SUTURE MATERIALS IN MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY: A LITERATURE REVIEW

In maxillofacial surgery, suture materials are being used to approximate and stabilize wound lips, to promote haemostasis and to improve healing at the last phase of the operation. throughout the history, many kinds of absorbable and non-absorbable suture materials are used. absorbable sutures include catgut, polyglycolic acid, polyglactin, polydioxanone, polyglyconate and poliglecaprone 25. non-absorbable sutures include silk, nylon, linen, cotton, polyester, stainless steel, polybutester, polyethylene and polypropylene. the purpose of this literature review was to identify the characteristic features of suture materials which are generally used in oral and maxillofacial surgery. in conclusion, it was observed that the suture material should be selected based on operation type, tissue reaction, bacterial invasion and the physical and biocompatibility characters of the material.