title: Should Surgical Burs Be Used as Single-Use Devices to Avoid Cross Infection? A Case-Control Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the rate of bacterial contamination of reused and new unused burs after different sterilization sessions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The test group consisted of 40 used fissure burs, and the control group of 40 unused new fissure burs (total n = 80). The burs from both groups were precleaned according to standard protocols and then subjected to two sterilization sessions (high- and low-steam pressure autoclaving). After each sterilization session, the burs were transferred into incubation tubes which contained thioglycollate culture medium and were monitored daily for a period of 48 h to detect any bacterial growth. Data were collected and statistical analysis was done using Fisher's exact test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 40 burs of the test group, 2 burs (5%) showed positive bacterial growth, whereas no bur from the control group showed any sign of bacterial growth after high-pressure autoclaving. The colony structure and Gram staining were compatible with the growth of Staphylococcus epidermis. After a second sterilization session at low-pressure steam autoclaving, no bacterial growth was observed for the test group, but 1 bur (2.5%) from the control group showed bacterial growth and Gram-positive staining matched well with the growth of Brevibacterium species.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new and unused burs were 100% sterile after high-pressure steam autoclaving, whereas 5% of the reused burs appeared positive with bacterial contamination. After low-pressure steam autoclaving, reused burs were 100% sterile, but 1 new bur demonstrated bacterial contamination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, University of Dammam, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Badr A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Al-Jandan
authors.forename: Mohamed Gafar
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Khalifa Sulaiman
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Al-Khalifa
authors.forename: Imran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Farooq
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003737:Dental Cavity Preparation / Q000379:methods*; D019551:Dental Disinfectants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D018915:Root Canal Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013242:Sterilization / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D019551:Dental Disinfectants