Dual-Functional Biomaterials for Bone Regeneration and Infection Control

Bone graft biomaterials for replacing defected bone sites have the potential risks of infection, which may interfere with bone healing and regeneration. Reconstructing the infected sites is complex and a big concern. Significant work has been conducted in the area of local drug delivery via biomaterial carriers to eliminate the infection. There is a growing need for the investigation of biomaterials having the function of both bone regeneration and prohibiting infection. However, there is little intersection in the available literatures between antibiotic treatment and bone tissue regeneration. In this review, we introduce current dual-purpose biomaterials and experimental rat models of infected bone defects with the goal of addressing the need for biomaterials for osteointegration as well as infection control.