bone grafts.