Evaluation of Bacterial Colonization and Clinical Properties of Different Suture Materials in Dentoalveoler Surgery

This study aimed to compare the effects of 10 different suture materials commonly used in dentoalveolar surgery on wound healing, their postoperative microbial colonization, and related clinical parameters.

A total of 172 suture samples from patients who had undergone extraction of impacted third molars were included in the study. The suture materials studied were poly-glycolide-colactide, fast absorbable poly-glycolide-colactide, poly-glycolic acid-cocaprolactone, polydioxanone, silk, polypropylene, polyvinylidene difluoride, polyamide, polyester, and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The microbial colonization in all sutures and clinical parameters were evaluated after 1 week.

Multifilament sutures had higher bacterial colonization compared with monofilament sutures (P < .001). No dental plaque accumulation was observed in any samples of polypropylene sutures. Polydioxanone, PTFE, and poly-glycolic acid-cocaprolactone sutures exhibited less postoperative slack compared with all other sutures after 1 week. Patients with silk, polyvinylidene difluoride, and PTFE sutures had less suture-related discomfort. According to the Landry index score, monofilament sutures demonstrated superior wound healing to multifilament sutures (P = .019). In addition, nonabsorbable sutures showed significantly better wound epithelization than absorbable sutures (P ˂ .001).

Bacterial colonization and tissue reactions due to the surface properties of the suture affected the wound healing after dentoalveolar surgery. Multifilament sutures should not be applied for prolonged periods because of their tendency for microbial colonization. The tissue reaction to the absorbable suture materials may adversely affect wound healing.