How long do stitches stay in after oral surgery?
The duration the stitches are kept in after surgery will vary from case to case as each surgery differs as well as the wounds left by them. Typically, our patients can expect to have their stitches in between five and fourteen days.
What kind of stitches do you use for oral surgery?
We utilise a variety of materials for stitches, which typically centres around your surgeons’ preferences or what is most appropriate for that particular wound. We use material, resorbable and non-resorbable stitches, which can be found in white, blue, black and so on.
As their name suggests, material and non-resorbable stitches require a dentist to remove them from the healing site after the area has had time to heal. Resorbable stitches naturally break down due to the enzymes in the mouth, they do not require any type of removal.
We will typically go for non-resorbable sutures sized between 5.00 and 6.00 as the wound is the cleanest. We chose these sutures as they need to keep the soft tissues held together to promote healing, whilst being able to withstand minor stresses like eating and drinking (whilst still healing).
What happens following my surgery?
Each form of aftercare varies according to the type of surgery a patient has had. Your surgeon will go through a tailored after-care plan to ensure that your mouth heals as quickly and as easily as possible. It’s important that with any oral surgery, you follow the oral care instructions, and markedly avoid smoking. You can also expect to avoid the following in the first few days of recovery:
- Hard foods like candies or nuts.
- Spicy, sugary or acidic foods.
- Brushing the area of surgery.
- Avoid using straws as they can create pressure within the mouth.
When you come in for your follow-up appointment, we will assess the area to see how it has healed, and then we’ll remove the stitches. This usually isn’t painful so generally no anaesthetic is needed to numb the area.
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