Novel Antibacterial Calcium Phosphate Cement

Abstract

The antibacterial brushite-forming calcium phospahte cements (CPC) were prepared using an equimolar mixture of β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and monocalcium phosphate monohydrate (MCPM) with chlorine dioxide (ClO2) generating powders (sodium chlorite and mixed acid activator). The effect of ClO2 on cement setting time, compressive strength, and antibacterial property of novel antibacterial CPC was investigated. The use of 0.3M citric acid solutions as liquid phase enabled final setting times of 5~10 min. The setting time of antibacterial cement systems was prolonged with increasing the amount of antibiotic used. Dry compressive strength was found to be in the range between 9~15 MPa and increased with addition of ClO2 generating powders. Wet compressive strength was slightly decreased compared to dry compressive strength after immersion of cement samples in water for 24 h. The antimicrobial potency of the different cement formulations was investigated using the agar diffusion method. The acidic brushite cement itself showed the inhibitory effect for Streptococcus mutans. The inhibition zone was increased with the amount of ClO2 generating powders. These results indicate that our novel antibacterial CPC have the great potential to avoid the development of infections for preventive antibiotic therapy.