Image ©iStock/GarryKillian(06/10/2026) VA researchers in Salt Lake City incorporated low concentrations of copper, known for its antibacterial properties, into fluorapatite to create infection-resistant bone and dental implants. Fluorapatite is a mineral with potential as synthetic bone graft material, but bone grafts often fail because of bacterial infection. In testing, the copper-infused material successfully limited bacterial adhesion and preserved bone regeneration. Previous attempts at using copper to reduce infection risk in bone grafts proved toxic to bone-growing cells, called osteoblasts, but the researchers identified the correct concentration of copper to avoid this problem while still limiting bacterial growth. (Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, May 19, 2026)
