What do I do if my sutures become loose in my mouth after oral surgery?

Oral surgery sutures
Sutures are routinely placed during an oral surgery or facial  procedure to minimize bleeding and reapproximate skin or tissue minimizing scarring. There are two categories of sutures or stitches: Resorbable (dissolving) or Non-resorbable. Each category has different properties that are used in different situations.  Non-resorbing sutures are many times used for skin for its strength and decreased irritation or skin reaction.  The disadvantage is that they need to be removed at a different time after the initial healing has taken place.  Most of the time local anesthetic isn't even needed and it is a simple procedure. There are many different times of dissolving sutures with different strengths and weaknesses.  The resorbable sutures we used for routine extractions and wisdom teeth typically dissolve in 7-10 days.  For implants and bone grafting the sutures dissolve in about two weeks.  If the loose ends become bothersome or become loose as they dissolve, you are welcome to trim/remove them after day 5 or come by our office to have them removed.
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