Re: Suture Questions and Concerns

Pete wrote:
Steven Bornfeld wrote:
It's very likely some stitches have fallen out. If not, it will
almost certainly be easy to remove any remaining with direct vision
and bright light.

Steve

Thanks Steve...but how would they fall out, if they are a strong synthetic thread. And like I said there is no sign of any thread left at all, anywhere, so doesn't that mean the dentist will have to dig for them, and upset my surgery. I really don't see anything at all, looking very closely with a bright flashlight, flashing directly on the area (they are gone).

Is it possible the dentist botched the job somehow. I was hoping for a more detailed answer (ie do stitches normally get buried after a few days or not - and if not I don't see how he will be able to remove them if they are not visible). Sorry for the repetition, but this doesn't sound right to me. I have had several stitches removed on bodily cuts in my life, and the stitches are always visible.

Thanks...Pete




Obviously I have no way of knowing what suture material was used. I use mostly silk because it's easy to use. Synthetic materials usually require more knots, and when I've used them they're a little more difficult to tie without tearing the tissue. However, sometimes they provoke less tissue reaction, so there is good reason to use them, and I don't do much surgery in any case.
The mouth is a difficult place to retain sutures--unless it is covered by a dressing, think of all the stuff rubbing up against them--food, tongue, etc. Anywhere else on the body the sutures would probably be covered by a bandage for a few days, and you wouldn't get the surgical wound wet. I can tell you that within a week of suturing, I can count on about 1/3 or the sutures I've placed to have come out by themselves.
On the plus side, the soft tissue of the mouth heals wonderfully almost always--in a wet, septic environment. Specifically to your situation, you didn't say if the torus removal was on the palate or the lower jaw. The tissue is usually very thin around these, and prone to breakdown. In this case you'll get a whitish-greyish fibrin pseudomembrane covering the area, and it will eventually granulate in. There is nothing in your description to make me think your surgeon "botched" anything, but by all means have him/her look at it to make sure the healing is OK. I'm guessing it is--but if there is increased swelling after 48 hours or any drainage from the area for sure get it checked sooner.
This tissue--as thin as it is--you shouldn't have any worries about sutures getting "lost".

Steve
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