REACTION OF ORAL TISSUES TO SUTURE MATERIALS .2.

The response of oral tissues to nine different suture materials was studied histologically in dogs that were receiving systemic antibiotic therapy. The monofilament suture materials-nylon, gut, steel, and chromic-were associated with less severe reactions than the multifilament materials-silk (braided), polyester fiber, cotton, Dermal (twisted silk), and linen. These findings indicate that the oral tissue response is related to the physical nature of the suture and that systemic antibiotics do not appreciably alter the comparative response to various suture materials. Brown and Brenn staining of tissue sections demonstrated particles within the interstices of multifilament suture materials, suggesting that variation in the transmission of bacteria may account for the difference in tissue response. © 1968.