Evaluation of the effects of silk and polyethylene terephthalate sutures on postoperative complications in impacted lower third molar surgery

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of silk and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) sutures on postoperative complications in impacted lower third molar surgery. This prospective, randomized, split-mouth, double-blind clinical study was performed between January 2021 and June 2022 at the Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Van Yüzüncü Yıl University. The patients were categorized into two groups in terms of using suture material. PET suture was used in Group 1, and the silk suture in Group 2 for wound closure following impacted lower third molar surgery. The statistical significance level was accepted as p < 0.05 in the study. Forty patients (21 women, 19 men; mean age: 26.1 ± 7.25 years) were included in the study. When values for swelling and trismus evaluation were analyzed, there was no significant intergroup difference (p > 0.05). However, the VAS values of the silk group patients were higher at the 12th and 24th hours (p < 0.05). In addition, the plaque accumulation value in the silk group was higher than that in the PET group on the second postoperative day (p < 0.05). The results indicated that the plaque accumulation in the PET suture was less on the second postoperative day. Also, PET suture group patients felt less pain during the 12th and 24th hours. These results support to use PET sutures in impacted lower third molar surgery. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Image: see text]