Current Advances of Antibacterial Biomaterials for Bone Regeneration

Abstract Infectious bone defects represent a significant clinical challenge, characterized by prolonged treatment durations, high medical costs, a propensity for recurrence, and a risk of disability. This issue remains a critical concern in the orthopedic field globally. The successful management of infectious bone defects hinges on two primary aspects: bone reconstruction and eradication of infection. Synthetic bone repair materials can be broadly categorized into metallic materials, inorganic compounds, organic polymers, and composite materials. While antibiotics address most bacterial infections, their efficacy in treating bone infections is limited due to the unique physiological and anatomical characteristics of bone tissue. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop localized, non‐antibiotic antibacterial strategies. Incorporating antibacterial components into bone repair materials can help establish an antimicrobial microenvironment at the defect sites, promoting effective bone regeneration. Currently, bone repair materials are frequently combined with organic, inorganic, stimuli‐responsive, and multi‐modal antibacterial agents. This review aims to provide an overview of commonly used bone repair materials and their integration with antibacterial agents, offering insights to guide the development of next‐generation antimicrobial bone repair materials, thereby addressing urgent needs in orthopedic clinical practice.