# Investigation of Absorbable and Non-Absorbable Multifilament Suture Materials in Terms of Strength Changes Using Chlorhexidine Mouthwash and Thermal Cycling: An In Vitro Study

## TL;DR

This study found that chlorhexidine mouthwash significantly reduces the strength of both absorbable and non-absorbable sutures used in oral surgery over 14 days.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is the in vitro evaluation of how chlorhexidine mouthwash and thermal cycling affect suture tensile strength over time.

## Key findings

- Silk sutures showed a significant decrease in tensile strength at day 7 compared to earlier days.
- PGLA sutures also showed a significant decrease in tensile strength at day 14.
- Chlorhexidine mouthwash significantly reduces suture resistance for 14 days after surgery.

## Abstract

Sutures are natural or synthetic biomaterials utilized to hold tissues together. Following oral surgery, the surgical site and sutures are physically affected by many different factors. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of artificial saliva (AS) and chlorhexidine mouthwash on the tensile strength of absorbable multifilament PGLA (polyglycolide-co-l-lactide) and non-absorbable multifilament silk sutures. PGLA and silk sutures, which are commonly used in oral surgery, were used to evaluate the change in strength of the sutures. A total of 352 suture samples were divided into eight equal groups (n = 44) and used for the experiments. Tensile strength was tested on days 0, 3, 7, and 14. For the silk sutures, there was a significant decrease in tensile strength in all groups at time T3 compared to T0, T1, and T2, and at times T1 and T2 compared to T0. For PGLA sutures, there was a significant decrease in all groups at time T3 compared to T0, T1, and T2. This study shows that chlorhexidine mouthwash significantly reduces suture resistance for 14 days after surgery.