A scanning electron microscope study of plaque accumulation on silk and PVDF suture materials in oral mucosa.
OBJECTIVE
To examine plaque accumulation on silk and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) sutures at different time intervals.


METHODS
Twenty-one male albino rabbits received sutures under general and local anaesthesia. After 3, 5 and 7 days sutures were removed and processed for scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation. The Friedman and the Wilcoxon tests were used to compare contamination on PVDF and silk suture materials at different time intervals.


RESULTS
At all time intervals, the whole surface of silk sutures was covered with a thick layer of bacterial plaque and debris. Microorganisms and blood cells on the surface and between the filaments of the silk suture material were observed. Light debris appeared around the knot area of PVDF sutures after 3 days. At 5 and 7 days, contamination could be seen in scattered areas along the suture material. The average contaminated area was smaller on PVDF suture materials, which were removed at 5 than at 7 days after insertion. At 3 days, PVDF sutures showed significantly less contamination than at 5 and 7 days (P = 0.002). There were statistically significant differences between silk and PVDF sutures at 3, 5 and 7 days.


CONCLUSIONS
SEM observation showed that PVDF sutures were contaminated less than silk sutures at 3, 5 and 7 days.
Parirokh
M
M
Endodontic Department, Kerman Dental School, Kerman, Iran. masoudparirokh@yahoo.com
Asgary
S
S
Eghbal
M J
MJ
Stowe
S
S
Kakoei
S
S
D000818:Animals; D003773:Dental Plaque; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011145:Polyvinyls; D011817:Rabbits; D047011:Silk; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013537:Sutures / Q000382:microbiology*; D005465:Fluorocarbon Polymers
D011145:Polyvinyls; D047011:Silk; C024865:polyvinylidene fluoride; D005465:Fluorocarbon Polymers