Comparison of interrupted and locked continuous suture techniques in oral surgery regarding wound healing: a split-mouth clinical trial

Objectives: Although many publications compare suture materials in vivo and in vitro, only some studies have compared suture techniques, and those studies only compare dehiscence rates, not wound healing. This study compares wound healing with interrupted and locked continuous sutures in edentulous ridges. Materials and Methods: This study was designed as a prospective, split-mouth clinical study, with crestal surgical wounds divided into two halves up to the midline and sutured using interrupted and locked continuous techniques. Patients who required maxillar full-arch alveoloplasty were included in the study. Three expert observers evaluated the wounds via an Early Wound Healing Score (EHS) on days 3 and 7. These scores, suture time, suture removal difficulty, and suture removal pain were compared between groups. Results: Our study included 34 patients, among whom suture removal difficulty, pain, and day 3 EHS were not significantly different. Suture time and day 7 EHS significantly differed between interrupted and locked continuous suturing techniques. The locked continuous suture also required less suturing time and showed better healing scores on day 7. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the locked continuous suture technique can lead to significant time savings and better wound healing in the context of edentulous full arch procedures.