A comparative study of the effect of suture-less and multiple suture techniques on inflammatory complications following third molar surgery

The aim of this prospective randomized study was to evaluate the effect of not using sutures on postoperative pain, swelling and trismus after lower third molar surgery. 80 patients with impacted lower third molars were referred for surgical extraction (42 males; 38 females; aged 18–38 years). The patients were randomly divided into two equal groups (sutures n = 40; suture-less n = 40). In the experimental group, the flaps were replaced without suturing. The control group was selected using the same criteria and treated under the same surgical protocol as the experimental group, except that the flaps were apposed using multiple sutures. Pain, swelling and trismus were evaluated at 24 h, 48 h and 1 week postoperatively in both groups. The operation time was found to be significantly longer in the multiple sutures group (p < 0.05). There was significantly less pain, swelling and trismus at 24 h and 48 h, respectively, in the suture-less group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the two treatment groups in terms of pain, swelling and trismus, at 1 week postoperatively (p > 0.05). There is less postoperative pain, swelling and trismus with the suture-less technique in third molar surgery.