Wound closure and wound healing. Suture techniques in contemporary periodontal and implant surgery: Interactions, requirements, and practical considerations

In contemporary reconstructive periodontal and implant surgery, attaining uncomplicated wound healing in the early postoperative healing phase is the key to achieving a successful treatment outcome and is of central interest, from the clinical as well as the scientific perspective. The realization of primary wound healing is the central challenge in most cases. Two of the evidence-based factors that affect postoperative wound healing can be influenced by the surgeon: the blood supply to the surgical site and postoperative wound stability. The surgical suture is a key determinant of whether adequate wound stability is achieved in this context without complicating the course of wound healing by exerting unnecessary trauma or excessive tensile strain on the wound edges. Therefore, the inclusion of anchors in the suturing process that make it possible to achieve the best wound stability possible is often an important key to success. This article provides an overview of the principles of successful wound closure that are relevant to postoperative wound healing in order to equip dentists with the tools needed for the correct, indication-specific selection and performance of surgical suturing techniques in daily practice. (Quintessence Int 2017;48:647-660; originally published (in German) in Implantologie 2016;24:281-294; doi: 10.3290/j.qi.a38706) Keywords: microsurgery, suture anchoring, suture material, suturing technique, wound closure, wound healing